{"id":22738,"date":"2018-03-30T03:30:07","date_gmt":"2018-03-30T10:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=22738"},"modified":"2018-03-29T11:39:24","modified_gmt":"2018-03-29T18:39:24","slug":"march-30-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2018\/03\/30\/march-30-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"March 30, 2018"},"content":{"rendered":"
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“Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come… He will come to save you.'”\u00a0<\/em>Isaiah 35:4<\/p>\n

Triumph Over Fear<\/strong><\/h2>\n

I wanted to tell you about the “It’s Time” gathering\u00a0on Saturday. I have received reports from a number of people. Everyone said it was an amazing day.\u00a0It’s estimated that there were 200,000+ people there.\u00a0There was a big rugby game the same day\u2014and a big cricket match, but this prayer gathering would have been the largest gathering of the day by far.<\/p>\n

The gathering was held in Mitchell’s Plain, an area of the city that has lots of drugs and crime. God gave Angus Buchan a word that it was to become a flower…that Mitchell’s Plain would blossom and bloom in Cape Town.\u00a0I think this would have been such an encouragement to those who live there.<\/p>\n

At one point Angus felt he was to call gang leaders to come forward, lay down their guns, and follow Jesus.\u00a0He said gang leaders are leaders\u2014but they’re just going in the wrong direction.\u00a0It reminded me of hearing David Wilkerson say similar things to gang leaders on the streets of New York City many years ago.\u00a0Angus waited quietly as about a dozen came forward, with some of them exchanging their guns for Bibles.\u00a0Then Angus went down from the stage and stood in front of them… and did something amazing at the prompting of the Lord.<\/p>\n

He took off his cowboy hat and gave it to one young man.\u00a0He told him it represented the “helmet of salvation” and he was going to be a preacher.<\/p>\n

He took off his shirt, the “breastplate of salvation,” and told another young man that he was to spread the Gospel.<\/p>\n

He took off his boots, having our “feet shod with the gospel of peace,” and told a young man that he’s to be a Jesus-follower, walking the streets and sharing the good news.<\/p>\n

He then gave one his personal Bibles which had been given to him by his family, “the sword of the Spirit,”\u00a0and called that young man to share the Word.<\/p>\n

He said that these gang leaders were symbolic of a prodigal generation in the house of the Lord.\u00a0On behalf of all the absent fathers and the previous generations, he clothed them in honorable garments by giving of his own clothing.\u00a0He stood there barefoot, in a T-shirt before them, and gave them new purpose and direction.<\/p>\n

Everyone who was there said this was so moving and powerful! I think it will prove to be a significant day in the spiritual history of our city.<\/p>\n

Because of the problems of drugs, crime, gangs, vandalism and even our traffic congestion and the water crisis\u2014I hear more and more people talking about being fearful.\u00a0I hate to see that happening. Fear can be so controlling if we let it take over our hearts.<\/p>\n

I read a quote recently: “People who live in fear tend to do plenty of nothing except, perhaps, rob themselves of the possibility of joy.”\u00a0That is so true. If we let fear win, it will definitely rob our joy.<\/p>\n

In whatever area of our lives that we find fear creeping in, we must combat it with the truth of who God is in our lives.\u00a0That is our protection.\u00a0That is how we keep hope and joy alive in our hearts.<\/p>\n

I find I am most vulnerable to battling fear when I’m tired.\u00a0When I’m tired or weak\u2014and I’m facing something that can bring fear into my heart\u2014I start speaking out praise and worship to God for who He is. I find it brings “balance” into the situation.\u00a0It puts things back in perspective!<\/p>\n

As Easter approaches, it’s good to remember that Jesus conquered fear for us on the cross.\u00a0His death and resurrection bring victory into so many areas of our life\u2014and fear is one of them.\u00a0He is victorious over fear of any kind, of anything, in us by His power.<\/p>\n

\u201cThank You, Jesus, for Your great victory!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>

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