Slideshow image

The following blog is a summary of a message preached by Pastor Eddie Lawrence. 

God's perfect love has the power to deliver us from our unhealthy fears. While there is a healthy fear—the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom—many of us struggle with unhealthy fears that enslave, control, and manipulate us.

What Does the Bible Say About Fear?

In 1 John 4, we learn that God's love is perfect and complete. This love gives us confidence that when we stand before God, we will be welcomed and accepted. The Bible tells us that "as He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:17). When you came to know God through faith, something of His essence—love—was imparted to you.

Most importantly, verse 18 reveals a powerful truth: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment." Fear makes you feel like you need to be punished, causes you to live in dread, and keeps you tormented. This is not what God wants for anyone.

How Does Fear Operate in Our Lives?

Fear causes us to withdraw, separate, and avoid things we should be doing. The Greek word for fear in 1 John 4 is "phobos" (related to our word "phobia"), which means to fear, to withdraw from, to separate oneself from, to avoid.

The enemy uses fear as currency in his trade. Unhealthy fears can cause us to:

  • Move away from what God wants us to move toward
  • Refrain from fulfilling our daily obligations
  • Avoid living the kind of life we were created to live

 

Common Ways Fear Controls Us

  • Fear of missing out (FOMO): Making impulsive decisions without thinking
  • Fear of not being accepted: Leading to unhealthy relationships or compromising values
  • Fear of loss: Ironically causing the very loss we fear
  • Fear of success: Leading to self-sabotage because we don't believe we deserve good things

 

How Can I Overcome My Fears?

Here's a practical approach to facing your fears:

1. Pray and Turn the Light On

Get alone with God. Be humble and honest about your struggles with fear. Ask Him to help you see the root, source, and cause of your fears. Pray for a revelation of God's bold love that gives you confidence to face your fears.

2. Identify the "Snakes"

Look for the things the enemy has been working through in your life:

  • Lies you've believed about yourself
  • Lies you've believed about God
  • Lies you're believing about what others think of you
  • Painful events or trauma you've experienced
  • Areas of loss you've had to work through

 

The enemy aims at our vulnerable areas—where we feel helpless or deeply hurt.

3. Recognize There May Be a Spirit of Fear

In 2 Timothy 1:7, Paul writes: "God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind." This indicates there is a literal demonic entity whose mission is to wreak havoc through fear.

This doesn't mean everyone struggling with fear has a demon. But someone who continually yields to fear can open access to their life, allowing the enemy to control them. Even believers can be oppressed, deceived, and attacked in their soul (though not their spirit).

4. Turn the Truth Loose on the Torment

Like a "find and replace" feature in a word processor, ask the Holy Spirit to find the fear and replace it with faith in God's Word. Replace lies with truth:

  • When fear says "I'm a failure," replace it with "I am more than a conqueror through Christ" (Romans 8:37)
  • When fear says "I'm unacceptable," replace it with "I am accepted in the Beloved" (Ephesians 1:6)
  • When fear says "I deserve punishment," replace it with "There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1)

 

5. Trust God's Perfect Love to Cast Out Fear

When you get a revelation of God's love, fear must give ground. Perfect love doesn't "might" cast out fear—it WILL cast out fear. This is the answer: get a revelation of the love of God.

What Does Freedom from Fear Look Like?

You can live a life free of fear and full of love. While this is a lifelong journey, there are breakthrough moments when chains are broken and hard shells are pulverized.

The limitations you've placed on yourself—"I'm no good," "I can't do this," "I'm not smart enough"—have no place in God's love. His perfect love casts out ALL fear.

Life Application

This week, I challenge you to:

  • Identify one specific fear that has been controlling an area of your life.
  • Find a scripture that directly contradicts that fear.
  • Every time the fear rises up, speak that scripture aloud.
  • Ask God daily for a fresh revelation of His perfect love for you.

 

Ask yourself these questions:

  • What lies have I believed that have created patterns of fear in my life?
  • Are there past traumas I haven't been healed from that are holding me hostage?
  • In what areas am I avoiding or withdrawing from what God wants me to do?
  • How would my life change if I truly believed and lived in God's perfect love?

 

Remember, you can't buy, earn, or perform for God's love. You can only receive it freely. His love specializes in reaching the unlovable, the failures, the fallen, and those who don't think they deserve it. Open your heart today to receive a baptism of the Father's love that will cast out every fear.