LOVE OVERCOMES FEAR

INTRODUCTION

2 Timothy 1:7 TPT

7 For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control.

Facts About Fear

1) Whatever you fear more than God will ultimately rob you of your destiny, your family, your life, and possibly even your soul.

2) Every situation in your life will be framed by either love or fear.

3) Fear binds us to a lie.

Fear tells us there is something we need to be afraid of, something that God can’t handle. God’s promises aren’t true. But, God is true, and fear is a liar.

4) Fear is:

False Evidence Appearing Real

Don’t be convinced by false evidence; be convicted of truth by the Holy Spirit.

Hebrews 11:1 TPT

1 Now faith brings our hopes into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for. It is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen.

And in what do we have faith? Our abilities? Our good works? Are we trusting in what we do? Are we trusting in what we don’t do?

None of these.

It’s not WHO we are, it’s “Whose” we are.

Galatians 2:20 TPT

20 “My old identity has been co-crucified with Messiah and no longer lives; for the nails of his cross crucified me with him. And now the essence of this new life is no longer mine, for the Anointed One lives his life through me—we live in union as one! My new life is empowered by the faith of the Son of God who loves me so much that he gave himself for me, and dispenses his life into mine!

5) Fear unchallenged will lead to sin.

It’s not a sin to be afraid, but if you stay afraid, if you surrender to fear, you will end up in sin and rebellion, which is like witchcraft. A need to be in control of everything and everyone around in an attempt to manage your fear rather Than confront and crucify it.

Human beings tend to think with a temporal perspective. God does not. God thinks in terms of eternity.

We humans think in terms of of natural circumstances. God thinks in terms of supernatural circumstances.

Did Adam and Eve really die?

Matthew 10:28 NLT

28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT FEAR

The most common commands in scripture relate to fear. Who to fear, who not to fear. What to fear, what not to fear. How to overcome fear. There are 366 references to living free from fear in the Bible. That’s one for every day of the and an extra for leap year.

All fear is not bad. God designed fear as survival tool. There is such a thing as healthy fear.

Fear is a part of life. It is a reality of life. But it must not be the controlling factor in your.

In fact the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Proverbs 9:10 NLT

10 Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

Healthy fear and good judgement go hand in hand.

Courage is not fearlessness. In fact, fearlessness is often foolishness.

Courage is the ability to act in faith in spite of your fear.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary Courage

courage

■ noun the ability to do something that frightens one.

▶ strength in the face of pain or grief.

Satan’s goal is use fear to discourage us from obeying God’s best for our lives.

Isaiah 51:12–15 NLT

12 “I, yes I, am the one who comforts you. So why are you afraid of mere humans, who wither like the grass and disappear? 13 Yet you have forgotten the Lord, your Creator, the one who stretched out the sky like a canopy and laid the foundations of the earth. Will you remain in constant dread of human oppressors? Will you continue to fear the anger of your enemies? Where is their fury and anger now? It is gone! 14 Soon all you captives will be released! Imprisonment, starvation, and death will not be your fate! 15 For I am the Lord your God, who stirs up the sea, causing its waves to roar. My name is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

John 10:10 ESV

10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Satan comes to steal, kill, and destroy. When we empower a lie, theft, death, and destruction will manifest in our lives. Theft of your money, time, and passion. Destruction of your character, reputation, influence. Death of your worship and prayer life.

When you believe the word of God, life and abundance will be manifested in your life.

Fear can come as a spirit, but it can also begin with your carnal nature and invite demonic influence. Spiritual buzzards come to feast on fleshly conversation and behavior.

God is calling every believer in this hour to come up to a new level of maturity in faith and spiritual discipline.

This is why we see the Prophet Samuel calling out King Saul 1 Samuel 15:23

1 Samuel 15:23 NLT

23 Rebellion is as sinful as witchcraft, and stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols. So because you have rejected the command of the Lord, he has rejected you as king.”

What happens when we get victory over fear:

Philippians 1:27–28 NLT

27 Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ. Then, whether I come and see you again or only hear about you, I will know that you are standing together with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News. 28 Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself.

Right now, many voices are screaming the threatening to be feared more than God. I will not bow to fear.

So, in light of current events, who then should we live?

Let’s not go to our carnal, temporal minds, but rather to the eternal word of God!

1 John 4:18 ESV

18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Mature love will ALWAYS overcome fear.

1 John 4:18 AMP

18 There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror! For fear brings with it the thought of punishment, and [so] he who is afraid has not reached the full maturity of love [is not yet grown into love’s complete perfection].

Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains: Greek (New Testament) 5455 τέλειος

5455 τέλειος (teleios), α (a), ον (on): adj.; ≡ DBLHebr 9448; Str 5046; TDNT 8.67—1. LN 88.36 (morally) perfect (Mt 5:48; Jas 3:2), for another interp, see below; 2. LN 73.6 genuine, being true (1Jn 4:18); 3. LN 79.129 (physically) perfect (Heb 9:11); 4. LN 68.23 complete, finished (Jas 1:4); 5. LN 88.100 mature in one’s behavior (Eph 4:13; Mt 5:48), for another interp, see above; 6. LN 9.10 adult (Heb 5:14); 7. LN 11.18 initiated, one inducted into the believing community (Php 3:15; Col 1:28)

God is calling us to come to maturity as a faith community. Each and every member of LHC finding their place of service and obedience to the call of God on their life.

Ephesians 4:11–16 NLT

11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won’t be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

MATURE LOVE IS LOVE PERFECTED

There is no shortcut to mature love; it comes by consistently pursuing relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Who and what is living in your head rent free?

2 Corinthians 10:5 AMP

5 [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),

2 Corinthians 10:5 TPT

5 We can demolish every deceptive fantasy that opposes God and break through every arrogant attitude that is raised up in defiance of the true knowledge of God. We capture, like prisoners of war, every thought and insist that it bow in obedience to the Anointed One.

MEMORIZE AND PRAY SCRIPTURE

Psalm 34:1 NLT

1 I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.

Psalm 119:11 TPT

11 I consider your prophecies to be my greatest treasure, and I memorize them and write them on my heart to keep me from committing sin’s treason against you.

Isaiah 8:12–14 NLT

12 “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them. 13 Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. 14 He will keep you safe. But to Israel and Judah he will be a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall. And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.

Psalm 27 NLT

A psalm of David. 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? 2 When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. 3 Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident. 4 The one thing I ask of the Lord— the thing I seek most— is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfections and meditating in his Temple. 5 For he will conceal me there when troubles come; he will hide me in his sanctuary. He will place me out of reach on a high rock. 6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music. 7 Hear me as I pray, O Lord. Be merciful and answer me! 8 My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “Lord, I am coming.” 9 Do not turn your back on me. Do not reject your servant in anger. You have always been my helper. Don’t leave me now; don’t abandon me, O God of my salvation! 10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will hold me close. 11 Teach me how to live, O Lord. Lead me along the right path, for my enemies are waiting for me. 12 Do not let me fall into their hands. For they accuse me of things I’ve never done; with every breath they threaten me with violence. 13 Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodness while I am here in the land of the living. 14 Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord.

Psalm 23 (NLT)

A psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need.

2 He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.

3 He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name.

4 Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.

5 You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.

6 Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.