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There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. (1 John 4:18)
Have you ever wondered what exactly fear is or where it comes from? There are some things that we need to be afraid of; hot stove eyes, overdrawing our checking accounts, stepping out in front of a speeding car, ect. Fear, in its good form, alerts us to danger. However the enemy also knows that fear stops us from doing things, so he uses fear to cause us to believe things that aren't necesarily true, thereby preventing us from doing many of things that God calls us to do.
I've heard it said that fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. I'd say that's a pretty good description. Most of us get into agreement with bad and/or false news quicker than we do good news. We hear about a friend or loved one getting a bad report from the doctor and we agree with that report. When someone doesn't agree with us, we fear that we're being rejected. Something inside us, or worse yet someone who says they love us, tells us we could never do such and such, or have so and so, and we agree. All these, along with a multitude of hurts and disappointments, are openings that fear comes in and makes its ugly home inside us. Fear then brings its counterparts; pride, anxiety, intimidation and dread to help reinforce its position. Fear is a nasty spirit that paralyzes us and blinds us to the truth.
I've had to face the fact that I've been guilty of having more doubt than trust; more fear than faith. Getting rid of fear is a work that can only be done with God's help. In 1 John 4:17-19 we read that perfect love casts out all fear. This verse also says that fear hath torment. I did a word study of this verse and made some insightful discoveries. The word love here is AGAPE, which is God's love. This love only comes from God through the Holy Spirit. Next, the word "casts" here means to LET GO. Finally the word "hath" means to hold to, join, cling, or adhere to. Now when you look at this verse with these meanings in mind, it's easy to see why FEAR has such a hold on us.
FEAR literally holds on to and clings to the things that torment us. Fear won't let go of the past. Fear won't allow you to forgive; Fear won't allow you to believe God and/or His plans for you. Fear holds on to the things that keep us in the past. Only God's love in us can cast out the fear that grips our lives. Perfect love causes us to lay down our rights, humble ourselves and step out in faith to believe God. Perfect love moves our hearts to forgive those who have hurt us. Perfect love casts out the anger, the disappointment, and all the grief that we have carried for a life time. Perfect love empowers us to let go of the fears that torment and hold us captive.
All of us have a fear or two hidden in the closet of our lives. At some point, we must be willing to face our fears, because only by facing them can we be free from them. We must ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with God's agape love. As the River of God's love begins to rise within us, the fears, doubts, hurts, and unbelief will be dislodged and cast out. It's a proces that may take some time, but it's a journey that we all must be willing to take if we want to be free from the spirit of fear. I'm ready to raise the water level and let the clearing away begin. How about you??
Prayer: Lord fill us with Your love. Open our eyes to the fears that hold us captive. Set us free for joyful obedience so that we may walk in love and not in fear. You have not given us a spirit of fear; You have given us Your Spirit of Power, of Love, and a sound mind. Thank you that we don't have to live another day in fear, because Your Love has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousnes. We are free; free from anxiety, free from dread, free from intimidation, and free from fear! In Jesus Name, AMEN
I've heard it said that fear is False Evidence Appearing Real. I'd say that's a pretty good description. Most of us get into agreement with bad and/or false news quicker than we do good news. We hear about a friend or loved one getting a bad report from the doctor and we agree with that report. When someone doesn't agree with us, we fear that we're being rejected. Something inside us, or worse yet someone who says they love us, tells us we could never do such and such, or have so and so, and we agree. All these, along with a multitude of hurts and disappointments, are openings that fear comes in and makes its ugly home inside us. Fear then brings its counterparts; pride, anxiety, intimidation and dread to help reinforce its position. Fear is a nasty spirit that paralyzes us and blinds us to the truth.
I've had to face the fact that I've been guilty of having more doubt than trust; more fear than faith. Getting rid of fear is a work that can only be done with God's help. In 1 John 4:17-19 we read that perfect love casts out all fear. This verse also says that fear hath torment. I did a word study of this verse and made some insightful discoveries. The word love here is AGAPE, which is God's love. This love only comes from God through the Holy Spirit. Next, the word "casts" here means to LET GO. Finally the word "hath" means to hold to, join, cling, or adhere to. Now when you look at this verse with these meanings in mind, it's easy to see why FEAR has such a hold on us.
FEAR literally holds on to and clings to the things that torment us. Fear won't let go of the past. Fear won't allow you to forgive; Fear won't allow you to believe God and/or His plans for you. Fear holds on to the things that keep us in the past. Only God's love in us can cast out the fear that grips our lives. Perfect love causes us to lay down our rights, humble ourselves and step out in faith to believe God. Perfect love moves our hearts to forgive those who have hurt us. Perfect love casts out the anger, the disappointment, and all the grief that we have carried for a life time. Perfect love empowers us to let go of the fears that torment and hold us captive.
All of us have a fear or two hidden in the closet of our lives. At some point, we must be willing to face our fears, because only by facing them can we be free from them. We must ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with God's agape love. As the River of God's love begins to rise within us, the fears, doubts, hurts, and unbelief will be dislodged and cast out. It's a proces that may take some time, but it's a journey that we all must be willing to take if we want to be free from the spirit of fear. I'm ready to raise the water level and let the clearing away begin. How about you??
Prayer: Lord fill us with Your love. Open our eyes to the fears that hold us captive. Set us free for joyful obedience so that we may walk in love and not in fear. You have not given us a spirit of fear; You have given us Your Spirit of Power, of Love, and a sound mind. Thank you that we don't have to live another day in fear, because Your Love has been shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousnes. We are free; free from anxiety, free from dread, free from intimidation, and free from fear! In Jesus Name, AMEN
and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:5)
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