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Dying for Love
5 January 2014
Episode #369
With Martha Kilpatrick and hosted by John Enslow
(J) Well Martha, you’re really hot on a particular subject. And ah, I’ve personally struggled with this issue most of my life. I’ve had different areas that it’s manifested a lot in physical health and stuff like that I’ve struggled with this. And the thing I’m amazed at is that Christ was as hot and as passionate as you are about it. Uhm, and more so He hated this issue and despised it, and really actually it was the, uhm, in the disciples it was the only issue that He chastised them for. And so we would love to hear what the Spirit is brooding and ah, working in you.
(M) Ah, I’m on fear. And I am in a, I’m in such a, a fire about it. Let me just read some scriptures. I want to start with Heb.2:15, and it’s about how Jesus became a human being. Fourteen says, “That by going through death He might bring to naught and make of no effect him who had the power of death, that is, the devil. And also that He might deliver and completely set free all those who through the haunting fear of death were held in bondage throughout the whole course of their lives.” The ESV puts it, “slavery to fear, all their lives.” That’s an awesome statement. So Jesus came specifically for the destruction of, not just death, but our fear of death. And I really believe that behind every fear is ultimately a fear of death.
(J) What’s that scripture reference again?
(M) It’s Heb.2:14-15. And I read from the Amplified.
(J) Yeah, the Amplified has it; the Amplified does the best of it.
(M) And then I want to read from 2 Timothy 1:7. So we’re familiar with it, I want to read it in the Amplified because it’s so powerful. “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear, but He has given us a spirit of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control.” And the verse following says, ok then don’t be ashamed of, of me, and the Gospel. Then the last one I want to read is one we’re familiar with too. First John 4, and I’m going to start with 17, because he begins with “God is love, and he who dwells and continues you love, dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him. In this union and communion with Him love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us, that we may have confidence for the day of judgment with assurance and boldness to face Him, because as He is, so are we in this world.” On that basis, the answer is given before the problem is defined. He, in communion with Him, in union with Him, in fellowship with Him, you have boldness, even to face Him, which is, I wouldn’t think you would have enough ever boldness to face the Lord. Verse eighteen, “There is no fear in love, dread does not exist, but full-grown complete, perfect love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and so he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love, is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection. We love Him, because He first loved us.” Imagine that love is the solution to fear. But that measure of communion with God gives you a security that removes fear. So how do you get into that kind of communion? And I really have seen how. While we’ve all, sure that over forty-five years I’ve seen so many people wash-out that I would say, Lord, how much fewer can it be? And He would say, “I told you it was few.” But this few?” And one of the main reasons people wash out is because of fear. They will go only so far, and either they will not lose, they will not give up self, self-centered, or else most of the time it’s fear. But you know what? We are called to die for Him. We’re called to consider that we are dead already, and that we will die for Him if need be. And we will die to do His will, and we will die to what He wants, and we have to practice death, daily, by the denial of self. So the only way to save your life is to die. But the obstacle is the fear of obedience or fear of whatever. And that comes from not having a sufficient communion with God so that fear is driven out.
(J) The fear of death, that’s what you’re, that’s what the fear is, so I mean, you have to die. And the thing that stands in your way is the fear of death.
(M) Hmhmm.
(J) So….
(M) Right. And we’ve discovered in Rev. 11 and 12 is it? “They overcame the accuser by the Blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, for they did not love their lives unto death.” And I just discovered that you cannot defeat Satan, unless you’re on the ground of death. That, you cannot claim the Blood if you still have fear, you cannot have a testimony, your testimony is void and empty. Say the words and not commit to it or mean it, and you have no authority over the enemy. And no authority in prayer either, because the key to this Christian life is whether you will love not your life, even unto death. And you prove it when you obey Him. You prove it when you give Him your body to live in, because He is quite radical when He takes over your body. He’s not who I am, and He does what… In the first probably ten years of my walk, I said Lord, what is my sin? And He would say, “You’re embarrassed at Me.” Because He, He is not, He’s not like humanity. And He continually amazes and shocks and challenges us. So in order to obey, you have to die. And the only One Who knows the measure of that is God Himself. But the failure to love not your life, your ‘self’ is the issue, even unto death. It’s the agreement to lay down your life for Him wherever He takes you, wherever He puts you, and you do it daily or you do it not at all. But if, the foundation of that power over the enemy is not so much in the Blood or the testimony, it’s in whether you’re foundation is the willingness to love His life more than your life. And He’ll bring you to that, that’s not a problem, for every believer He’ll bring you to that place one way or another, either by chastening or by a wooing, and usually by both. But I am seeing, there is, and I said it years ago, what you fear is what you worship. And if you have fear of death, what you’re worshipping is Satan, because you fear his power in your life. And the scripture says he has none over death. And I have been bombarded with the fear of death. And it’s like the more that has come at me; the less I’m afraid of it. I’ve had a lot of experiences that have put me over that ah, that hurdle of saying ‘if I die, I die.’ Esther went over that hurdle. I will do the will of God; if I die, I die. But without that process of willingness, we are going to be subject to fear, and when fear has you, then you believe in the devil more than God. And it’s heinous, I hate it, I hate it. Because when you are in that state of fear, whatever you do bears the taint and stain of the devil. Just as what Christ does through you bears His glory. So, ah, the solution is in John, it lies in communion and union with Him, to love Him enough; He’ll bring you to the place to love Him enough if you submit. But fear in the end, great fear is evidence of a lack of surrender to His will, because you die by surrender to His will. If you don’t surrender absolutely to His will, you’ll never get rid of the fear of death. Because it is surrender to His will that takes you down the road where you meet your own death. So you’re saving yourself…. When you save yourself you will live in fear, in absolute torment of fear. So, does that, does anybody ‘get it’? (Martha laughs.) Fear is the one thing God will not, will not tolerate, because it’s evidence of the faith in Satan. That’s what it is. And you will be assaulted; you’ll be assaulted, many times. You will face your fears, and new situations will make us fear, God shared that with me many years ago. You will, you will always be confronted with something that will make you afraid; you’ll have to resolve it and go on.
(J) I mean, I don’t know what you say after this, you know, kind of put an exclamation point, a period and a…
(M) And ‘The End’.
(J) And ‘The End’, yeah, absolutely, I mean the only thing you could go from this point is faith. Oh God, I confess my, you know, blah-blah-blah-blah-blah, here, cuz what else are you gonna say?
(M) I think fear is something that we think is so natural to humanity that we don’t get what a crisis it is, so we don’t stop and deal with it. We don’t stop and seek Him about it, because we excuse ourselves on the natural nature of sin. A relative in my family would say, “Well you’re supposed to be afraid about your children, aren’t you?” “Isn’t that love, isn’t that normal?” No, not in God’s economy, not in God’s world. So fear is easy to tolerate and easy to overlook; and it is the one thing that will destroy our life.
Daniel’s life comes to my mind…the communion he had with God, his fearless obedience, and the place were satan was defeated: the lion’s den! Whoa!… This word is so amazing! So revealing! Thank you Jesus! Amen!
Abraham and Isaac; lay your fear on the alter and it looses it’s power. Wether we live or die, we are the Lords… a win-win outcome.
Much to think about, for sure: Love — the solution to fear; called to die daily by denial of self…obstacle: not having sufficient communion; the key to Christian life: Love not your life, even to death…proof: obedience; in order to obey, we need to have a willingness to die; 2nd proof: give Him your body to live in; great fear is evidence of a lack of surrender.
I can’t even remember this sequence, never mind do it. Martha, this is by no means a criticism….you are a living epistle and I thank God that you have surrendered to His heart and mind; I am still a struggling student — but oh, so thankful to have the Holy Spirit! I choose to let Him do it ALL, however He needs to. “I will counsel you with My eye upon you.” (somewhere in Ps. 32–just read it this morning) Thank you, once again, Martha, for hearing Him and sharing His heart. Love!
wow … this is all making me think of the first mention of fear (that I can immediately recall) in scripture … was in the Garden, after tasting the forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve heard God’s steps and were afraid … so they hid, or at least thought they hid …. much,much to think about ! thank you for continually challenging me!!!