Perfect Love Perfect Peace

 

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.

—I John 4:18 NKJV

 

 

Many have only a limited understanding of the infinite and perfect love of God. Fear comes and goes like the ocean tide. But God wants us to experience the peace His perfect love died to give us. 

 

When you experience in your heart the depth of God’s love for you, you have His peace. Fear is something that is easily defeated when it tries to invade your thoughts. The enemy can’t torment your mind with lies trying to convince you that you must do something to win God’s love. In Christ, God gave you the greatest love that He could give you. He wants you to experience this intimate and perfect love. 

 

But have lies of the enemy filled your mind instead of the truth of God’s love? Are you afraid you can’t please God and He is just waiting to punish you? God doesn’t torment you. Fear involves torment. And God is perfect love.

 

How do you cast out fear? You don't. The perfect love of God within you casts out fear. Fear can't stand against the love of God who loved you so much that He gave His life for you. You have received His perfect love in your reborn spirit, but His truth must transform your mind for you to believe it. When the Holy Spirit teaches you about God's love, you receive revelation knowledge of what His love means for you. You don’t need a second-hand revelation from anyone else. You need your own revelation straight from His heart to yours. 

 

“You will seek Me and find Me,” God promises, “when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13)

 

“Ask, and it will be given to you,” Jesus said. “Seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).

 

To receive your revelation of God’s love, you diligently seek it. You ask the Holy Spirit to pour His truth into your life. You choose not to allow any condemning thought that says you have to earn God’s love. His love is not yours to earn. Jesus already earned it for you. God holds out His arms and says, "Come here. I love you." 

 

Fear will always try to convince you that God is not there for you. Nothing in all of creation can separate you from God’s love. God has given you His power to overcome fear. But if you don't exercise the voice of authority that Jesus has given you, that power will not make any difference in your life. You will remain defeated and afraid. You choose to exercise God’s power and speak death to the enemy’s lies. You take every thought captive and choose God’s love. And as you choose God’s love over the enemy’s lies, you are renewed by God’s truth in your mind. You receive a greater understanding of the perfect love that He has given you. 

 

When you have a revelation of God’s love for you, you receive an overpowering understanding of who you are in Christ in the depths of your heart. His perfect love has perfected you. You believe there is no fear in God’s love. You choose faith over fear. You surrender and hold nothing back. You ask and seek and find. Renewed by His truth, you believe. And the door remains open for you to receive.

 

You trust Him.

 

“You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

 

His perfect love within you is at perfect peace.

 

© 2021 Lynn Lacher

www.lynnlacher.com/2021/09/perfect-love-perfect-peace.html