Tell the righteous that it shall be well Part 5
Say to the righteous
that it shall be well with them, for they shall eat the fruit of their doings.
11 Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, For the reward of his hands
shall be given him (Isaiah 3:10, 11).
Theory of labelling.
Labelling theory was
developed by Howard S. Becker in his 1963 (Becker, 1963). The theory states
that self-identity and behavior of individuals are influenced and may be
determined by the terms used to describe or label them. The label is used to describe human interaction,
control, and identification. It is
associated with the concepts of self-fulfilling prophecy and stereotyping.
Therefore, one should refuse that label of failure, lack, sickness and disease.
... Let the weak say I am
strong (Joel 3:10). Had Jephthah accepted the label of the son of a
harlot, Israel would not have defeated …twenty
cities from Aroer as far as Minnith and Abel Keramim; subduing the people of
Ammon (Judges 11:32).
Arise and shine
V1. Arise, shine; for
thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. …The sons also of them that afflicted thee shall
come bending unto thee; and all they that despised thee shall bow themselves
down at the soles of thy feet; and they shall call thee; The city of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of
Israel. 15 Whereas
thou has been forsaken and hated, so that no man went through thee, I will make
thee an eternal excellency, a joy of many generations (Isaiah 60:1, 14, 15).
Zion was dejected, hated, despised, no one
desired to be associated with her. May be this is the situation you may be
going through. But seasons change and are changing. Just arise and shine.
Refuse the label the enemy, the situations and people around you have given you.
Although the fig tree
shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive
shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from
the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18 Yet I will rejoice in
the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19 The Lord God is my
strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to
walk upon mine high places (Habakkuk 3:17-19).
Though we may have a hundred and one reasons to
be frustrated, disappointed and discouraged. God desires that we arise and
shine and declare His will upon our lives. Despite what is around us, we can
determine our destiny by being strong, resilient and declaring His praises.
Today’s failure, should not define us. However, it should be a stepping stone
for our breakthrough tomorrow. For a
righteous man may fall seven times, and rise again, but the wicked shall fall
by calamity (Proverbs 24:16).
The need to be strong
There is need to be strong minded despite the
challenges. Moses sent the twelve spies to scout the land of Canaan. Ten of
them indicated that though the land was good, they did not have the capacity to
conquer as the land, as the cities were fortified and the inhabitants were
strong and mighty. They went further to compare themselves with the inhabitants
and they labeled the Canaanites as giants and they labeled themselves as
grasshoppers. Nonetheless, Caleb and Joshua focused themselves on the promises
of God. For all the promises of God in
Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us (2 Corinthians
1:20). God’s promises are sure, no situation or opposition can thwart them.
All that God required of them is to be strong
and courageous. Be strong and of good
courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I
swore to their fathers to give them. 7 Only be strong and very courageous, that
you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded
you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper
wherever you go. 8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but
you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to
all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then
you will have good success. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good
courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you
wherever you go (Joshua 1:6-9).
The need to be courageous
To face the duality between faith and fear we
need to define them. Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen (Hebrews
11:1). Therefore, fear is the substance of things we dread, and evidence that they will come true.
We note Job declaring that he saw what he dreaded. For the thing I greatly feared has come upon me, and what I dreaded has
happened to me (Job 3:25). Therefore, just as faith has creative power, so
is fear. Faith is not denying the reality. But, it is appreciating the reality,
but focusing on Him who gives us power to overcome. Remember Elisha admonishing
his servant; Do not fear, for those who
are with us are more than those who are with them... (2 Kings 6: 16).
The Spirit of God
Fear is a snare. The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be
safe (Proverbs 29:25). Therefore, God endows us with His Spirit Who
liberates us from fear. For as many as
are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you did not receive
the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by
whom we cry out, “Abba, Father (Romans 8:12-15). For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and
of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7).
Trade fear for courage
The enemy uses labelling to intimidate us and instill
fear in us. Nonetheless, we should be wiser and trade that fear for courage. Appreciating
that the enemy is strategic, he sells fear to distract us from our destiny.
Goliath and the Philistines sold fear to the Israelites for forty days. While
the Israelites army bought it wholesale. David refused to buy fear, even when the
enemy used his brothers. David, used the same strategy and labeled Goliath uncircumcised.
... For who is this uncircumcised
Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God? (1 Samuel 17:
26b). David, paints the analogy of faith. Faith does not deny the reality. Nevertheless,
faith accepts the reality but acknowledges God’s power. Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a
spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts,
the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied (1 Samuel 17:45).
Faith is not denying
reality, it is trusting in God
The instance
we appreciate that God is all knowing, we
trust Him to direct our steps. We are able to surrender our weaknesses and
strength and wait upon Him. Trust in the
Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your
ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5-6). Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7). All those
who trusted in their ability are cursed and dismayed. But those who trust in
God will never see shame. ... Cursed is
the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs
from the Lord (Jeremiah 17:5).
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