Do not be afraid

Today, Isaiah would have been accused of being a false prophet, as he foretold Jesus and his ministry, then it was 700 years before Jesus was actually born!  However, today the prophecy he gave all those years ago, is quoted in most of our churches at this time of year. Isaiah truly was a powerful Prophet.

Isaiah 9:6 “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end.”

Wow!! Everything was about to change when Jesus left heaven to be born here on earth, and the timing was critical.  Jesus left a place of perfection where there was no sickness, no sin, no gossip and just flawless glory.  His timing was impeccable, as God’s heavenly kingdom was established here on earth; as Jesus opened and demonstrated a powerful realm of signs, wonders and miracles during his lifetime.  In fact, so much of Jesus’ birth was full of signs and wonders.

Let me tell you the story - Just as Jesus was about to be born, a census was being conducted and everyone had to return to their ancestral home.  This meant that Mary and Joseph had to travel about 70 miles to Bethlehem, despite Mary being heavily pregnant. 

I remember being heavily pregnant with my son…it was a very windy day, and I was TRYING to walk.  I ended up in an undignified manner, clinging on to a lamppost to afraid to let go in case I got blown away!  A lovely gentleman came to my aid and escorted me to a safe place.  I cannot imagine Mary’s journey of 70 miles with no transport other than a donkey.  

As a Jewish man, Joseph needed to be well prepared to take his pregnant wife on such a long and dangerous journey.  What if one of them died? Since Jewish law declares a body has to be buried immediately following a death, devout travelling Jews would wrap long strips of swaddling cloth around their waists, so if someone died on the way, the swaddling could be used as a burial shroud. 

Another Jewish tradition was that swaddling cloths for royal babies, would be created from the retired priest’s garment.  Since Mary had visited Elizabeth prior to their trip, and Elizabeth’s husband Zachariah had just finished his service as a Priest, it is possible Zachariah provided the swaddling cloths for Mary’s tiny baby.

Luke 2:6-8. “While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room available for them.

⁸ Shepherds were out in the fields nearby, watching over their flocks at night.”  This was not just another dull night of watching the sheep and listening to their bleating!

It has been said that these Shepherds, were “Levitical Shepherds” who raised the sacrificial lambs to be offered in the temple. They "kept watch” over the flocks to ensure the lambs were not blemished while being born.  Then they would wash the lambs in salt water before wrapping them in swaddling cloths to protect them from injury, since baby lambs can thrash about and harm themselves.  Then the swaddled lambs would be placed in the manger.

Isaiah 2:9 tells us that, “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.’

Do not be afraid…

Steve and I went along to church each week, however personally I was becoming increasingly frustrated, but didn’t understand why.  You see… I had signed up for “Acts 2 Christianity” that demonstrates the biblical signs, wonders and miracles that Jesus said we would all be able to do.  I didn’t become a Christian to fill a pew or to just get my ticket to heaven.  I signed up for a relationship with the living God, for salvation and so much more.  It is sad to say that at that time we didn’t see many signs, wonders or miracles, hence the frustration.

Life was really tough and finally, one night, whilst Steve was working and our baby was fast asleep in his cot, I began to vent my frustration on God.  I was very depressed and weepy.  I felt that I couldn’t go on living like this as our finances were in a terrible state.  I had lost all hope and was very fearful for the future.  Religion was simply not enough!

I cried out to God, “Where are You Lord?  I know Satan is attacking my life in so many ways, but where are you?  You are supposed to be my heavenly Father, and I am supposed to hear you speaking to me.  I might as well have a relationship with a brick wall! I feel as though I am going to church for a history lesson that is 2,000 years old!” 

I was really desperate! I ranted and raved at God.  But then He is big enough to take it and actually He longs for us to be real with Him.  God does not want us to speak to Him with flowery religious language, especially when we are angry, hurting, frustrated or fearful on the inside.  God longs for us to be real with Him, so that He can be real with us after all He knows all about it any way.

I had no idea what to expect, but I was desperate! I mean really desperate!  Eventually I sobbed myself to sleep.  However, in the middle of the night, I had an incredible encounter with God that has remained with me every minute of every day since then.

Suddenly, God appeared, and I was positioned on His right side as though He was standing shoulder to shoulder with me.  There was an overwhelming and amazing presence displayed by a magnificent, brilliant light, certainly not a natural light.  There was an awesome love, an incredible sense of security and peace beyond words.  In front of me about three yards away was Satan.  I wasn’t scared of him because God was standing with me.  Can you believe that?  The holy, awesome and magnificent God standing with me, a broken, rejected and hopeless individual!  He didn’t wait for me to be perfect He came to me when I needed Him most. 

God placed a huge double-edged sword into my hands.  The sword looked like it was made of shining, gleaming steel without a mark or fingerprint upon it.  It was very heavy and very sharp.  The sword’s handle fitted perfectly into my hand.  As I took hold of it, the tip was touching the floor.  It was just the right length for me to use.  It was as though the sword was made to measure, just for me.  Although the Lord gave me no instructions, I automatically knew what to do with my sword. 

“For the Lord takes delight in his people.
He crowns the humble with victory.  Let His faithful people rejoice in this honour
and sing for joy on their beds.  May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands.”  Psalm 149:4-6 (NIV).

Knowing God was standing with me, I was not afraid as I fixed my gaze upon Satan.  Using all my strength, I took the sword in both hands, raising it from the floor until the tip was facing Satan.  Without me speaking or taking any further action, the simple movement of raising the double-edged sword into position, caused Satan to flee immediately. 

Deuteronomy 33:29 tells us that God is our shield and helper and our glorious sword.  Our enemies will cower before us.

The Lord filled me with His presence, His awesome, amazing, powerful and overwhelming peace.  He then spoke to me and said, “I will never leave you or forsake you and I will always be there for you”. 

This encounter with the Lord completely changed me from being fearful, hopeless, depressed and weepy - to being filled with courage, hope, new life and unspeakable joy.  I didn’t realise it, but I had also been baptised, or some say filled, with the Holy Spirit.  The following day was as though everything was brighter and more beautiful, and I was seeing life through a new pair of eyes.

I had discovered that God was real, and nobody could ever take that away from me.  I had longed to encounter God, to hear His voice, to know His presence and to understand how much He loved me.  God met with me, and I had never encountered such overwhelming life-changing love.

As the years have unfolded since then, I have come to understand the implications of what happened.  The Lord has given me a double-edged sword in my hand and He has been teaching me how to use it ever since. 

I encourage you, if you have never had an encounter with God or received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, cry out to God and ask Him to meet with you.  He loves you so much and He longs for you to come into His presence.  Please don’t settle for just a religious experience - press into God for an intimate relationship, as without that we don’t ever encounter the fullness of God. 

Let’s return to Luke 2:13 “Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ^‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests.’

The shepherds said, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’  So, they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.^”

Suddenly we understand why the shepherds got excited by the message from the angels, “You will find a baby lying in a manger wrapped in swaddling cloths.”  The shepherds witnessed a baby that had been born in the same place as the Passover lambs, swaddled like the Passover lambs, but unlike the Passover lambs that were born to take away one person’s sin, Jesus the lamb of God was born to take away all the sins of the world!

Later we read in John 1:29, “As Jesus came to John to be baptized, John said “Look!  There He is – God’s lamb!  He will take away the sins of the world!”

Many years later, Jesus Himself was the Lamb of God as He died upon the cross, paying the price for my sin, your sin and the sin of every one of us.  That was not the end!  Jesus won that victory over sin and sickness, on our behalf through the shedding of His precious blood and by overcoming death itself as he was raised from the dead!! 

Let’s take hold of Jesus today, so that we can live knowing we are precious and so, so loved by God.  Life with Jesus is never dull? Are you ready for the adventure of a life time?