How Does Love Overcome Fear?. Man has a great fear of the unknown Those in the world have been...

How Does Love Overcome Fear?

Man has a great fear of the unknown

• Those in the world have been taught to fear. Life is a great unknown.

• The love of God provides the only relief from this fearful life of torment. (1 Jn 4:17-19)


• 1 John 4:17-19 - Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us.


• What greater unknown is there to the world than death? Again God’s love provides an answer. (Jn 11:25-26)


• John 11:25-26 - Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"


• Do we really believe that God loves us? It will change how we view the unknown.

• Why then do men not run to the love of God? It is because of their fear.

• For those who do not know God they are afraid of what they may find.


• Satan has blinded their hearts through ignorance and as a result they hate the very light that can free them from bondage. (Jn 8:32; 3:19-21)


• John 8:32 - "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."


• John 3:19-21 - "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."


• It is a sad situation when men fear God’s love but remain in the grasp of Satan. Who should they really fear? (Mt 10:28)


• Matthew 10:28 - "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Satan uses fear as a powerful weapon

• Satan has used the fear of death to bring many into bondage. (Heb 2:14-15)


• Hebrews 2:14-15 - Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.


• Why should fear of death bring someone into bondage?

• fear: a state of severe distress, aroused by intense concern for impending pain, danger, evil, etc., or possibly by the illusion of such circumstances - 'fear.' - Louw-Nida Lexicon


• The uncertainty of who holds the future can greatly influence the path of men. What if I am unsure about eternal life? Satan will take advantage.

• A living faith is the opposite of fear! (2 Tim 1:12)


• 2 Timothy 1:12 - For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.


• Satan uses fear to keep men comfortable in darkness.

• “No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.” - Edmund Burke

• It kept men from standing on the truth that Jesus was from God. (Jn 9:20-23; 12:42-43)


• John 9:20-23 - His parents answered them and said, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; 21 "but by what means he now sees we do not know, or who opened his eyes we do not know. He is of age; ask him. He will speak for himself." 22 His parents said these things because they feared the Jews, for the Jews had agreed already that if anyone confessed that He was Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.


• 23 Therefore his parents said, "He is of age; ask him."


• John 12:42-43 - Nevertheless even among the rulers many believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.


• Men may fear many things! One preacher would not answer a simple question because he would have to agree with those who had hurt him. Even worse he might one day have to receive these into fellowship! (Also fear of race or nationality) (Lk 10:29; 15:30-32)


• Luke 10:29 - But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"


• Luke 15:30-32 - 'But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.' 31 "And he said to him, 'Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. 32 'It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.' "


• How many have not obeyed the gospel because they feared that they would be “condemning my grandmother?”

• Satan uses the loss of relationships as one of his greatest weapons. Are you afraid to share the gospel? (Gal 5:11)


• Galatians 5:11 - And I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why do I still suffer persecution? Then the offense of the cross has ceased.


• It is very easy to create your own reality where facts and truth are not welcomed. (2 Cor 4:3-4)


• 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 - But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, 4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.

God has often allowed His children to face their worst fears

• What was behind the two great failures of Abraham? (Gen 12:11-12; 20:10-11)


• Genesis 12:11-12 - And it came to pass, when he was close to entering Egypt, that he said to Sarai his wife, "Indeed I know that you are a woman of beautiful countenance. 12 "Therefore it will happen, when the Egyptians see you, that they will say, 'This is his wife'; and they will kill me, but they will let you live.


• Genesis 20:10-11 - Then Abimelech said to Abraham, "What did you have in view, that you have done this thing?" 11 And Abraham said, "Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.


• Both of these events leave us scratching our heads. We all have such fears! Fear is powerful! (Ex. IRS audit)

• I believe that Abraham learned from these failures and later in life was able to handle the sacrifice of his only son Isaac. (Heb 11:17-19)


• Hebrews 11:17-19 - By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, 18 of whom it was said, "In Isaac your seed shall be called," 19 concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense.


• Jacob had to face Esau later in life and dreaded it. (Gen 32:9-11)


• Genesis 32:9-11 - Then Jacob said, "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, 'Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you': 10 "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies.


• 11 "Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau; for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.


• Jacob over time had many carnal things burned out of him by God allowing him to face his greatest fear.

• The greatest pain Jacob would face would be in the loss of his son Joseph. What did these things ultimately do for Jacob?

• Peter had to face his fear of men on several occasions.


• He denied the Lord because of a servant girl! (Mt 26:73-75)


• Matthew 26:73-75 - And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you." 74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed. 75 And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." So he went out and wept bitterly.


• Peter became a “pillar” in God’s church!

How to use your fears to build faith

• Direct your thoughts to the promises and character of God. God’s love tells me He cares for me! (Jn 3:16, Heb 13:5-6)


• John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.


• Hebrews 13:5-6 - Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." 6 So we may boldly say: "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me


• Jesus thought of God’s love on the cross! (Psa 22:3-5)


• Psalm 22:3-5 - But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. 4 Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. 5 They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed.


• You should be willing to take the loss of that you fear knowing God is with you! (Phil 3:7-8; Heb 13:11-13)


• Philippians 3:7-9 - But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. 8 Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ


• 9 and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith;


• Hebrews 13:11-13 - For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. 13 Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach.


• Forgiveness of others is feared because we might have to “write off” a hurt that our desire for vengeance wants a full payment!

• What are you afraid of? Staying single? Rejection of friends? Hidden sin? (Prov 28:1)


• Proverbs 28:1 - The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.


• Commit yourself to the love of God.• When you are led by fear you often will get

the very thing you fear!• Years ago when I received my first audit

notice from the IRS my fear said to “RUN!” What would have been the result?

• When you put away fear then you will allow your mind to pursue the wisdom of God. (Mt 10:28-33)


• Matthew 10:28-33 - "And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will


• 30 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 "Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. 32 " Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 "But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.


• What happens when you have a “leadership of fear?” Pilate is a good example of such. He could admit the truth but would not stand for it.

• When elders fear the anger of the members because of plain teaching on “unpopular” subjects then the church is headed for the very trouble they fear. (Ex. “Several members may leave!”)


• Make your closest friends those who have a courageous faith.

• Weak Christians need to be built up by men of faith. (Neh 6:9; Heb 12:12-13)


• Nehemiah 6:9 - For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, "Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done." Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.


• Hebrews 12:12-13 - Therefore strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed.


• It is good to have a Paul at your side who will challenge your illogical fears! (Gal 2:11-13)


• Galatians 2:11-13 - Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; 12 for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. 13 And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.


• Fear is so easily shared. Do you have a “circuit-breaker” to stop the panic buildup when fear is accepted as fact? (Psa 46:1-3)


• Psalm 46:1-3 - God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah


• Who will enter the kingdom of God? (Rev 2:10; 21:8)


• Revelation 2:10 - "Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.

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