Faith Over Fear

John 20:19-22 ESV
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

First, I just have to say that Jesus was really busy on Sunday. He is rose from the grave; He sees Mary Magdeline and gives her a message for the disciples. He goes and spends time with the two followers of Jesus on the road to Emmaus. Then he goes back to Jerusalem and meets with the disciples.

What is more amazing is that He walks right though the locked door and is standing right in front of the disciples. That is a showstopper! When He gets in, He obviously sees that they are startled, so He says, “Peace be with You” that’s not just a greeting. This is just like the time when He was on the sea with His disciples in a boat and He spoke to the storm, “Peace be still.”

Obviously, it worked, but as human nature goes, they must have been skeptical, because he just walked through a locked door. In Luke 24:33 He says to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?” To assure them that He was Jesus, He begins to show them His wrists (hands) and feet. Luke records, “Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. (Luke 24:39-43)

How our Lord puts up with our skepticism and fears is beyond me but thankfully He does! Typically, our fear thwarts our faith. When Jesus does amazing things in our life, believe, test the spirits is responsible, but when You know it is Him moving in your life, believe!

Prayer:
Lord, help our unbelief and fears. Give us the hearts of faithful and true warriors of the kingdom. Make us strong and vigilant even in the face of things that we have never seen before, but we know it is You. In Your name Lord Jesus, AMEN!