Perfect Love Cast Out Fear
“We have come into an intimate experience with Yahweh’s love, and we trust in the love he has for us. Yahweh is love! Those who are living in love are living in Him, and Yahweh lives through them. By living in Yahweh, love has been brought to its full expression in us so that we may fearlessly face the day of judgment, because all that Jesus now is, so are we in this world. Love never brings fear, for fear is always related to punishment. But love’s perfection drives the fear of punishment far from our hearts. Whoever walks constantly afraid of punishment has not reached love’s perfection. Our love for others is our grateful response to the love God first demonstrated to us.” 1 John 4:16-19
YAHWEH IS LOVE! He cannot ever be anything other than love. His love is perfect at all times. In 1 John, he tells us when we live in Yahweh then love is perfected in us. When love is perfected, we no longer fear what is to come. We may “fearlessly face the day of judgement.” We have always been taught this is in reference to standing before Jesus on the day of judgement. It is not. This word judgement in the Greek is krisis. When we face crisis in our lives, we do not need to fear the outcome. Jesus says we can face any crisis fearlessly because we are all that He is right now in this world. His love is so perfect we can rest in knowing whatever comes our way in this life, in our day to day, we do not fear because we are made perfect in His love. This does not mean you will not experience grief or hurt but His love will protect you through the pain and disappointment, so it does not affect your heart negatively.
When situations arise if your first response is fear Jesus wants you to see love has not been perfected in you. This is not to bring disappointment or shame. He is always inviting us into more of knowing Him intimately, so His love is perfected in us.
"There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear" Today, reflect on areas of your life where fear may be holding you back from fully experiencing Yahweh's love. Are there doubts, insecurities, or past hurts - that are hindering your relationship with Him? Your relationship with others? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal these areas and invite Yahweh's perfect love to cast out all fear.
Remember, we love because He first loved us. His love perfected in us gives us the ability to express this perfect love towards others. It’s our grateful response to what is happening in our own hearts. Pastor Tim gave a great illustration concerning this part of 1 John. If you are thinking, I do love Jesus I just struggle with my passion for intimacy or I see others experiencing His presence and I don’t feel like I ever get to that place with Him. Did you know you can stop the love of Yahweh from loving you perfectly?
We love because He first loved us. Pastor Tim shared his conversation with Abba concerning this and Abba said, “this pattern never stops.” In other words, you feel His love and it causes you to connect your heart to Him and the Kingdom family. Now you are loving because He first loved you. Then He calls you to a deeper connection to Him but you’re struggling with doubts, so you keep Him from loving you like He wants to. You just stopped the pattern. But when He calls you closer and you say, Abba I have these doubts I am struggling with. He says bring them to Me and place them at the feet of perfect love. You now have continued the pattern of perfect love. It never stops loving us perfectly. Our part is to keep bringing Him all the things that cause fear in us. If you experience fear of any kind, He is inviting you today to bring those fears to Him. Let His love cast those fears out.
Allow yourself to be embraced by His unconditional love today. Open your heart and be honest with Him.
