The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. John 10:10-11.
Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
“Rejoice in the Lord! Again I say rejoice,” wrote My servant Paul and there was a reason he told you to do so. I am near. Philippians 4:4.
I tell you not to worry. If I tell you not to worry, why do you do it so much of the time? It is because you are not certain of the outcome. “Master,” cried the frantic disciples in the storm, “are you not concerned that we are going to perish?” How could you think that with Jesus in your boat? And although He had embraced your humanity, he was not worried. He knew Me. And after all this time you should too.
Where is your faith? No faith? Little faith? Lost faith? Where is your confidence in Me? Fear is useless what is needed is faith and your life will be saved.
Worry is fear of a bad result. But, listen to Paul’s response to that, “And we KNOW that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to purpose.” Romans 8:28. Purpose and call. Without know these you will lose hope. I have called you to My own Kingdom and glory. 1 Thessalonians 1:12. I have called you into fellowship with My Son and I have called you out of darkness into My own marvelous light. And purpose? Jesus told you, “As the Father has sent Me so I send you.” I sent Him to save the lost, gather the scattered, to preach the good news of My Kingdom, to go about doing good, and to heal all those oppressed of the devil. Acts 10:38. And He told you that you would do the works He did and greater. You are now the ones carrying out My purposes of reconciliation, blessing, salvation, and peace in the world. And may My purpose prosper in your hands so that everyone sees your good works and is drawn to Me.
Why do you worry when I have appointed and anointed you in Christ for good works that I prepared in the advance that you might walk in them? Ephesians 2:10.
But above all, you have My Word. I have given you My Word and My Word is My covenant bond, My commitment. My Words endure forever, firm and eternal as My Kingdom. And this is My Covenant with you, My Spirit which is upon you, and My Words which I have put in your mouth shall not depart from your mouth, nor from the mouth of your offspring, nor from the mouth of your offspring’s offspring, from now and forever. Isaiah 59:21. I have put My Words in your mouth and covered you with the shadow of My Hand. Isaiah 51:16. Power in My Words, protection in My hand.
You do not worry if you have received word of one you trust of rescue, deliverance, redemption, forgiveness and salvation. You are watching for them to show up and save you.
Do not fear! I am with you. That settles the issue as far as I am concerned. I told that to Moses, Gideon, and many others but they were reluctant to put their trust in that at first. My Word will guide you; it is a light to your path and a lamp to your feet.
I called the Israelites’ anxious and worried report about the Promised Land an evil report. Fear is of an evil heart where there is no faith in My love and the truth of My Word. If I am with you, who or what can come against you and succeed? I have made you more than conquerors. A conqueror can get overcome and conquered but a more than a conqueror cannot.
But the question is really how can you keep yourself from worrying? It just seems to have become your default mode. You slip into it before you can even catch yourself. You know though when you begin to feel very negative and hopeless in darkness.
Well, I have told you, and many of you know this passage well, but you just do not consistently practice it. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things. The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.” Philippians 4:4-9.
Cast your cares on My because I care for you. Jesus assured you that He will never reject one who comes to Him. “Come to Me all you who are weary and find life burdensome and I will refresh you,” He called. No anxiety for anything but cast it on me with thanksgiving. And that is key, the voice of thanksgiving before you see the promise manifest will cause it to manifest from the spiritual world to the material world.
Sheep don’t worry, they just follow the Shepherd. Don’t fear little flock, it has pleased Me to give you the Kingdom. The are three things you must be aware of and deal with them IMMEDIATELY if they enter your heart. 1. Worry, 2. Fear, and 3. The Dark Valley (the place of hopelessness, futility, and loss of purpose).
What is the answer to all three of these that will remove them from your heart and set you free? THE GOOD SHEPHERD. He came to bring you the abundant life until it overflows. Have you never read, “Even though I walk through the valley of the deepest darkness, the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4-5. And who is it that is there with you with a rod and a staff? Look at the beginning of the Psalm “The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want, He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul.” Psalm 23:1-3. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. And Jesus did more than that for you, He not only laid down His life but He took it up again to shepherd you forever. Revelation 7:16-17. For in John’s vision of Heaven, what did he see? “They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” Revelation 7:16-17.
He laid down His life in the flesh so that you could have abundant life, eternal life. He paid all your debt, for you owed Me the eternal life Adam killed in all of you, but none of you had an eternal life to give, for the life is in the blood and your blood was no longer eternal but corruptible due to Adam’s fall from his birthright to be of his new father the devil. But your great good Shepherd came and laid down His life and His blood was poured out upon the altar in Heaven as an eternal redemption for all who believe, those who are of His little flock. And then I, the God whose plans for you have always been shalom and not evil, to give you a future and a hope, brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, Jesus your Lord! And in Him, your great good Shepherd, I equip you in every good thing to do My will (My favor, My purpose), working in you that which is pleasing in My sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom I have given glory forever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21. And Christ is in you, your hope of GLORY! My goodness, presence and power.
If you are in the valley of deep darkness and death, and the dreams and joy you once had seem irretrievably lost, it is time you met your great good Shepherd and let Him lead you out of your darkness into My own marvelous light and set a table before you of abundant life until your cup overflows. And how does He lead you? He is My Word and My Word is a light to your path and a lamp to your feet.
A people living in darkness have seen a great light, and on those in a land of gloom light has shown. “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity. Therefore He will give them up until the time when she who is in labor has borne a child. Then the remainder of His brethren will return to the sons of Israel. And He will arise and shepherd His flock. In the strength of the Lord, in the majesty of the name of the Lord His God. And they will live in safety, because at that time He will be great to the ends of the earth. This One will be our peace.” Micah 5:1-5
Let Him light up your life and make you new again. Make you filled with joy again. For what did your good Shepherd tell you the night He laid down His life for His sheep? “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.” John 15:11. The things He has spoken to you, My Words, are what will shepherd you into your purpose and your promised land. For in the past I spoke to you in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, but in these last days I have spoken to you in My Son, whom I appointed heir of all things, through whom also I made the world. And He is the radiance of My glory and the exact representation of My nature and upholds all things by the Word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at My right hand on high. Hebrews 1:1-3. And I seated you there with Him and in Him. Ephesians 2:6.
When you feel hopeless, futile, and lost, sing with David, “Why are you in despair, O my soul? And why have you become disturbed within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him For the help of His presence.” Psalm 42:5. The help of My presence and how do I help you? I sent you your great good Shepherd that I raised from the dead by the blood of the eternal covenant. And He is with you to strengthen you in all things and give you the anointing with the oil of joy with which I anointed Him above His fellows.
You have the solution to fear, worry, and the dark valley—the great good Shepherd, Jesus your Lord, who leads you out of the darkness into His own marvelous light. He is the Light of the World, no follower of His shall every walk in darkness but shall have the light of life. Your life is hidden now from the evil one in Me in Christ and when He comes again in Glory you shall appear with Him. What a glorious day awaits you. Do not act like those who have no hope. You Shepherd is walking with you now. And how does He lead you? And He brought forth His people with joy, His chosen ones with a joyful singing and shouting. Psalm 105:43. And He brought them out laden with silver and gold and not a feeble one among them. Psalm 105:37.
“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Psalm 23:5-6. The good Shepherd. He laid down His life for you, but only to take it up again and you up with Him.
I love you. You must deal with worry, fear and the dark valley the minute they begin pulling you down and off your course. And on your own you cannot deal with them but the good news is you don’t have to, I gave you the way to deal with these—totally relying upon and following your great good Shepherd and letting Him equip you for life, eternal life, beginning now.
All who are lost come to your Good Shepherd, come to hear His sweet Voice, for He will lead you out of your darkness that your heart may rejoice! Clap your hands all peoples! Shout to God with a voice of joy! For the Lord He comes, the Lord He comes, to renew the face of the earth! Renew Song by Bonnie L. Moore