I AM so you don't have to be Lesson 11

I AM so you don’t have to be Lesson 11

I AM Study Lesson Eleven
Fist Shakers vs. Faith Takers

Background Passage
Joshua Chapter 2

Focal Verses:
"This day I will begin to put the dread and fear of you upon the people everywhere under the heavens, who, when they hear the report of you, will tremble and be in anguish because of you." Deut. 2:25

"When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath."
Joshua 2:11

Lisa writes:

The fame of the Lord will always strike fear into the hearts of men (and women). Some people will not admit they are afraid of a coming judgment, but I do not believe there is a person anywhere who has never given eternity a second thought or secretly wondered, 'what if it's all true?'. The fear of the Lord is our common ground, but the response to that fear can be broken down into two types of people:

1. 'The Fist Shakers' respond in mortal fear for their temporal bodies.

Often, when people are threatened with impending judgment, instead of submitting to the one who has power to execute justice they instead go into defense mode.

2. The Faith Takers will experience a holy fear that will transcend their bodies and cut straight to their souls.

Faith is a gift which is freely offered to everyone (Romans 10:17, Eph 2:8) however, the open hand of the 'Faith Taker' manifests itself in action instead of anger.


Lisa makes this statement:

The same love God demonstrates towards His children is what Rahab both gave and received. Because she allowed her fear to become faith, Rahab "lived in the midst of Israel" for the rest of her life.

Wow this is the basis of salvation when we allow our fear to become faith. Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, But fools despise wisdom and instruction.

In all these things, what stirred action was fear met with faith instead of fist.
One of the things I found interesting about this lesson is Rahab telling the spies that they had heard:
The LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you
And what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were on the other side of the Jordan Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed.

I think that we forget sometimes that while we are in the middle of a trial as the Hebrew Children were, that others hear and often see what is going on and talk about it to others. And that while they may not believe when we receive victory in an area, they talk about it too.

Burning Questions

1. When is the last time you encountered a Fist Shaker? This may be a stranger to you or as close as a loved one in your own home. Does anything in our description help you to understand their animosity towards God? Are you able to have more compassion towards them?

My Mother and my Sister are fist shakers. My mother who at one time walked very closely with God, has told me she does not want to hear about my God. My sister is angry at God for discipline He put her though. I have more confusion that compassion towards them. I do not understand how you can walk with God and then not. I try to be a light to them. I do call my mother when I have issues and ask her to pray for me.

2. Does anything about Rahab's redemption strike a nerve? This may be a question you would like to ponder privately. Sexual sin and/or victimization can be an area where Satan has an enormous stronghold because it can hold so many painful and shameful memories. If Rahab teaches us anything, please know God can redeem any life and any situation, no matter how heinous it seems, and plant you unashamedly 'in the midst of Israel'. Rahab deserved death according to Mosaic Law, however she was shown nothing but lovingkindness by the God and nation of Israel.

All of it. God took what we would see as beyond redemption and below us. God’s compassion went so far as to place Rahab in the lineage of our Lord. Now if that does not say nothing is impossible with God…

3. Is there an area of your life in which you feel you have come full circle? Where you've come to a place where everything and nothing are the same? (I'm thinking Lord of the Rings when Frodo goes back to the Shire after his long adventure. You have no clue what I just said if you are not an LOTR nerd so just ignore this if it doesn't make sense! :)

Yes, after my trip to Israel, I came home changed, but everything else had stayed the same, but was different.

4. When you were born again, did you gain a new appreciation for your surroundings as Rahab did when she received the Promise along with the Promised Land? Has some old place, object, or relationship been redeemed by now serving a 'high and holy purpose'?

Yes and no. Yes I gained a new appreciation for my surroundings as far as my husband family and that they had prayed me into the kingdom. And no I have not seen anything old that has been redeemed.

5. Believers can still be Fist Shakers. Do you have circumstances in your life in which you find yourself shaking your fist at God? Something He has asked you to endure, asked you to do, seemingly taken away from you? Can you see how shaking your fist is keeping you from your Promise? (I'm not talking eternal security here - Only abundant living.)

I had an answer and God made me erase it because I was airing dirty laundry in public that should be in the family.


Thank you Lisa for this study. It is growing me.

Sallye