In Matthew 4:8-9, Satan offered Jesus a way to escape death on the cross and live life as ruler of all the kingdoms of the world if Jesus would only submit to and worship Satan.
"Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, "You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'" Matthew 4:10
Satan has no power over Jesus or us who believe in Him. Jesus took all our fear and anxiety on Himself when He died on the cross and then rose victoriously from the dead three days later. Satan was defeated, and sin's power over us was broken.
And should our fear cause us to stumble and respond to our circumstances sinfully, we can look again at our heavenly adoption document stamped with blood at Calvary and read that we still belong to God and be strengthened and restored by this good news. Jesus' heart bleeds with forgiveness and overwhelming love for us.
“For who are you, O great mountain [of human obstacles]?… you shall become a plain [a mere molehill]! And he [Jesus] shall bring forth the finishing gable stone [of the new temple] with loud shoutings of the people, crying, Grace, grace to it!” Zechariah 4:7 AMP [word added]
Nehemiah depended on God's faithfulness and continually prayed before he set out in action: "And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night." (Nehemiah 4:9). When obstacles loom fearfully before us, we can prayerfully come "boldly to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). We might pray in this way:
"Heavenly Father, You are a great and awesome God, a firm and secure anchor for our souls. We are so grateful that Jesus took our place of punishment for our sin and guilt on the wooden cross, descending so low to raise us so high in love to be redeemed, pardoned, and righteous in Christ.
Please forgive us for the times we have sought hope and shelter in anything else but You and replace our fears with a deep faith in You. Thank You that Jesus overcame on the battlefield, making our enemies a footstool for His feet. Help us to live in the victory Jesus died to give us.
As we face times of adversity, please restore the broken walls of our lives by Your grace and mercy. Help us surrender to Your Sovereignty, trusting that You are in control of all things, being before all things, and in You, all things hold together. Please take our eyes from those situations that make us afraid and place them on Your Son - His life, death, and resurrection. May we be captivated by the beauty of Jesus, the finishing cornerstone of the church, who opened up an endless fountain of grace for us at the cross so we may cry out in faith to our obstacles: "Grace, grace to it!"
Thank You for Your promises that Your powerful presence never leaves us, and You will eternally fight for us from the victory that has been secured for us at Calvary. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Question 1: Try to recall a time in your life when you faced a fearful obstacle and tell how you would now apply the overcoming gospel to it?
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Question 2: “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37). How does this verse remind you of the gospel? And how is your heart affected when you consider and receive this promise of God?
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Fixing our gaze on Jesus conquers the fearful obstacles in our path.