THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE: 7 Bible Verses for Overcoming Fear
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 darkened, fallen world and those snared by sin have tried to twist that foundational statement and to redefine “love”, but not just because of their 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 think that the “opposite” of love is hate, but Scripturally speaking, that is incorrect. The “opposite” enemy of love is FEAR. Fear and Love are both spirits – God is Spirit (John 4:24) and God is Love (1 John 4:16). Fear is also a spirit. (2 Timothy 1:7)
All of humanity has a common enemy- Satan- but not all of humanity understands how to fight him, or 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.
Many people think that the “opposite” of love is hate, but Scripturally speaking, that is incorrect. The “opposite” enemy of love is FEAR.
~Alicia Purdy
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 sound mind that thinks clearly.
How Should Believers Deal with the “Spirit of Fear”?
Everyone experiences fear, but not everyone knows how to handle it effectively. How do you handle fear? You must take spiritual authority over it because fear is a spirit and if you believe God’s Word that He is Love, then fear and love cannot exist together. You will have to make a choice of which to serve, and then take action on that decision.
When the spirit of fear tries to overtake you (and it will try!), you cannot allow your flesh to control how you respond. When you commit to strengthening yourself in the Lord, your response to fear will soon become a spiritual instinct.
When you commit to strengthening yourself in the Lord, your response to fear will soon become a spiritual instinct.
~ Alicia Purdy ~
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 make it flee seven ways and leave you alone!
“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)
Paul wrote:
“Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue, and if there is any praise, think on these things.” (Philippians 4:8 MEV)
You have a spiritual responsibility in battle to remain strong and ready to fight at any time. Because of the “law of sin and death” the world exists under, the sprit of fear will always be on the prowl.
Paul’s words about controlling your thinking is solid and Scripturally sound. “…think on these things…” You cannot control how and when the spirit of fear attacks, but you can control how you respond to it, and the perfect peace of God is available to all who keep their minds, hearts, and eyes fixed on Jesus. (Isaiah 26:3)
If you’re struggling with a weakness in regards to the spirit of fear, you need more of God’s presence! It is an intentional, spiritual existence that protects you. Of course the spirit of fear will try to attack you at every opportunity, so you must remain ready for the “good fight” (Ephesians 6:10-18) by being:
- Spiritually aware
- Spiritually strong
- Spiritually prepared
- Spiritually covered
If you see the signs of fear’s influence in your life or if you have an anxious heart or if your emotions are affected by it, it’s time to let the Holy Spirit reveal where the enemy came and overwhelmed you. Then, it’s time to fight in faith!
If There is NO FEAR in LOVE, What Are You Afraid of?
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. The good news is, you don’t have to be a victim to fear any longer. Do you trust the Lord?
The vain imaginings and evil forebodings are Satan’s scare tactics to keep you chained by a spirit of slavery. If he can drag you into the weeds of “WHAT IF”, or flood you with anxious thoughts, he’ll win, but God is a very present help, always available for you in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1) What are you afraid of?
- You’re afraid that it won’t work out as you’d hoped
- You’re afraid that what you give up, you’ll never get back
- You’re afraid that you’ll be disappointed
- You’re afraid that you’ll fail
- You’re afraid that everyone will know
- You’re afraid that no one will understand
- You’re afraid that God’s answer will be “no”
- You’re afraid that it’s taking too long
- You’re afraid that it will be too late
- You’re afraid that the loss will be too much to bear
The list could go on… right?
The enemy traffics in sin and he gets legal access through sin, but he doesn’t care about what’s “legal”! He is definitely going to attack you again with his demonic spirits with every type of fear because he knows you’ll make the worst decisions if fear is in control! He wants to steal, kill, and destroy and devour you! The quickest, easiest, and most effective way to do that is through fear.
With fear in control, Satan doesn’t have to openly attack and destroy you; he’ll just get you to destroy yourself.
“God has not given you a spirit of fear”, so if fear is at the root, you can know it is from Satan and it is a spiritual attack.
That is why the Apostle Paul wrote:
“…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.” (Philippians 4:6-7, MEV)
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. Fearful thoughts cannot overwhelm you when your mind is fixed on Jesus Christ.
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. When “the peace of God” WHO IS LOVE protects your heart and mind, you can think more clearly, and make better decisions. Then, God’s Spirit will lead you into victory over that fear!
What Does it Means that Perfect Love Casts Out Fear?
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, but God is on your side and that’s bad news for your enemy, 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)
Sometimes it feels like fear is ever-present, but THAT IS A LIE! ONLY THE LORD is EVER PRESENT and He is your help in times of trouble!
~Alicia Purdy
Position yourself at His feet, under the shadow of the Almighty, within the glory of God. Praise and worship are the keys to unlocking the gates of God’s presence, where you will enter with thanksgiving in your heart and let the Lord deal with your fear.
Sometimes it feels like fear is ever-present, but THAT IS A LIE! ONLY THE LORD is EVER PRESENT and He is your help in times of trouble! (Psalm 46:1)
The will of God is that you praise Him and walk in the freedom Christ paid for. The supernatural shelter of the Most High is found in His presence, and He inhabits the praises of His people with His presence as the prophetic Psalm of David shows clearly. (Psalm 22:3)
The Holy Spirit wants to transform your life and set you free from the grip of the spirit of fear. The power of Satan is not strong than the POWER OF GOD!
THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE: 7 Bible Verses for Overcoming Fear
1) “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. Whoever fears is not perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18, MEV)
2) “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7, MEV)
3) “He saw them straining at rowing, for the wind was against them…He came to them, walking on the sea [and they cried out]. Immediately He spoke to them and said, “Be of good cheer, it is I. Do not be afraid.” (Mark 6:48-51, MEV)
4) “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, yes, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10, MEV)
5) “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me;” (Psalm 23:4)
6) “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.” (Philippians 4:4-7)
7) “Surely the righteous man shall not be moved; the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.” (Psalm 112:6-7, MEV)
You must hide the reminders of God on your heart and remind yourself of the promises that God has given you. Require of your mind and soul not to lean on your own understanding. You must have the firm foundation of God’s Word under your feet and have an “IT IS WRITTEN” through the power of the Holy Spirit that you can stand on.
CONFESSIONS OF FAITH: 5 Declarations from the Promises of God to Remind Your Soul and Spirit that God is Greater
- THE LORD IS AT HAND! (Philippians 4:5)
- THE LORD IS A MAN OF WAR! (Exodus 15:3)
- THE LORD GOES BEFORE ME! (Deuteronomy 31:8)
- THE LORD DRIVES OUT MY ENEMIES! (Exodus 23:30)
- THE LORD ALMIGHTY IS WITH ME! (Psalm 46:11)
Courage is not the opposite of fear, Scripturally speaking. True courage is faith over fear. When your faith is in the Lord, and not in other things, the truth about your fear will be exposed. Is it the fear of the Lord, or the spirit of fear?
Remember that Satan is a counterfeit, LIKE a roaring lion, but Jesus is the LION of the tribe of “Judah” – which means “PRAISE”. Jesus Christ is the LION of your PRAISE!
What do you love more than you fear?
Jesus loved people more than He feared death – that is why the power of death had no grip on Him and has no grip on you through Him! Even though the fear of death tried to overwhelm Him, and yes, He wanted the cup to pass from Him and pleaded three times with His Heavenly Father to make it pass from Him, He loved people. He loved His Father even more, and that overcame His fear of suffering and death.
Thought for today: There is no Fear in Love Where God is Given the Authority
Satan wants you afraid of…everything, so you never tap into your source of strength in the Lord, 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, here’s are some things you’ll see in yourself:
- You’ll forget worship and praising the Lord
- You’ll walk away from reading the Word of God
- You’ll avoid accountability
- You’ll isolate yourself
- You’ll sink downward under some form of overwhelm, depression, or anxiety
You’ve been dealing with enough trouble in the world. It’s time to rise up with godly, good courage and use the spiritual authority you have in Christ to tell the spirit of fear where it can go! Commit to your Bible study so you can stand on God’s Word.
You don’t have “little faith” – you have more than enough faith if your faith is in CHRIST.
Pour out your heart to the Lord in prayer so He can fill you with the complete trust that comes through knowing His love. Make worship your lifestyle, and reposition yourself at the feet of Perfect Love through abiding in the presence of Jesus Christ.
You don’t have “little faith” – you have more than enough faith if your faith is in CHRIST.
~ Alicia Purdy ~
If you’re sick of living with the spirit of fear, don’t let the fear of failure keep you from pressing into the Lord. He is faithful! And He is stronger than you are – so you won’t fail if you let go of your attempts to be strong and instead let Him show His strength in your weakness.
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?”
