If There is No Fear in Love, What Are You Afraid Of?
Perhaps the most basic statement about God that anyone can make is that “God is love”, and 1 John 4:8 says there is no fear in love. But the fallen world and those snared by sin have tried to twist that foundational statement and to redefine “love”, but it is not just because they desire to continue on in their sin. The removal of God from the knowledge and experience of what love truly is has a much darker intention and consequence: To open the door to the spirit of fear. Many people mistakenly think that the opposite of love is hate, but Scripturally speaking, that is incorrect. The opposite of love is fear.
All of humanity has a common enemy- Satan- but not all of humanity understands that he actively seeks their destruction on every level and, as a result, many (even Christians) succumb to his power, which is rooted in the spirit of fear. Fear is not a human emotion, according to 2 Timothy 1:7, but is a spiritual force and in opposition to that demonic power, God gives His people three opposing spiritual forces: power, love and a mind that thinks clearly.
If There is No Fear in Love, Why are You Afraid?
Everyone experiences fear, but not everyone knows how to handle it. How do you handle fear? You take spiritual authority over it because fear is a spirit and if you believe the Word that God is Love, and that there is no fear in love – you now have an important choice to make when fear rises up. Human emotions respond to the spirit of fear \through anxiety, depression, anger, despair, hopelessness and more, but the root is spiritual and you’ve been given the authority through Jesus Christ to command it to leave you alone!
The removal of God from the knowledge and experience of what love truly is has a much darker intention and consequence: To open the door to the spirit of fear..
~Alicia Purdy
“Perfect love casts out fear,” John wrote. (1 John 4:18) Fear and love cannot exist together because “God is love” and there is NO FEAR in love, in the nature of God. (1 John 4:8) If you’re struggling with fear, you need more of God’s presence. If you see the signs of fear’s influence in your life and your emotions are affected by it, it’s time to let the Holy Spirit reveal where the enemy came and overwhelmed you. Satan wants you to live in fear at all times because then you will be so bound up that you cannot express the love of God to others, nor truly experience it for yourself.
There is no fear in love! In fact, love cannot thrive where there is fear, because fear is a spiritual darkness that seeks to drive human beings away from God, while God’s love draws people toward Himself. Your enemy will not want to let you go easily, so put on your battle gear!
How does perfect love cast out fear? You must live where fear cannot live- in love, and that means you must dwell close to God, who is love – in the secret place of praise and worship, where His presence dwells. (Psalm 22:3) Position yourself at His feet, under the shadow of His wing. Praise and worship are the keys to unlocking those gates, where you will enter with thanksgiving in your heart and let the Lord deal with your fear.
Thought for today: There is no Fear in Love Where God is Given the Authority
The Holy Spirit wants to transform your life and set you free from the grip of the spirit of fear so you “may have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high and how deep His love is.” (Ephesians. 3:18 NLT) The transformation might be a bloody, hideous battle, but you are ensured victory through Jesus Christ!
When you live under the influence of the spirit of fear, your mind goes haywire! You make bad, panicked, knee-jerk decisions. When you are afraid, you lash out, defend yourself or run and hide. When you are afraid, you cannot think clearly and you’re influenced by that fear on every level. What you are actually afraid doesn’t matter because fear is a spirit and it is attacking you, exalting itself against the knowledge of God that there is no fear in love.
Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let everyone come to know your gentleness. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with gratitude, make your requests known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 4:4-7 MEV)
Satan wants you afraid of…everything, so you never understand how much God truly loves and accepts you and desires to be close to you. If the spirit of fear is influencing you, you’ll avoid worship. You’ll avoid reading the Bible. You’ll avoid accountability, discipline, reconciliation and healing and you’ll remain trapped. If you’re sick of living with the spirit of fear, it’s time to rise up and use the spiritual authority you have in Christ to tell that spirit where it can go! And make worship your lifestyle, and reposition yourself at the feet of Perfect Love.
It’s Time to Fight and Cast Out the Spirit of Fear! “How Can You Know that The Steadfast Love of the Lord Never Ceases?”
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