Love verses Fear
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.
1 John 4:18
God is love and Satan is fear. Satan uses fear to pull us away from God and into ourselves, trying to make us our own gods. We are not talking about good fear, such as comes from stepping on a rattlesnake, but about fear from Satan which is meant to keep us from serving God. Satan also tempts people with sin and his goals are to destroy Christians, to destroy the church, and to cause evil in the world. Satan does all of this in an attempt to put fear in us and make us hate our enemies, which makes the love in our hearts grow cold. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, (Matthew 24:12).
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). Since God cannot sin, he is perfect love and in him there is no fear. It is the same for us; the more of God’s love we have in our hearts, the less fear we have in our hearts. God’s love destroys Satan’s fear.
As you reflect God’s love to others, more of God’s love will fill your heart, and more of Satan’s fear will leave your heart. As Satan’s fear leaves our hearts, our love, peace, and joy reach new heights, giving us more courage to serve the Lord. We cannot be the Lord’s servants without love and courage
If we follow the Spirit and serve the Lord according to his will, love will grow in our hearts and give us courage. The closer we are to the Lord the more love and courage we have, because Satan’s fear is destroyed by God’s love. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4).
If fear impacts your courage then pray that the Lord will guide you in the spirit to fill your heart with his love. The key to overcoming fear and overcoming the world is a heart and mind filled with God’s love, that is, a heart for God.
For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4). How can we overcome the world without faith? How can we serve the Lord without faith? How can we serve the Lord with a heart filled with Satan’s fear?
Today fill your heart with God’s love, knowing that he loves you perfectly. Cast out any fear from Satan and reflect God’s love to others. Pray for a heart of love and cast out any fear from Satan. Live courageously in God’s love and power. Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong (1 Corinthians 16:13). Be strong and courageous in the Lord today.
Let’s Pray: Lord fill my heart with your love and takeaway any fear from Satan. Guide me in the Spirit to walk in your will, strong in the faith and courageous in serving you. In Jesus name, Amen