Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
Last week I wrote “Don’t Fear These Times.” This week I want to build upon that message with the short message of “Boldness As A Lion.” A few years back, our Father told me to “have the heart of The Lamb and the attitude of The Lion.” He’s given many this message, and you can look around and see these people in the world. You won’t hear much about them in the mainstream and worldly media, but nevertheless, they’re taking The Word and power of God and speaking and manifesting God’s will into this earth. They’re boldly exercising the power of the Kingdom of God in faith and changing the atmosphere around them – everywhere they go.
Revelation 5:5
And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof.
Revelation 5:5 is speaking of The Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ. When Jesus came into the earth as a child and grew into a man to be sacrificed as The Perfect Sacrifice for all mankind, He came as The Lamb of God. His mission was to live the perfect life and fulfill the Law so He could become the first and last Lamb Without Blemish and redeem, or purchase, mankind back from eternal death and damnation. When Jesus comes back the second time, He will be coming as The Lion of Judah – not The Lamb of God.
It is important for us to understand Jesus sent us back ahead of Himself. Remember in last week’s message we learned when we were “born again,” spiritually, we became citizens of the Kingdom of God and of Heaven. We have been sent back as ambassadors of Jesus Christ to this world. We are to operate under the government of the Kingdom of God, the same government that rules Heaven. Government is laws. God’s government, or law, is His Word. We are to operate in EVERYTHING we do according to, and by, The Word of God.
As ambassadors of Jesus Christ, we represent both “The Lamb of God” and “The Lion of Judah.” We are to have the heart of The Lamb but the attitude of The Lion. We are to have love, joy, and peace as our outward manifestation to all people, the heart of The Lamb, but we are to stand against Satan and his principalities, powers, rulers of darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places (Ephesians 6:12) with the attitude of The Lion. What is the attitude of The Lion? Let’s turn to God’s Word to see what He has to say.
Proverbs 30:30
A lion which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any;
Proverbs 28:1
The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
God’s Word says the lion fears nothing and is bold. Read about David and his attitude toward Goliath, the giant, in I Samuel 17 or about the attitude of the three Hebrew children toss into the fiery furnace in Daniel 3. Or, read about Jesus and His attitude toward Satan, the curse, and death in the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. David, the three Hebrew children, and Jesus are among many written about in God’s Word who were “lions of faith.”
I personally love Joshua 1. Several years back, God told me one night this was His “pep” talk to Joshua, who was taking over for Moses, who had died. God told me to replace Joshua’s name with mine in verses 1-9 and to read it aloud. God was giving me the same “pep” talk, or encouragement, He had given Joshua 3,000 plus years earlier. I still read Joshua 1 this way today. And it still greatly encourages and emboldens me. God is encouraging us to have the attitude of The Lion of Judah.
Joshua 1:9
Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.
Please notice in Joshua 1:9 we are COMMANDED to have the attitude of The Lion of Judah. It’s not a choice; it’s a command from our Father.
In closing, I offer one more perspective, and a very important one, about having the attitude of The Lion of Judah. “Judah” is the Hebrew word for “praise.” The Lion of Praise!!! What does praising God do for you. Again, let’s go to The Word of God.
Joel 2:24-26
24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and My people shall never be ashamed.
Joel 2 is great to read for the Believer. Also read Jeremiah 33:11. Joel 2:24-26 tells us that if we praise the name of The LORD our God, we will never be defeated, we will have more than plenty – overflowing – we will have healthy and strong bodies, and we shall be a blessing to people around us and to the world.
Jeremiah 33:11
The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall say, Praise the LORD of hosts: for the LORD is good; for His mercy endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the LORD. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the LORD.
God tells us if we offer Him the sacrifice of praise, He will prosper our mind, will, and emotions (our soul) with the Word of His Spirit in us, and we will understand how to “return the captivity of the land, as at the first.” Simply put, the first was the Garden of Eden before the fall of man to sin. If you will praise God always, speaking all the great things He has done for you in His Word, whether or not you’ve experienced them yet, The Word will prosper your soul and you will, in faith, begin to decree and see the physical manifestation of your decree, in this earth, just as Adam and Eve did. Jesus modeled this for us during His time on the earth. He was teaching us Jeremiah 33:11 and Joel 2:24-26. And Jesus commanded us to do the same in John 14:12-15.
Have an awesome day and weekend in Christ. Today, I sing praises to my God and Father and to my King and Redeemer. I mock the world and its wisdom and strength for I am a child of the Most High God, an heir, and a joint-heir to my King and Redeemer, Jesus Christ. I fear no man and no evil and everywhere the sole of my foot treads is mine, given to me by my Father.
In Christ,
Larry