Saturday, June 30, 2012

Choosing the Mantle of Love!


    You and I have 'not' been given a spirit of fear, but power, love and a sound mind! 
Our minds were created by love to live in love, choosing rightfully what was woven into us by Father; absent of all fear! He designed us to stand in the face of fear, in the midst of adversity, with a confident hope in love! A love that casts out all fear and its effects on our lives! 

 It’s been said that FEAR is simply False Evidence Appearing Real! 
 I’m not certain where that originated, but I do know that this is pretty accurate.  The enemy is counting on us not knowing the Truth of who we really are, our true identity, as sons of God; as heirs, with an inheritance!  There is nothing more we can do, other than to accept what He has given and believe; living in the rest He made for us.  
What a deal; it is simply brilliant, if we can believe it and enjoy it!
 As sons and daughters we own a part of the family business, so to speak.  There is no reason to covet; we share equally as we are loved equally.  Remember the parable of the laborers in the vineyard and also called the parable of the generous employer found in Matthew 20:1-16 No matter when they entered for work; they each received the same amount of earnings.  Our Father is generous, loving us the same and gives each of us, all that is needed for life and godliness; receiving all this by knowing and accepting Him! (2Peter 1:3)
 The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy from us, rendering us useless, but God came to give us life and life more abundant…John 10:10
 The way the enemy renders us useless is through various deceitful ways, messing with our emotions, leading us into destruction. Such as: lying to us about someone, our situation or about us personally and how we are being treated, twisting scripture, diverting our attention onto our present surroundings, focusing us on the outside to get to the inside.  If he can corrupt our thinking, our heart is wounded, filling us with doubt and unbelief, often causing us pain.  It is important to know his devices but more important to not be ignorant of scripture and God’s true nature, as a loving and compassionate Father. We are accepted in the beloved, outrageously loved and pursued relentlessly!
   Mostly through fear and intimidation, he comes with tormenting thoughts, to keep us from what is ours already; favor and inheritance.  Counting on us to fight, in our own strength, struggling rather than resting in what Jesus did already, standing poised in Him!

 The adversary wants to damage our heart, whereby we lose hope, become weary in well doing and give up! Hope deferred will make the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is like eating from the tree of life, our Father's provision! The condition of our heart is valued and precious to Father. He doesn’t want our hearts wounded for who we really are, flows from our heart. With the heart we believe. When wounded, we can't help but to reveal the pain inflicted. He longs to Father those places and bring healing to our heart...Proverbs 4:23, 13:12. 23:7. Romans 10:10 
Our confidence is built through a relationship in love. Resting in the center of the love affair between Father and Son! When we draw attention to what we do or don’t do right, we can become more sin conscious and often fall into performance, competition and become discouraged, rather than yielding to Him, in an extravagant love for us. Without acceptance of this love, doubt and ‘what ifs’ form and become a part of us, rather than receiving love and grace which is sufficient supply for our need. This doubt and unbelief can also hinder our reasoning and decision making; muddling discernment and creativity.


There is no fear in love; dread does not exist. Complete, perfect love casts out, expels, banishes and drives out every trace of terror, all fear; for fear brings thoughts of torment, punishment, suspicion; so he who is afraid has not reached matured love… 1John 4:18
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, of cowardice, of craving or cringing and fawning (compliant and flattering) fear; He has given us a spirit of power, love and a calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control (willpower)…2Timothy 1:7
 Satan, himself, is fearful and he counts on us to not discover the Truth of our freedom found in love.  Fear can be a motivator as well as love; only one brings life. Fear can mask itself as wisdom, to prevent us from living a victorious life, confident in humility and love. As our friend, James Jordan of Fatherheart Ministries says so well, 'If we want to know how much love is operating in our lives, look at the fear that is present.'  
Love Banishes Fear!
As David, who became more convinced with each lion and bear, before he faced Goliath, I too had to face some giants in my life. One account that comes to mind was after placing two full page ads of Father's Love Letter, in the newspaper, on the third time around, the support did not come to us by the paper's proofing deadline, as it had previously. That meant, no money, no ad. However, the next morning, it was in the newspaper. We were ecstatic it was there, yet pondered their decision, for choosing to print it. Then, months later we were billed for nearly $4,000! Yikes!
In brief, we prayed, spoke with them several times, and six months later, they ended up writing it off, only to reinstate it, another ten months later. In the courtroom, at the first hearing, I was now standing before a clerk answering the question, 'Did I deny or accept this claim?' Of course I denied it; I had followed their policy for placing ads. Moments later, I felt my knees rattling, as I was asked to approach the bench; now facing the judge and attorney, for one of the largest media giants in the nation. As Holy Spirit led me, I responded only to what I was asked, then I handed a Father's Love Letter to the judge, attorney, and clerks and received my next court date. Within a week, I received a call from their attorney who told me the case was dropped; they had no case. Yay God! This was one of many giants I have faced and each time, love banished the fear that tried to grip me and more love poured in, convincing me even more; He, who is Love is with me!  
But, do not for a moment be frightened or intimidated in anything 
by your opponents and adversaries, for such constancy and fearlessness, will be a clear sign, proof and seal to them of their impending destruction, 
but a sure token and evidence of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God...Phil. 1:28 Amp. 

No Longer a Yoke of Bondage to Fear! 
In Him, we live and move and have our being, for we are His offspring! Just as with the younger ox, yoked to the elder ox, the elder ox is carrying the bulk of the burden. And when fitted properly, a yoke will not chafe or bruise; it fits comfortably, as designed and it is light! Father is carrying us as we are resting in Him, through Jesus. True fulfillment and enjoyment is walking alongside Jesus, our Elder Brother and The Burden Bearer, as He leads us beside the still waters and
restores our soul. Remember, Jesus only did what Father was doing and spoke what Father was saying and He is our Elder Brother, we ourselves are the younger sons, alongside Him. Remaining in Love as He is Love! He says to us, 'Come to Me. Get away with Me and work with Me-watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting upon you. Keep company with Me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.' Matthew 11:28-30
A Custom-Fitted Double Yoke
So take My yoke upon you; it is easy and My burden is light! 
The yoke of the law, no one can carry...Acts 15:10 and Gal. 5:1 Do not let feelings speak louder than Truth. Satan has twisted Truth and made a lie look appealing. Allow grace to empower you to receive a life of Love. Falling for the enemy's devices, will only cause a snare and keep us in bondage to fear, instead of resting in Love. He gives power to the weak; to those who have no might, He increases strength...Isaiah 40:29 Love will bring conviction, for in Him we will live free...Fear will bring condemnation, only to live in shame. Allowing ourselves to live naked before Him, He, who is Love will be our covering, as it was for Adam and Eve in the garden. Yes, Love, God's kind of Love is a violent force...not against people but against that which can destroy us! God's Love will not deny Truth to exist! Deception will bring compromise and compromise will cloud our view of Truth. Receiving the love He has for us will allow Holy Spirit's perfect work inside, to destroy the work of the enemy against us!
The mantle Father has given us is a Mantle of Love, as an inheritance, with favor, honor, authority, and wisdom for taking dominion, as joint heirs, sons and daughters, covered in The Coat of Many Colors for all nations. 
Encompassed in Father's Love! 
The Mighty One in your midst, delights in you, sings and dances over you, with great Joy and quiets you with His love...Zephaniah 3:17
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I love you with an everlasting love...Jeremiah 31:3 He came to not judge the world but to free it from bondage to sin...John 3:16-19 Jesus only did what Father did and said what Father said...John 5:19-20
Let not your hearts be troubled...John 14:1 In Him we live and move and have our being, as His offspring...Acts 17:28 Hope does not disappoint us or put us to shame, for the love of Father is poured out into our hearts through Holy Spirit, who has been given to us...Romans 5:5 There is no condemnation...Romans 8:12 Cast down every thought against God...2Cor.10:5 
His grace is sufficient...2Cor. 12:9

And this I pray: That your love may abound yet more and more and extend to its fullest development in knowledge and all keen insight, that your love may display itself in greater depth of acquaintance and more comprehensive discernment. So that you may surely learn to sense what is vital, and approve and prize what is excellent and of real value, recognizing the highest and the best, and distinguishing the moral differences and that you may be untainted and pure and unerring and blameless, so that with hearts sincere and certain and unsullied (faultless, immaculate), you may approach the day of Christ, not stumbling nor causing others to stumble...Philippians 1:9-10

by Deborah Fisher