1 John 4.12-21 Standing confident without fear.

Today’s topic is fear. I need to talk to you about fear. The Bible has a lot to say about fear.

I remember situations of fear in my life. I am not just talking about fearing driving in the snow or a test or your boss or fear of eating in group of people and eyes. Those are kind of my fears,

I grew up in this church and there was a time that I was not living for the LORD! I wasn’t embracing God’s love. I was angry and hard hearted, I was forced here and I was living the prodigal. I sat with a scowl and hated people. I didn’t want to talk to them. I need to tell you the truth. I was pretending to be a punk on the outside, but that wasn’t the truth of what was on the inside.

I was filling my mind with things that weren’t good and it gave me nightmares. In my reoccuring night mare I would find myself in this church and I would be chased by something. I can’t say what it was, I will tell you this today. I believe that whatever it was, wasn’t the spirit of the LORD, it was monsterous and hideous. Remember this was a dream. This thing chased me down the stairs and into the long basement of this church. I would run and I ran up the hallway and the stairway to the old exit of the basement that opens to the front of the church the exit that no one has used in a long long time I would get to that door and it was locked I was trapped and something, something terrifying something evil was right behind me, I would wake in a fright sweating and terrified. This dream happened again and again. It was an inward deamon of the outward life that I was living.

God got a hold of me and began to change my life. I had the dream one night, I woke up and fell to my knees. I don’t mean like figuratively, I mean I got on my knees before God and prayed. Never again have I ever had that dream! The world says it is just about what I ate for dinner. I say it is me allowing my Lord and Savior to abide in me and let His LOVE cast off all fear.

LOVE abides in true believers.

1 John 4:12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.

You realize that none of us have seen God. Now that is something to fear!

Fear God!

Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge.

I am telling you that we should not harbor fear in our lives unless we fear the LORD. We need to have a fear of God. No one has seen God at any time. Could you imagine what would happen to all of us if we did. I always think of Belshazzars feast and the hand writing on the wall. That proud king saw just the finger of God and his joints were loosened and he couldn’t even stand. You want to know fear, come into the hands of the judgment the appropriate wrath of God because of you sin. But you want to know the answer to seeing God the love of God. The world hasn’t seen God but they can get a glimpse of his love if they see you having the love of God in their hearts.

People should get a glimpse of God’s love by looking at you.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

If we love one another like Christ loved us. They will get a glimpse of the glory of Christ. As we grow as we mature the world should see Christ in you the hope of glory. When it says it is perfected in you. That doesn’t mean that you are perfect, but it means that you are mature, living the Christian life like it should be living. Because you you can.

Does God abide in you?

Has the Holy Spirit taken up residence in your heart?

1 John 4:13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

The More I read the New Testament the more I read about the Holy Spirit. It is SO important that you have the Holy Spirit right here. How are you going to face this life it’s fears unless the Holy Spirit of God takes up residence here. In the Old Testament it all fell apart for Saul and Samson when they didn’t have the Spirit of God. How are you supposed to face the fears of this world without the Holy Spirit right here. If you fear things. It is because you aren’t allowing the Holy Spirit to have control. Like real control.

Jesus is the safe way to see God.

1 John 4:14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world.

That phrase I heard from someone and it is one of my favorites. I hide it right here in my heart. This section of 1 John starts off by saying No one has seen God and then talks about the love of God abiding in your heart. Well what is the way that we can see God that we can have fellowship with Him that we can know what true love is well. Jesus is the safe way to see God. John is saying I haven’t seen God but I have seen Jesus and in doing so I am saved. I have the right the priviledge to see God.

If you believe in Jesus, than the Father abides in you.

1 John 4:15–16 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.

God is Love! He showed His love on the cross and if we believe on Him than we can have a relationship with God. We can have fellowship with Him. It is impossible to have a relationship with the loving God without coming to Jesus. I hope that you saw in these verses. The close intimate relationship that we can have with God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.

Abide in God and bear fruit.

John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

If we compare 1 John 4 and John 15 we should see that John is taking Jesus teaching on abiding in God and expanding on it. These two passages are tied together. Jesus in one of His great I am statements said. “I am the Vine and you are branches, You will bear much fruit” I think that what we can infer that Jesus is saying that you should be bearing the fruit of the Spirit but if you look at both passages the specific fruit is LOVE! It is the topic of both Jesus and John you need to have the love of Christ in your life. If not you are in trouble.

“Cast out:” Real FEAR!

John 15:6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

This is the message that Jesus and the John the baptist came with and it should be the most terrifying verse. If you are not abiding in Christ, bearing fruit of love you are CAST OUT like a withered branch and thrown into the fire. The hell fire. Hellfire is real fear. People don’t respect that. I always wonder why people do drugs if they have seen the end product. That person that has lost everything. That person who used to have it all but here they are tweaking out on the side of the road or rotting in heaven. Why do they walk down that road, but they do. But don’t you think that if we understood judgment day as described in Revelation 20 and Daniel 7 when people are held accountable for their actions and we realize that what Jesus warned us about again and again finally comes to be. That is real fear.

Love is boldness on Judgment day.

1 John 4:17 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.

How confident are you of judgment day. I mean if it is real. I 100% believe it is! But how prepared are you? You say I don’t know I don’t believe in that. Well if you are right, I’m ok. But if this book is right. It always has been. It spelled out the ruling kingdoms for 100s of years in great detail. It prophesied the death and resurrection of Jesus. It still holds up today. If this is right and it is!! Are you ready for judgment day! I am are you?

Some will not be bold on judgment day.

Revelation 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.

Some will be bold on judgment day.

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

Do you see here it is again. It is always about Jesus. Daniel says that some says that some will face condemnation others will shine like the brightness of the firminant forever. I want to be one of those shinining stars. Boldly standing before the throne, it’s not about you it’s all about Christ/

Perfect Love casts off fear.

1 John 4:18 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.

Do you see it right there. Jesus said that if you don’t abide in Him you will be cast off into the lake of fire. That is the most fearful thing that I can imagine that outer darkness the weeping and gnashing of your teeth the abscence of everyone and everything good. but hear is the opposite. In this verse FEAR is cast off. The fear of torment gone. I want you to take this verse in context. Perfect love casts off fear. People use this about being afraid of the dark or taxes. Fine that is part of it but at it’s heart you don’t have to fear judgment day. You are safe in the arms of Jesus and that is what really matters.

It is Christ’s Love that casts off fear.

1 John 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us.

The casting off of fear the boldness on judgment day it’s the love of God that sent Him to the cross. That saves us that allows Christ to come in us and you want to know John’s point. It’s all about love. His love first! Our love is the out pouring of the working of His love. I would like to preface the next thing that I am about to say that I am saying it to everyone here, but no one in particular at the same time. But if these words are what you need to hear I hope it cuts to your hear.

“I love God,”

You Lie!

1 John 4:20–21 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

You may be here and saying “I Love God, I’m Good” A lot of people say I love God but they aren’t good. Judgment day should terrify them. It should be like the monster I had in my dream hunting them down. They run and run maybe they run through church but they get to the door and find it locked. Why should God let you, you of all people into heaven. It’s all about love. and once again the fruit the evidence is that you love your brother. Some people here are so full of hate, it’s scary, down right terrifying. I am not talking about anyone in particular. I am talking to you. Ask yourself, do I love like Christ. Or everywhere I go would people say that I am angry hateful vengeful. Ask your wife what would she say? John says you say you love God but you don’t know God you are a liar. You need the love of God only then do have no reason to fear. Accept God’ salvation.

Don’t fear the future.

1 Chronicles 28:20 And David said to his son Solomon, “Be strong and of good courage, and do it; do not fear nor be dismayed, for the Lord God—my God—will be with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you, until you have finished all the work for the service of the house of the Lord.

You don’t have to be afraid God will help you to do his work. Nothing is too difficult for God

Don’t fear the enemy.

Deuteronomy 3:18 Then I commanded you at that time, saying: “The Lord your God has given you this land to possess. All you men of valor shall cross over armed before your brethren, the children of Israel.”

You don’t have to fear sin the devil the world and God being with you.

You don’t have to fear death and damnation.

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, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.”

Trade your fear for salvation!

Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ ”

Is God your salvation. He will be the strength to get you through the day and put a song in your heart.

When it really matters you can trust God as your personal savior. are you confident completely confident that on judgment day that you will be right before God. You can be! Jesus died to be your strength. I tell you what I am not confident in myself, without Him I would be terrified, but on judgment day it isn’t about me it’s about Him. I just want everyone in this curch in this passage I am speaking specifically to you who is harboring sin and hatred in your heart. If sin if hatred abide here, God isn’t! Let the love of Christ drive out the sin and hatred cast of the fear. Picture judgment day! It stalking you like a monster, it’s coming it si the real source of impending doom. You arrive to the throne, all the books are open, God says “Why should I let you into my heaven. depart from me I never knew you.” We need Jesus! The Holy Spirit