When times are at their worse, they will bring out or increase one of two basic qualities in an individual. Either the individual will be fearful or faithful. Every other emotion, feeling, or attitude they express will have their root in either of the two. The interesting thing about us humans is that we can’t experience them both at the same time. Either we will let fear rule our hearts, or we will allow faith to rule us. It’s a choice, and it is astoundingly consequential. 1John 4:18(NIV) tells us, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” This is an extraordinary piece of knowledge to have in our arsenals, and we must be incredibly thankful to God to for including it in His Word. One would think that after reading it, no living person would ever choose fear over faith and love again, but the condition of our world today tells us very clearly that this is not the case. Too many of us are allowing fear to rule our lives.
When times are at their worse, they will bring out or increase one of two basic qualities in an individual. Either the individual will be fearful or faithful. Every other emotion, feeling, or attitude they express will have their root in either of the two. The interesting thing about us humans is that we can’t experience them both at the same time. Either we will let fear rule our hearts, or we will allow faith to rule us. It’s a choice, and it is astoundingly consequential. 1John 4:18(NIV) tells us, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” This is an extraordinary piece of knowledge to have in our arsenals, and we must be incredibly thankful to God to for including it in His Word. One would think that after reading it, no living person would ever choose fear over faith and love again, but the condition of our world today tells us very clearly that this is not the case. Too many of us are allowing fear to rule our lives.
The most common definition of fear is a negative feeling or unpleasant emotion that is expressed in the presence of perceived danger. Before Adam and Eve sinned by disobeying God’s Word, they didn’t experience this emotion. It came on the scene with the other cousins of darkness they received from satan because of their sin. When they left God’s territory of holiness, Adam and Eve entered the devil’s realm, where sin and shame abide. Their choice to declare their independence from the sovereignty of God was a horrific and devastatingly harmful choice, but it didn’t surprise Heavenly Father. He had already drawn up redemption’s plan even before Adam and Eve were created.
We must take notice that when Eve was tricked by the devil to sin against God, Heavenly Father didn’t slap the apple from her hand. Nor did He prevent her from prompting Adam to sin as well. God allowed them to make their own choice, and He will allow us to make ours.
We learn a valuable lesson about God’s love in this, and in fact we learn how we should love others ourselves. Love does not restrict or limit choices, because doing so runs in the direction of fear and not love. So, often in relationships, one partner will try to manipulate or control the other person and rob them of the power God has freely given to us all. This is a strategy from the pit of hell. Love and faith are hanging partners. Neither of them will fail when we make Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives. When we truly love with the love of God in our hearts, we are not afraid love will not do its most perfect work, because that is an impossibility. 1Corinthians 13:8 tells us that love never fails. So, there is no failure in love, and our faith must be firmly placed in the truth of this reality.
We don’t ever have to be afraid when we put God’s love out there. We don’t have to be concerned that the effects will be less than hopeful. Jude 1:21 says that we can keep ourselves safe in God’s love and Ephesians 3:17 affirms that God’s love will keep us strong. Growing in His love must be our focus. It’s what we’re here to do. When this is our aim, life is full of rewards. We then spiritually navigate through life wisely, strategically, and prosperously. When the love of God isn’t our aim, we lose our Christ-flavor very quickly. Jesus told us in Matthew 5:13 that when we lose our Christ-flavor, life is not satisfying, and we run the risk of feeling worthless and trampled under people’s feet. This isn’t what God wants for us.
Jesus Christ tells us in John 10:10(NLT), “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” During times of what appears to many to be uncertainty and tribulation, we are often tempted to move to the side of fear and to abandon a fully-persuaded, unmovable faith in God. We must be ever so careful and diligent not to allow this to happen. The abundant life that Jesus Christ has made available isn’t some fairytale or fruitless wish. It is the state of being that God has given every believer the right to claim and live. We must continue to renew our thoughts and attitudes to the promises of God’s Word, and not fall prey to fear and darkness. We are more than conquerors through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and we can live abundantly through him.■
New International Version (NIV), Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Live Abundantly through Jesus Christ!”, written for Springfield Fellowship © 2020. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.