Luke 21:7-36 – – [Key v. 26] – “…men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”  NKJV

Those who know me know how much Covenant is a foundational principle in the ministry and passion that God has planted in my heart.  I’ve had people say about me, “Get around Roy for 5 minutes and he is talking about Covenant.”  That is because God has burned it in my heart, and I see it as the foundation for everything in our Christian lives once we have received Jesus as our personal savior and Lord!

But before one can get to the Covenants, which is a full 12 to 18-month study if we met once a week for at least an hour and examined the details of Covenant and how they relate to us today.  It is far to, vast a subject for me to even attempt in these brief devotionals. Yet knowing that Covenant is the “Heart of God” for His People and the Key to our Becoming what He is coming back for – A Glorious Church! A Church without spot or wrinkle, walking in the fullness of His Victory at the Cross and that through Covenant we come to a more complete understanding of our Completeness in Him, I must try!

Before we can even remotely consider Covenant, we must come to an understanding of what has happened, what is happening, who we are, as well as the Time in which we live.  We are in what I call, “The Battle Before the Battle.”  I believe that we are living in the most crucial time that the World and the Church have known to date.  We must Redeem the Time and Discern the Time of our Visitation.

In that respect, it doesn’t matter where you are in your spiritual development.  This is critical whether you are a “babe in Christ,” a “seasoned theologian,” or a “fully matured” believer.  It is important because, in my view, you cannot walk in the fullness of God’s Covenant if you do not understand the Covenant and its Foundation!

Keep in mind that much of what I am going to present is elementary.  It is Basic Christianity!  The fundamental, foundational principles must be understood if we are going to be All We Can Be for the Kingdom and in the Kingdom!

In Matthew 10:26-28, we find Jesus instructing His disciples concerning their mission gave them authority, power, and warning of the dangers and problems which lay before them.  They were told where it would come from as well as how to respond to it.

[Verse 36] – “And a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.

HOUSEHOLD – – – Root = “oy-kos”:   Family (kin) – – can also include spiritual family, church, denomination, persuasion, etc.  No Loyalty!  No Covenant!  It is a picture of Life with self at the center.

I urge you to hear this carefully.  We’ve been taught that satan’s greatest weapon is creating “doubt,” but I believe that “doubt” is a by-product of the problem, not the problem.  In my personal view, the greatest weapon is Fear!

Fearful people make irrational decisions.  They can only see the problem (perceived or real).  They can only see the Danger or Potential Danger, not the Solution.  Fear creates a state of hopelessness and creates doubt!  It is impossible to walk in Faith and Fear at the same time!

            FAITH has Hope                              FEAR is Hopeless

            FAITH has Vision                            FEAR is Blind or Visionless

            FAITH Trusts                                     FEAR Distrusts and Doubts

            FAITH has Joy                                 FEAR has Torment and Depression

            FAITH has Patience                        FEAR has Impatience

            FAITH produces Life                       FEAR produces Death

The opposite of Faith is not Doubt it is Fear!  Doubt is a by-product of Fear and Fear is the result of having a Wrong Focus!  Fear comes when we view or face something that we perceive to be bigger than we and beyond our control.   It focuses on our Ability, not God’s Covenant and Promise!  I will stop here and pick up tomorrow with more on this subject.

God be with you as you go through your day and enable you to walk in Faith rather than Fear!  Blessings!