In the Old Testament bondage was more of a physical thing. You do evil against God then He would let your enemies capture you, imprison you, your family, and generations to come in your bloodline and this caused man to have a fear of the Lord. But there is a bondage that is far worse that physical imprisonment. Spiritual Bondage is more harmful than physical bondage because you sometimes cannot always see it and know that you are in bondage. We can see the results but not know, what, why or who is messing with our head. Did you ever wonder why God tells Isaiah to not have fear so many times? God was trying to strengthen Isaiah. The opposite of fear is boldness, strength. God was telling him that He would give Isaiah these things. He told him to not worry, He would strengthen him. Isaiah 41:10, "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’” Fear can cause a person to sin: Exodus 20:20, "And Moses said to the people, “Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.”" Fear can create stumbling blocks. Fear can cause you to lie. We always hear people saying that Rahab lied to justify their telling a lie, but God never condoned her lie. He never did tell her good job lying. Lying actually removed God from that situation because she trusted in herself more than God. Remember now, Rahab did not know God. She only knew fear because she had been paying attention to how the children of God have been defeating everyone. Joshua 2:4-6, "Then the woman took the two men and hid them. So she said, “Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. 5 And it happened as the gate was being shut, when it was dark, that the men went out. Where the men went I do not know; pursue them quickly, for you may overtake them.” 6 (But she had brought them up to the roof and hidden them with the stalks of flax, which she had laid in order on the roof.)" God rewarded her by the words spoken to her by the 2 children of Israel. Not by her lie. Fear will turn you into a liar. Fear can cause you to run away. When David entered into battle with any nation, the nation would flee from the power of God that David and his men moved under. 1 Chronicles 19:14, "So Joab and the people who were with him drew near for the battle against the Syrians, and they fled before him." To run away means that you are afraid and it also means that you have already been beaten. Fear will keep you out of the battle. We all know the story of David and Goliath. This story is even circulated around non Christians as a story of strength. 1 Samuel 17:4-11, "And a champion went out from the camp of the Philistines, named Goliath, from Gath, whose height was six cubits and a span. He had a bronze helmet on his head, and he was armed with a coat of mail, and the weight of the coat was five thousand shekels of bronze. And he had bronze armor on his legs and a bronze javelin between his shoulders. Now the staff of his spear was like a weaver’s beam, and his iron spearhead weighed six hundred shekels; and a shield-bearer went before him. Then he stood and cried out to the armies of Israel, and said to them, “Why have you come out to line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and you the servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. But if I prevail against him and kill him, then you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and greatly afraid." Fear will keep you from engaging the enemy. But God says we have nothing to fear. So today I pray Deuteronomy 28:7 for you. “The Lord will cause your enemies who rise against you to be defeated before your face; they shall come out against you one way and flee before you seven ways. I plead Joshua 10:8, “Do not fear them, for I have delivered them into your hand; not a man of them shall stand before you.” Be blessed! Evangelist Cheryl Davies
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