VOICE OF HOPE
23 May 2022
Acts 10:9
So mightily grew the Word of God and prevailed.
The time has come to break off the fear from our minds and to step into the dimension of an overcoming life where the Word of God becomes the predominant voice in this hour.
Fear is all around us. In every place, there are voices rising up to create fear in the hearts of men. The time has come for us to put the spirit of fear in his place! With everything happening in the world today it is almost impossible to not live in fear of what the future holds. But God! With God on our side, it is absolutely more than possible to stand courageous in the face of fear! 2 Timothy 1:7 clearly states that God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and of a sound mind.
1. Power because the Holy Spirit, the Person of the unlimited power of God, lives in us. God has not left us alone but He has given us the Helper.
2. Love because we know that God loves us so much that He willingly gave us His only Son and with Him, He has given us all good things.
3. Sound mind because we believe the Word of God to be infallible, unshakeable, unmovable, all-powerful, more than sufficient, and true.
The only way we can prevail in every and any circumstance and overcome fear is when the Word of God grows mightily in our lives. Therefore, it is required that we pick up our Bible, open it up and start meditating on what God says. The only way we will shut up all the other voices is when we make time to hear the voice of God. It is not religion, nor is it knowledge of Scriptures that will break fear. Certainly not! It is when the Word and the Spirit connect and light shine into our heart and the eyes of our understanding are opened up and our way of thinking is altered. It is when you believe without a doubt the truth of what God says regarding you, your destiny, your future, and the situation you might find yourself in. Your life becomes transformed by the renewing of your mind, fear is expelled and your situation changes. The light of the truth of God's Word shines into your darkness and exposes the spirit of fear that has been lying to you all this time. This light reveals to you the life that is found in Christ. You need not remain in that place of darkness, you need not live in that place of fear, it is for you to step out of the darkness and into the light where every chain that has kept you in bondage is broken off and the door of the prison that has kept you captive is opened and you are set free.
Destinies have been altered, futures have been destroyed, and dreams have not come to fulfillment because of fear. But God! God has called us out of the prison that has held us captive, God has come to break every chain that has kept us in bondage so that we can live a life that is free from fear. Remember that once you step out of the darkness and into the light you are in God's domain and nothing will be able to harm you without God's knowledge.
Luke 8:11-15
11. This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God.
12. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.
13. Those on the rocky ground are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but during the time of testing, they fall away.
14. The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches, and pleasures, and they do not mature.
15. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by preserving produce a crop.
In this passage, Jesus makes it very clear as to how important the Word of God is but more importantly that we become rooted in the Word so that we can bear the fruit of that Word.
In verse 12 we read how the devil comes to steal the Word and comes to obscure the truth so that we will not believe and be saved. Jesus was not only speaking of salvation but he was speaking of being saved from every plan of the enemy against our lives, every yoke that has kept us weighed down, every bondage that has kept us in chains, and every prison that has kept us captive. He was speaking of every infirmity of the body and mind, every sickness, every disease, every addiction, every weakness, every hardship, every trial, every pain, every brokenness, every tear, and everything that causes fear to limit us and hinder us to be able to step into the fulness of the life which we have in Christ. Jesus made it very clear that it is only the Word of God that can save us from any and every circumstance life brings our way, therefore, the enemy, the devil himself will do all to hinder and prevent you from reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God. He will do everything in his power to prevent you from knowing the truth and from hearing the voice of God in your situation. He will bombard you with fear so that you will not believe that what God says regarding you could ever be true.
In verse 13 we read how there are those who hear the Word and rejoice over the message that is preached, rejoicing because of the goodness and because of the many promises of God. They are those who even quote these Scriptures for all to hear but they were never rooted in the Word and when the time of testing came they immediately fell away. They believed in God only while things were going their way and all was well but when they found themselves in fearful situations they had no courage to stand and believe God and His Word to be true. Again we see the importance of being rooted in the Word of God. They neglect to take time to study and meditate on the Word of God. They neglect to allow the Word of God to transform their way of thinking and believing so that they could become rooted, unshakeable unmovable upon the Word. Sadly, when the storms of life came on their way, when times of testing came, when voices of fear rose up around them and they found themselves in fearful situations they gave in to fear and they fell away because they never took the time to become rooted in the Word of God.
In verse 14 we read about those who heard the Word but again they never took the time to become rooted in the Word and they were overcome by life's worries and filled with fear, they were distracted to attain riches, pleasures, fame, and a name, position, and honor from men and they never had time to study and meditate God's Word. It was just not that important to them, therefore, they never matured to be planted and deeply rooted to be able to receive that which God had for them.
In verse 15 we read about those who heard the Word of God and steadfastly held fast to it, they loved the Word meditating on the Word day and night, allowing the Word to renew their mind and alter their way of thinking. They trusted God and His promises more than their circumstances. Fear had been broken off and they had the courage to step into the fullness of what God had for them. Courage does not mean that you do not get afraid. Courage means you do not let fear stop you!
Matthew 13:8
Still, other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop - a hundred, sixty, or thirty times what was sown.
They are those who produced a crop of not only thirty, nor sixty, but a hundredfold. They are those whose lives had been transformed by the Word of God.
The Word of God grew mightily in their life and prevailed!
Joshua 1:7-8
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
8. Keep this book of the law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
I encourage you today when fear comes knocking on your door. Do not let it in. When the doctor tells you that you are dying, you will say, "not so! I will live and declare the goodness of God!" When the doctor tells you that you have cancer, you will say, "not so! By His stripes, I am healed!" When the news tells you that famine is coming, you will say, not so! My God will provide all of my needs!" When fear comes knocking at your door, you will say, "get behind me Satan! My God has not given me a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind!" When it seems like everything is coming against you, you will say, "not so! I know the plans You have for me, plans not to harm me but to give me a future and a hope." When tragedy strikes, you will say, "not so! My God works all things for the good of those that love Him." When people say, you cannot do it, you will say, "not so! I can do all things through Christ who gives me the strength." The Word of God will always prevail!
If you are gripped with fear and you feel trapped, I encourage you to get into the Word of God. Eat, drink and sleep the Word and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of what God's Word says regarding you and your situation. Do not come out of that secret place until all fear is expelled and you are strengthened. The only way you will break every chain of fear is when you grow mightily in the Word of God.
Thereze Catherine Barnard
Editor-in-Chief
Voice of Hope Blog