Have you ever tried to, somehow, ditch Fear somewhere? I thought I could drive somewhere remote, open my car door, and let Fear roll out all bound up the way you see it in movies when a kidnapper tosses someone out to make their getaway.
I tried everything: Breaking up with Fear, kicking Fear to the curb, casting it out, and telling Fear to go and never come back. It helped, but it didn’t work. Fear is an unwelcome guest. It talks to you uninvited. It creeps in when you’re at your lowest. It plagues you! Does this sound like someone else you know?
Satan is Fear
Yes, Fear is Satan himself. He came to steal, kill, and destroy [John 10:10]. He robs you of your peace. And he will always strike when you are at your lowest. He’s ruthless and doesn’t care about what you’re going through at the time.
There’s a little phrase in the Bible found in the book of Luke, “…until an opportune time.” [Luke 4:13] Jesus had just been tempted by the devil out in the wilderness. Scripture says that after the devil finished tempting him, he departed from him until an “opportune time.” By the way, he departed because he couldn’t stand the Word of God being handed to him at every temptation. The Word of God defeats him.
During this strange and quarantined time we live in, it’s an “opportune time” for the devil to strike Fear (himself) in many hearts. Some Christians recognize what’s happening; some may have no clue. Many walk around in fear and have no idea they can become free from it.
We’ve been given a key to peace
Thankfully, there’s a key to peace that scripture gives us. You can find it in the book of 1 John, Chapter 4.
15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 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. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 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.
[ESV www.biblegateway.com]
Do you want this peace?
Notice where we get peace? Yes, from God. But do you see what your part in it is? We need to abide in his love if we are to experience peace because it says that perfect love casts out fear.
How do we do that? First, verse 15 tells us that we are to confess that Jesus is the Son of God. That’s the beginning of knowing and believing the love God has for us. It tells us that this is how love is perfected in us. We believe; God perfects His love in us. That’s how it works.
You see, God’s love actually displaces fear. Look again at verse 18. It’s like an empty glass. It has air in it before you pour water into it. The water comes in and replaces the air. That’s what God’s Word does in your soul. With his love in you, there’s no room for fear.
You can be confident
You will have the confidence to stand up to fear and laugh in his face because you will have the peace of God in and moving through you.
We crack open our Bibles and meditate on the Word of God. You might be new to that, but it’s simple. Start with reading the book of 1 John. It’s packed full of love for YOU. Don’t listen to the voice that’s telling you it’s not for you. It is! And we all need this now more than ever.
Meditate on God’s Word
Meditating on the Word of God is simply reading it, rereading it, and thinking through what you are reading. Treat it like your favorite meal. I like to savor each bite like I won’t have it for another year. That’s what it’s like to meditate on his Word.
God’s Word is so precious – it’s a treasure! You’ll only know that if you read it yourself. You have a unique opportunity to meet with God in his Word like you never have before. God’s Word opens up a whole new world; you’ll be so thankful and at peace after reading it, you’ll wonder what took you so long to do it.
This is not just for some people
By the way, it doesn’t matter what you’ve done in your life. God is there and ready to forgive you for anything that’s happened in your past. All are included!
It. Does. Not. Matter. What. You’ve. Done.
I know because I was 100% walking away from God in my life — before He rescued me.
God is bigger than all of that. He sent his Son, Jesus, to die on a cross for your and my sins. So don’t let His death be for nothing. Give all your “stuff” to God, apologize, and let him wash it away so you can have REAL peace and (bonus) a REAL relationship with God, your heavenly Father! He may be the only dad you’ve ever known. He’s there to be that for you.
The Word of God is available to just about everyone on earth (we’re still working on that!) Don’t have a Bible? www.BibleGateway.com.
If you get stuck on something and have questions, you can find many answers at www.gotquestions.org.
Want to go deeper still? You can, at www.biblehub.com.
Take time out for God during this slow time. Remember, we don’t silence Fear. God replaces it with His love. Will we still hear Fear in our heads, yes. But we can be confident that Fear doesn’t have to affect us anymore.
Blessings,
JoJo