WITHOUT FEAR AND CONFIDENCE
“So, they were seeking to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. But many of the crowd believed in Him, and they were saying, When the Christ comes, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He? …John 7:30-31.”
There are an enduring peace and confident excitement in knowing our lives rest securely in the Master’s hands. Nothing can happen to us apart from the Lord’s consent.
There was a period in my life when I feared losing my secular job because of my recommitment to Christ. After sharing my concerns with my pastor, he said these words which I carry in my heart to this day:
“Bruce, if the Lord wants you in this job there is no power on earth that can remove you from it. And if the Lord doesn’t want you in your job there is no power on earth that can keep you in it.”
Those simple words of truth erased my fear and gave me confidence.
It is a blessing to experience the Lord working in our lives. Yet, there is often a two-fold reaction to the Truth as seen in the above passage.
In verse 30, “…they were seeking to seize Him.” In verse 31, “…many of the crowd believed in Him.” The Bible says: “To the one, we are the savor of death unto death, and to the other the savor of life unto life…” (2 Cor. 2:16)
When we share our faith with others, it will at times cause division. This is surely what Jesus meant in Luke 12:51-53:
“Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.”
The Truth challenges our concept about ourselves. It forces us to make a decision about Jesus Christ. There is no middle ground in determining where we stand with Jesus. We each face this question:
“What am I going to do with Jesus Christ?
As followers of Christ, we should have the confidence to serve the Lord and be encouraged by His Presence and Power. His divine protection will surround us against the forces of evil until our race is done. Therefore, let us walk as Jesus walked without fear and the confidence God is directing our steps for, indeed, He is.