The Apostle John, the so-called “Apostle of Love”, wrote:
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. We love because he first loved us.
– 1 John 4:18-19
This passage is so very pregnant with meaning that I could write about it for days. As the title of this blog indicates, it’s the first sentence that is my focus here. I include the latter part of the passage for additional emphasis.
Fear implies repulsion, love attraction. Fear separates, love unifies. Perfect fear means total separation. Perfect love means complete unification.
We are all born in fear, spiritually dead and separated from God. Fear, therefore, controls us, our every thought, our every move. A macho unbeliever may disagree, but that makes no difference. Machismo trusts in self rather than God. That’s some thin ice right there! To God, that person is a mere flea. As they grow up, they eventually realize two things: there’s always someone more powerful than them and death always wins. This is why people, in general, are so afraid of death.
Contrarily, we believers know where we are going after physical death. To us, death is a promotion. As Paul wrote, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). In death, we are perfected in love, all fear extinguished forevermore (a la Revelation 21:4).
The problem, for even us believers, is that we do not possess a perfect love during our time here on Earth, so there’s always some type of fear that haunts us. For some it is of death, itself, for others it’s the fear of abandonment, loneliness, emotional or physical harm, and so on. The truth is that we are all riddled with fear because our flesh has no love for God at all. If we allow our flesh to control us, we live in fear.
So, the big question is, “How do we escape fear in this lifetime?” The answer is simple: turn and face the Lord. We join Him in the sphere of His love by trusting in Him.
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
– 1 John 4:16
In the sphere of God’s love exists the power to overcome our fears.
I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
– Psalm 34:4
For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
– 2 Timothy 1:7
Self-control implies the ability to turn from our fears and face the Lord. This is how we conquer fear. People often quip, “Oh, just face fear head on!” The only way this advice ever results in success is if a person possesses true courage, which is nothing more than applied faith. If a person lacks faith, they have no courage. The only way a person gets faith is by understanding God’s Word (Romans 10:17).
Courage is given to those who turn to God. This is how fear is overcome.
The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.
– Proverbs 29:25
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
– Psalm 23:1-6
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
– Psalm 56:3-4
The Bible is full of encouragement (Do you see the connectivity between the Bible, faith, and courage in this statement?). The more you grow in the grace and wisdom of God, the more you abide in His love. The more you abide in His love, the less room there is for fear in your life. These are mutually exclusive emotions.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
– John 14:27
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
– Philippians 4:6-7
The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?
– Psalm 118:6
There is no fear in love. What an incredible principle to know and live by. If when we’re afraid, we just turn to the Lord and face Him, we close the gap between Him and us. We approach the lovely throne of grace with confidence that He is there with open arms, saying, “Come to me and leave your fears behind. My child, you have nothing to fear, for I am God.”
I know this remedy I’m writing about is “simple” on paper but often complicated in practice. Fear has a habit of crippling us. I get it. But God promises to deliver us when we turn to Him. This is where the faith received from His Word comes in. We don’t have to stand up to fear, in the classical sense, we simply need to turn our backs on it. This happens automatically when we turn to God. This is precisely why the Lord commands us to be strong and courageous – it’s because we all have the power to do so!
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.
– Joshua 1:9
Fear is but a shadow; it has no real power over you. Turn your back on it and stare into the face of God. Trust in Him and your fear will be forced back into the darkness from which it came.
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins