For the last couple of years, I have been working through a workbook entitled “Making Peace with Your Past” by Tim Sledge. It is a workbook designed to be “Help for Adult Children of Dysfunctional Families” and it approaches the healing process from a Bible-based perspective. It has been very helpful to me and I have appreciated the counsel it has offered me. This week, I read a lesson based on Romans 8:38-39 that broke these verses down in a way I had not seen or considered before. It really spoke to my heart, and I would like to share it with you and perhaps dig deeper into what he pointed out.
First, let us take a look at what Romans 8:38-39 says. “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul was saying that he was persuaded or convinced that none of these things can separate us from the love of God. What are some of these things and how might they manifest themselves in our lives? The first things on his list are death and life. What does this say to us?
Paul is telling us that we don’t have to fear either one of them. As a believer, you do not have to be afraid of dying. You have no reason to fear death. Jesus has defeated that final enemy and death is but the means by which we are ushered into His presence. Dear heart, you also do not have to be afraid of living. This means that you do not have to let fear hold you captive and keep you from living the life God created you to live. Live the life God created you to live. In John 10:10, Jesus said He came to give us abundant life. Abundant means overflowing fullness and having plenty or more than enough.
This is the life Christ came to give you, my friend, don’t be afraid to live it! Next on our list is angels and in the workbook, he explained that angels are messengers of God; they bring word from God. He explained that this means you do not “have to be afraid of the call of God in your life. You don’t have to be afraid of what God might ask you to do.” If you have never done so, I encourage you to read Philippians 4:13 in the Amplified Bible version. It really breaks this verse down and explains that we can do anything God calls us to do because He will empower us to do so.
We never need to fear God’s calling on our lives. We don’t have to be afraid of what God might ask us to do. If He calls us to do it, it is because He plans to help us do it. Trust me; I know this to be fact. I have seen this truth in my own life. I may do it in fear and trembling, but God is always faithful and helps me to do anything and everything He asks me to do for Him. Beloved, you can trust Him to empower and strengthen you, so you have no reason to fear His calling or anything He might ask of you. He is more than able to empower you; all you have to do is say “yes” and trust Him.
The next thing on our list is principalities and powers, also referred to as demons in some versions of the Bible. “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross” Col. 2:15 (NIV). Jesus has not only overcome the enemy; He has completely defeated and humiliated the forces of darkness. We have nothing to fear; we are covered by the blood of Jesus and can stand firm against the enemy. Take up the full armor of God (Eph. 6), beloved, and stand firm and fearless against the enemy!
The next things mentioned in Paul’s list are the present and the future. As we’ve already discussed, you don’t have to be afraid of living right now. You also don’t have to fear the future. You do not have to live in fear and dread of what is to come. Why? Because the same God who has taken care of you up to this day, will be there to take care of your future. He is in control; you can trust your future to Him. “Do not fear; for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with My righteous right hand” Isaiah 41:10.
We do not have to fear the future because we have His promise that He goes before us to prepare the way. He goes before us, and He walks with us. The future may be unknown to us, but not to Him. We don’t have to fear the future because we will be with Him. “The LORD is the One who will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you. Do not be afraid or discouraged” Deut. 31:8. Dear heart, whatever the future holds, you will be okay because of the One who holds you. He is faithful; He can be trusted with your future.
The next things Paul mentions are height and depth. In the vastness of the universe we live in, we can often feel very small and insignificant. We need not fear our “smallness” because we are seen and known and held by the One who created it all. Genesis 16:13 reveals one of my favorite names of God, “The God Who Sees Me”. I love this name because it reminds me that I am always seen by Him. He sees me, He knows me, and He loves me. I am not small and insignificant because He sees me and gives me significance. He gives my life meaning. The same is true of you, beloved!
The last thing on Paul’s list is “any other created thing”. This pretty much covers it all, my friend. There is nothing that God has created that we are to fear. In fact, the only fear that we should allow to enter our hearts and lives is a deep reverential fear of God. This means we should have a holy awe of God and that fear should be the only one in our lives. All the things we have discussed today should fall away as we determine to fear only God and let our awe and fear of Him drive away every other fear. Why? Because He alone is worthy of our awe and worship, our love and adoration!
Beloved, none of the possible fears that we have discussed here today have any power over you. Why? Paul tells us that absolutely none of these things can separate us from the love of God. I say again, not one of these things are powerful enough to separate you from God’s love! You are loved. You will always be loved by Him. If you are loved by Him, do you have anything to fear? Beloved, your past cannot stop His love for you. Your future will find you still deeply loved by Him. And right now in this moment, He loves you more than you can possibly imagine.
Dear heart, you have a choice to make. You can choose to accept and embrace the love He has for you. You can choose to walk in the freedom of His love. Or, you can choose to let your fears keep you from drawing close to Him. You can choose to let your fears keep you from living the life He created you to live. What will you decide? Are you going to live loved or live in fear? I assure you that choosing to accept His love and letting it define you, guide you, and heal you, will be the greatest decision you will ever make. I hope you will choose to let His love consume you and change your life, beloved.
And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:5
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in Him. 1 John 4:16
Katrina Douglas
1/7/2023
