Day 162 "Fear Is A Liar"

Perhaps, one of the greatest hindrances to moving forward and making positive progress in our lives is fear. Fear of failure, fear of not being enough, fear of losing what we have, fear of not being accepted by others, fear of physical harm, fear of getting sick, fear of dying, fear of not being able to do something, and the list goes on and on. Fear can be a paralyzer, a destroyer of dreams and hopes never to be realized. Perhaps, your life is facing fear overload? Well, I have great news for you, fear has been overcome! Jesus has gone before you and paved the pathway for your liberation and freedom!

"Perfect love casts out all fear." 1 John 4:18

This verse changed my life. It is hard for me to express to you in words just what this verse has meant to me. It has resolved and diminished my anxieties, including even my fear of dying, with the notion of no longer being a part of this world with the people I love. It has taken away the falsehood that I am who other people tell me I am whether it is through their words or by their actions. It has dismantled the ideology of the American Dream as the justification for my drive in my life and replaced it with love. Though that may sound pollyannaish to you, I assure you, for me it is not. All the noise, the drama, the conflicting rhetoric in this world that would seek to sway me to one particular view or another has been stripped away leaving behind only love as the truest of all motivators and decipherer of human hearts. It has, indeedly, set me free to be me.

In this concept of perfect love, I perceive perfection as being without fault or error, nothing missing. It is not conditional, for if it were, each of us would have the opportunity to justify our own lives before a holy and just God. But, according to the Bible, such belief is foolishness for we cannot live perfect lives through our own actions. That is why the religious law was implemented- to show us our need for a savior. Unconditional, being perfect, on the other hand, is completely and utterly accepting without condition, without merit. If it is given without merit, then it is simply a gift. It is something that I have complete freedom from seeking to achieve. It simply is there, unfailing and unfaltering to my negligence and disobedience. Such love is unwavering in seeing the best in me even when I am blinded to my own self-centeredness and selfishness, hatred and greed. Who does God love more, Hitler or me? He love us both unconditionally. Let that one simmer in your consciousness for a while. Only when you can view God's love for you in the same light that God would love the most violent, despicably, and heinous offenders, can one come to the understanding of unconditional, non-ending, non-changing love. When I arrived at this point of my understanding, I came to the realization that I can't screw this up. God would never leave me nor forsake me. ( Hebrews 13:5) (Also, see day 5 blog: "In the Boxing Ring With God.")

"Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." Hebrews 13:5

"So we say with confidence, 'The Lord is my helper; I will not be

afraid. What can man do to me?'" Hebrews 13:6

Perfect love, the perfect acceptance, is not based on my works or performance. Unlike the acceptance of others based upon some condition whether it be looks, fame, popularity, effort, service, etc., God's unconditional love accepts me just as I am. There is nothing lacking in me for which God doesn't love. It is his nature. But my sinful nature, having fallen short of God's holiness and righteousness, separated me from enjoying an intimate relationship with God. But God in his love, shown by his mercy and grace, sent Jesus to die on the cross as an atoning sacrifice to pay the price for my sins, and yours, in order to reconcile us back into a relationship with him.

"He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself." Hebrews 7:27

"He set aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made

holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Hebrews 10:10

"He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins

of the whole world." 1 John 2:2

"This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the

world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we love God, but that

he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins." 1 John 4:9-10

"But God demonstrated his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,

Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

If God be for me, who do I fear standing against me? Though man has the capability of destroying my body, my relationship with God surpasses this life and is guaranteed eternity with him in his kingdom.

"And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He

who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."

1 John 5:11-12

"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." John 3:16

In my own sinful nature, I am a vagabond, a raggamuffin, traveling temporarily through this world. But through God's love and acceptance, through Christ's sacrifice of his life on my behalf, I have become a co-heir with Christ, completely holy in God's sight. God now sees me as he sees the righteousness of Jesus Christ. I have been born spiritually anew. The clarity in which I now view the temporariness of life has broken the chains and bondage of fear. I am free to live life without anxiety. Fear has been cast aside.

"Perfect love casts out all fear! 1 John 4:18

In closing, I leave you with the lyrics of Zack William's song Fear Is A Liar:

When he told you you're not good enough

When he told you you're not right

When he told you you're not strong enough

To put up a good fight

When he told you you're not worthy

When he told you you're not loved

When he told you you're not beautiful

That you'll never be enough

Fear, he is a liar

He will take your breath

Stop you in your steps

Fear he is a liar

He will rob your rest

Steal your happiness

Cast your fear in the fire

'Cause fear he is a liar

When he told you were troubled

You'll forever be alone

When he told you you should run away

You'll never find a home

When he told you you were dirty

And you should be ashamed

When he told you you could be the one

That grace could never change

Fear he is a liar

He will take your breath

Stop you in your steps

Fear he is a…

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Everyone is unconditionally loved and redeemable in God's sight. May

the understanding of God's love for you set you free from all fears.

In his love, see you tomorrow...

"Carpe Momentum in Love" (Seize the moment in love)