A Solution for Fear
Faith leads us to trust in Jesus. Yet, is there more to the story? Yes. Just as French fries are made complete with ketchup, haystacks are made complete with salsa, so faith is made complete as we ask for Jesus’ help to trust in Him. Faith, as defined in the Bible, does not mean that if we are convinced we should receive something, God must give it to us. If that were true, God must do whatever we think as long as we are convinced it should happen.?
?Jesus responds to our request for help to trust in Him with gifts. Gifts that come from the new heart He provides. Gifts that enable us to experience His way of thinking. Gifts like peace, patience, kindness, goodness, forgiveness, and gentleness. Since His gifts reveal His way of thinking, we can have difficulty welcoming His gifts. His new heart gifts can create tension between His loving options and our self-centered thinking. To help follow His gifts, we need to study the Bible as a book of solutions. The solutions in the Bible reveal how Jesus' options are based on His gifts that reveal His way of thinking.?
?As you read the Bible, look for the opposites in the passage. The Bible uses opposites to expose the problem and the solution. The problem will be based on a human me-first approach to life, and the solution will be based on Jesus' loving approach.?
As you discover the solution, you will be learning more about Jesus, and so you will be learning more about yourself. Then, you can believe in the solution you discovered by faith. That means you ask for Jesus' help to trust (faith) in and follow the solution you discovered. The following is an example of studying the Bible as a book of solutions from Mark 5.?
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Mark 5:1-20 NIV
They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.
When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him. He shouted at the top of his voice, "What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? In God's name don't torture me!" The demons in the man spoke to Jesus. For Jesus had said to him, "Come out of this man, you impure spirit!" Then Jesus asked him, "What is your name?" "My name is Legion,"?he replied, "for we are many."?And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area. A large herd of pigs was feeding on the nearby hillside. The demons begged Jesus, "Send us among the pigs; allow us to go into them."?He gave them permission, and the impure spirits came out and went into the pigs. The herd, about two thousand in number, rushed down the steep bank into the lake and were drowned. Those tending the pigs ran off and reported this in the town and countryside, and the people went out to see what had happened.
When they came to Jesus, they saw the man who had been possessed by the legion of demons sitting there, dressed and in his right?mind;?and they were afraid. Those who had seen it told the people what had happened to the demon-possessed man—and told about the pigs as well.
Then?the people began to plead with Jesus to leave their region. As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. The formerly demon possessed man wanted to go with Jesus. Jesus did not let him, but said, "Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you."?So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.
?Opposites:?There are several opposites in this passage. First, no one could subdue the possessed man, yet he ran and fell to his knees before Jesus. While the demon-possessed man was out of control, Jesus controlled the encounter. Second, when the people who lived in the area came out to see what happened, they saw the possessed man sitting down, dressed, and in his right mind. Yet, they were afraid and began to plead with Jesus to leave. Third, the formerly demon-possessed man wanted to go with Jesus, yet He sent him out to witness to the people who lived in the area.?
?Problem: I can identify several problems in this passage—first, the demon-possessed man who terrified the community. However, the more significant problem in the passage occurred when the people of that region saw the demon-possessed man dressed in his right mind, then became afraid and asked Jesus to leave. Why wouldn't they rejoice about the man's new freedom??
Solution:??The solution to the problem of helping the people in the community who were afraid of Jesus occurred when He asked the formerly demon-possessed man to be a missionary to the community he had terrorized. Jesus needed someone to break through the fear of the people. Jesus found the right person in a healed, formerly self-cutting, chain-breaking, howling demon-possessed man who had terrorized the community.
Believe - Apply to My Life?by Faith. Please, Jesus, help me to remember that sharing my testimony is a powerful tool that you can use to help other people. The formerly demon-possessed man did not know much about you. Yet, he was willing to share his story, his testimony. He helped people become open to you. Help me to be ready to share with others about how you have helped me in the past. Empower me to develop a routine of sharing my stories about you with people I encounter.?