Many think the answer to fear is faith. The idea is that if someone's faith could be stronger, they wouldn't have any fear. While that may be true, please consider a slightly different hypothesis. What if another answer to fear is love? Specifically, God's love.
Look at 1 John 4:18 - There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
When fear has become a dominating emotion in a person's life it is because they are unaware of the depths of God's love for them. The average person has been conditioned to expect heartbreak in their interactions with others. They've been let down by friends, businesses, political and religious leaders, to name a few. They don't believe that anyone can be consistent or truthful. They see everyone as a liar, a cheat, and a source of potential disappointment.
They view God through this perspective, ignoring that He is not a man that He would lie (Numbers 23:19). Plus, as many don't study their Bibles, they are unaware of the love letters it contains. They, therefore, know little of the Lord's commitment to them. They have no idea that they are the apple of God's eye or that He has promised to keep chasing them.
Most people don't realize the walls they've put up because of the heartbreak they've experienced. Those walls limit their ability to fully experience love, even the love God wants to shower them with. However, if they let God pull those walls down they'd be surprised what He will do.
Personally, it wasn't until I was in a true relationship with God - studying the Bible regularly, worshiping, and more - that I learned what love was. He kept showing up in the tough moments and I became convinced that He was head over heels in love with me.
As I became convicted of that knowledge, the fear satan had used as a weapon against me had less effect. I trusted that the lover of my soul would show up and show out on account of me no matter the situation. Over time, this allowed me to sit back and let Him do the heavy lifting rather than me constantly seeking out solutions to problems. And as time progressed, fear continued to disappear. Sure, I'd jump when a family member crept up behind me to play a prank. I'm still a work in progress, but the irrational concern that nothing would go well or that my prayers wouldn't be answered lost its impact.
Many of us need to open our hearts to receive God's love. We need to understand that He's not interested in hurting us. He desires to love us with an unimaginable intensity. We have to be willing to let go of the walls we've put up because as we experience more and more of God's love, the crippling fear sent by the devil will evaporate. That arrow of fear presents as anxiety, insecurity, self-doubt, and self-hatred. God's love for us is freedom from all of this and more. He wants each of us to be showered in love.
The Bible states repeatedly that His love endures forever, meaning, He doesn't love today only to ignore tomorrow. He plans to love you forever. So tell the Lord you want to experience His perfect love which chases all fear away.
To learn more, please consider:
GOD Loves You - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) March 30, 2021
Abounding in Love - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) October 15, 2021
Love One Another - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) October 19, 2021
Love (P&P 100) - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) November 9, 2021
Don't Forget God's Love - Friday Praise & Pray (for others) December 24, 2021
Fear of the Lord: Love & Generational Blessings - Praise & Pray (for others) Friday March 11, 2022
God's Love Trumps Fear - Tuesday Praise & Pray (for others) May 3, 2022
How do you love? - Praise & Pray (for others) October 4, 2022
FINAL MESSAGE
I hope you enjoyed Praise & Pray today. I know I feel refreshed and ready for whatever might come my way. Only because the Lion of the Tribe of Judah stands before me and is all around me. His love surrounds me.
I pray you feel the same. If for some reason you feel down, please remember that God is He who is spoken of in Zephaniah 3:17 - The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.
Know that you can't rely on yourself so cry out Him. Play worship music, pray, read your Bible, do anything to put that spirit of unease at bay.
And please remember 2 Timothy 1:7 - For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
Let us also continue to pray for one another so we help our brothers and sisters in Christ as instructed in Ephesians 6:18.
God bless you all!