The antidote to fear is faith in our Sovereign Lord Jesus Christ.
There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
1 John 4:18
There is only One Perfect Love. His Name is Jesus.
He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.
Song of Solomon 2:4
God’s love for us is full of fear-extinguishing faith. This is made crystal clear in the 11th chapter of the book of Hebrews.
When He set them free from Egypt, God set the children of Israel free from their 400 years of slavery. God had heard their cries and decided enough was enough.
While leading the children into the Promise Land, God told them to “take the land.” The children had to fight for it and some of them would die in the battles it would take to enter the Promise Land. The children had to choose to love not their lives unto death if they were to follow God.
There is no way to overcome the devil and all of his fear aside from following Christ.
The US flag (banner) is representative of the land of the free and the home of the brave. It’s representative of Americans who left the bondage of the tyrants they lived under across the Atlantic ocean – and all others who left their bondage in other lands to come here. Fear is not freedom because it makes us its slave and it makes us scared and wimpy in our souls. Faith in God is freedom because it frees us and makes us brave – even unto death.
Annie and I are buying a flag to fly over our back patio (it can be seen best there) as a reminder and statement of who we are in Christ.
O’er the land of the free and the home of the brave – Because of what Christ has done in our lives and because He gave us the precious opportunity to choose Him everyday!
And they overcame him (the devil and his fear) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
Revelation 12:11
Fear will keep me loving my life. God wants me to live by faith and to not love my life unto death. That’s because He knows there is no true, Godly freedom in loving my life, in trying to hang onto what God knows will keep me in bondage. It’s only when I “love not my life unto death” that I’m truly free in this life.
I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
Praise Jesus!
God’s Word, His Truth, His Love is so powerful, fear-consuming, and liberating.
Ann and I are so thankful Jesus is setting us free from the tyrant of fear.
In Christ alone – Live free in Jesus!
God bless,
Mark
Note: While we may not agree with everything a particular church or Christian group teaches or believes, there are times when we can be blessed by something outside the realm of our current understanding of God.