We are living in a time when the fear of plague and death is increasingly real to us. And those are fears that are only added to the ones that we already carry. If we carry enough fear, we can become immobilized.
The good news is that Jesus has created an antidote to fear. A vaccination, if you will. It’s his death on the cross for us, and because of that death, that we can live. And not only live, but live more abundantly. In this case, let’s just take “more abundantly” to mean “living fear free!”
The Bible says in 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.” So, what on earth does that mean? “There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear.”
Can I suggest to you that this “perfect love” is not an emotion? “Perfect love” is way more than an emotion! This “Perfect Love” is Jesus. He defines the term. So, when it says that perfect love drives out feat, it’s like saying, Jesus drives out fear. Fear has to do with punishment. Jesus drives out fear, because Jesus has paid the penalty for our sins. We don’t have to be afraid of punishment anymore.
The verse goes on to say that if we fear, we either don’t know who Jesus is, or we don’t understand fully who we are in Christ and what He’s done for us.
John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
God loved us so much that He sent His own son into the world, to take our punishment for our sins, so that He could have a relationship with us.
All we have to do is take Him up on His offer of relationship, and follow Him. Make Him the Lord of our life.
And then watch the fear that has immobilized us vanish.
The vaccination with no side effects!
“Perfect Love” living in you, protecting you for life.
Roy Kroeker, Pastor, Virden Victory Church
