“FEAR NO EVIL!”

Psalms 23:4                                           (ESV)

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will “FEAR NO EVIL”, for YOU are with me; YOUR rod and YOUR staff, they comfort me.”

While reading a devotional recently by a Godly teacher, this paragraph jumped out at me, and I am having to SLOWLY digest it!  “I’ve said before ..... that if your GOD never tells you to do anything you don’t want to do, your god is probably you. If there were an Americanized translation of the Apostle’s Creed for today, it would be something like this: “I believe in GOD the FATHER, Almighty, WHO always supports my feelings.”  

Trusting ALMIGHTY GOD to save your Soul from an eternity separated from HIM must entail SURRENDERING to HIS guidance for our lives.  Imagine the Children of Israel in Exodus being delivered from the Egyptians and then everyone “doing what they thought was right in their own eyes” (Judges 17:6)?  Not trusting in GOD is precisely what led the nation of Israel into captivity in the first place.  Scripture is filled with verses such as Mark 11:22 where JESUS says “...Have faith in GOD!”.    

It seems rather contradictory to say “have faith in GOD”, yet turn around and live our lives with our own feelings being our guide?  Using my life as an example, more times than I care to admit I get to a defining point in my life and do what I “think” I should do?  Of course, I always attempt to say that I was seeking to do HIS WILL in my life, but although that can deceive those watching our actions here on earth, ALMIGHTY GOD sits high knowing our intentions (Genesis 6:5) of HIS creations!  HE SEES TRUTH, no matter how much deceit we try to cover it up with!  

The so-called Prosperity Gospel, a lie from the enemy, is ALL about having everything WE WANT, and not furthering the KINGDOM OF GOD!  Allowing GOD to direct our paths may lead us through “the valley of the shadow of death” (Psalms 23:4), but HE WILL DELIVER US!  When we “FEAR NO EVIL”, it is not that we won’t experience evil, it only says we will “FEAR NO EVIL”.  When we are exposed to evil, once again GOD can demonstrate that HE has dominion over it!  In Exodus 14:15-18 GOD displays to Israel, AND THE WORLD, that HE defeats the enemy every time!  Why should we FEAR what HE is using to draw Glory to HIS NAME?  “FEAR NO EVIL”!!!