How fantastic an experience it is to focus on the Lord Jesus and His love and receive the grace from Him and His Spirit that casts out fear in our life. With all that is going on in this fallen sinful world we live in there could be great cause for fear; fears that disable us. But as 1 John 4:18a declares, "Perfect love casts out fear!" Here's a translation, partly from The Amplified Bible:
"There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but full-grown (complete, perfect, mature) love casts out fear!"
The verses that lead up to this declaration have drawn a great deal of attention to the awesome love God has for us as demonstrated by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus (4:7-17). The Lord Jesus came to this earth in a real human body so that He could ultimately suffer and die in our place, bearing our sin and thereby satisfying (propitiation) the righteous and just demands of our holy God (1 John 3:16; 4:1-6). Jesus clearly has shown us what God's love means. God the Father has shown us how His love is defined by sending His Son to give His life for us. The Father sent the Son to earth and the Son willingly came to do battle for us and win the victory over sin, death and all evil.
When we become more and more occupied with Jesus Christ and His love for us, we will find that His love has cast out our fears more and more.
A 5-year old boy named Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn’t want to go in alone. He said, “It’s dark in there and I’m afraid.” She asked again, but the boy continued to resist because of his fear of what might be lurking in the dark. Finally Johnny’s mother said, “It’s OK—Jesus will be in there with you.” Johnny walked hesitantly to the door of the dark pantry and slowly opened it. He peered into the darkness of the pantry, but his fear began to overcome him and he started to close the door. But suddenly an idea came to him. He said, “Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?”
"There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but full-grown (complete, perfect, mature) love casts out fear!"
The verses that lead up to this declaration have drawn a great deal of attention to the awesome love God has for us as demonstrated by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus (4:7-17). The Lord Jesus came to this earth in a real human body so that He could ultimately suffer and die in our place, bearing our sin and thereby satisfying (propitiation) the righteous and just demands of our holy God (1 John 3:16; 4:1-6). Jesus clearly has shown us what God's love means. God the Father has shown us how His love is defined by sending His Son to give His life for us. The Father sent the Son to earth and the Son willingly came to do battle for us and win the victory over sin, death and all evil.
When we become more and more occupied with Jesus Christ and His love for us, we will find that His love has cast out our fears more and more.
A 5-year old boy named Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn’t want to go in alone. He said, “It’s dark in there and I’m afraid.” She asked again, but the boy continued to resist because of his fear of what might be lurking in the dark. Finally Johnny’s mother said, “It’s OK—Jesus will be in there with you.” Johnny walked hesitantly to the door of the dark pantry and slowly opened it. He peered into the darkness of the pantry, but his fear began to overcome him and he started to close the door. But suddenly an idea came to him. He said, “Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?”
We chuckle at Johnny and his way of dealing with his fear of entering the dark. But we might be very much like that five year old boy when it comes to fear of other things in our life. We may wish that Jesus would suddenly appear from the darkness and put an end to what we fear. We should know that in a real sense Jesus is available to us and wants to appear from the darkness to shine the light of His Word upon the solution to our fears. The Lord certainly does not want us to be plagued by fears that disable us.
Nearly everyone (if not everyone) has experienced disabling fears to some degree or another. Disabling fears are those fears that keep us from doing what we would really like to do. For believers in Christ Jesus who want to please and honor Him, the most frustrating of all disabling fears are those fears that keep them from doing what they know Jesus wants them to do.
There are a lot of ways people have overcome their fears through counsel and psychological maneuverings. But, as 1 John 5:18 indicates, God's love brought to maturity in us is what casts out fear.
How does God’s love reach a level of maturity in us so that it casts out fear? By being occupied with the love God has shown us in the person and work of Jesus Christ. (Study and ponder 1 John 3:16-18 and 4:7-17 to appreciate the context leading up to 4:18.)
I remember vividly the time in my life when I begin to realize that the fears that had previously kept me from doing what I knew the Lord wanted me to do seldom hindered me any longer. What had happened? By God's grace I had become more occupied with Christ and what mattered was pleasing Him. I no longer was plagued by concern over what others thought of me and what I was doing or not doing. What mattered most was pleasing the One that had given His life for me.
A main result of being occupied with Jesus Christ and His love for us is a change in our relationships with others. When our perspective is there you are as we look to meet the needs of others and not here I am (no longer being occupied with self or being occupied with self less and less), fears are “cast out” of our life because God has given us His mature love by His Word and His Spirit. A mature love that is primarily concerned about others and not what is happening to us.
Occupation with Christ Jesus and His love and grace demonstrated by His person and work provides the knowledge base required so that the Spirit of God can bring you to the place where you can express no-fear love.
Yes, God's love brought to maturity in us casts out fear! This is God's work in us by His grace for His glory.
A main result of being occupied with Jesus Christ and His love for us is a change in our relationships with others. When our perspective is there you are as we look to meet the needs of others and not here I am (no longer being occupied with self or being occupied with self less and less), fears are “cast out” of our life because God has given us His mature love by His Word and His Spirit. A mature love that is primarily concerned about others and not what is happening to us.
Occupation with Christ Jesus and His love and grace demonstrated by His person and work provides the knowledge base required so that the Spirit of God can bring you to the place where you can express no-fear love.
Yes, God's love brought to maturity in us casts out fear! This is God's work in us by His grace for His glory.
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