Do Not Fear.
Twenty-two years after selling Joseph into slavery, his brothers now stand before him as prime minister of Egypt. Gen. 42:6ff
They don’t recognise him, and he holds their fate in his hands.
If you’d been in his shoes, what would you have done? Gotten even? Reminded them of their past offences?
What did Joseph do?
He didn’t talk about it. ‘There was no one with Joseph when he made himself known to his brothers’ Gen. 45:1.
Joseph made sure no one in Egypt would ever know what they’d done to him.
And isn’t that how God treats us?
The fact is He has enough on each of us to bury us, yet He refuses to resurrect our past sins.He does not not want to expose, embarrass, or humiliate us.
After Their father Jacob died,Joseph’s brothers were fearful that Joseph would take revenge on them Gen. 50:15-21, but Joseph said “do not fear” v19.
Joseph revealed the heart of God and forgave and restored his brothers.
Fear is instilled in us by the knowledge of our failures and the reminder of those failures by Satan who is also known as "the accuser of the brothers (us!!!) who accuses us night and day”. Rev 12:10.
We need to reject those accusing fear thoughts which have to do with our sense of deserving judgement just as Joseph’s brothers believed.
How do we do that?
‘Perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment’. 1 John 4:18 .
Fear comes as a result of a performance based belief about God’s love. That is when we think, "I have to EARN His love, and if I don’t perform well enough He won’t love me!”.
Listen,If while you were still a sinner He loved you,Rom 5:8, do you think He is going to love you less now that you are truly His child?
The prodigal son was still a son and still loved by the Father in the midst of his mess.
He still loves you and wants you back home where you belong, in His loving care.
It’s your mess that messes you up, God doesn’t do that.
God wants to clean up your mess so it does not weigh you down any more
Soak your heart in the cleansing water of God’s word, Eph 5:26, His word washes out drives out guilt, fear, condemnation.
God says to each one of us."Your sins and your lawless deeds I will remember no more”. Heb 10:17.
The blood of Jesus cleanses(continually keeps on cleansing) us from all sin.1.Jn 1:7.
He has never stopped loving you and is filled with compassion for you always.
His love is everlasting Jer 31:3.
Today live in the tender love your Heavenly Father has for you.
He wants to bless and provide for you just as Joseph did for his erring brothers Gen 50:21.
Like the prodigal son’s Father, He wants to embrace you, kiss you, and robe you in garments of righteousness 2 Cor 5:21, and He wants to bring you home as a son and throw a party on your behalf. Lk 15:20,22,23.
Remind yourself of these truths today.Fear has no place in your life.
Wash out fear with the truth of His Word and get filled up with Father’s love.
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