“Fear is one of the enemy’s most useful deterrents to faith-filled living.” Priscilla Shirer
Our verse of the day comes from 1 John 4:16-18.
“God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 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. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out all fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”
Do you fear God?
If we took a survey of 100 random people on the street and asked them if they feared God, my guess is we would get various answers.
Some may say no because there is no god in their mind.
Others may say yes because they dread the end of their earthly existence, and they rewind the tape of their lives and imagine God is waiting to judge them and cast them into hell.
Still, others have no fear of God because they have confidence on the day of judgment. The believer is confident because his fully developed love reassures him as a believer that he or she is right with God.
The enemy uses fear as a way to separate us from the love of God. He reminds you of who you used to be and casts seeds of doubt in your mind. He says things like:
“You aren’t good enough.”
“God doesn’t love you. Look at what you have done.”
“Does God really love you, warts and all?”
“You did too many things back then for God to ever love you now.”
“You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“God is disappointed in you and doesn’t think you’re worth it.”
Lies.
They are all lies. God is love and the ultimate example of what love should look like.
The enemy does not love you, and he is not interested in your well-being, only your demise.
Who are you going to listen to? The God of the universe who sent his only Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to pay the price for your sin on the cross or someone who lies to you and tries to instill fear in your heart at every turn?
Lying is not loving.
As the Scripture states above, there is no fear in love. As our love grows for our heavenly Father and others, our confidence in a Holy God will grow, and we will not fear the day of judgment.
Use this time to draw closer to the Lord. Each day that passes is another day we get closer to the Lord’s return. I pray you are preparing your heart and mind to meet him. Grow in your love for him and others. You’ll be glad you did.
Blessings!
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