God's Perfect Love

 Fear, guilt, and shame cannot coexist alongside faith, hope, and love. Fear and love are a contradiction in terms, "for there is no fear in love; because perfect love casts out fear," A confident loving-trust in God cannot cohabit alongside destructive fear. Fear is the antithesis of love and the person who is fearful has not reached the mature love God desires in His children.
 The immeasurable strength from the power-house of God's Perfect Love overwhelms every negative influence of fear. In the life of a believer, fear is rendered powerless by love, "for there is no fear in love." Love describes the character of God, God is love, and when the love of God permeates a soul, no anxious thoughts can overwhelm the love of God within, "for the one who fears is not perfected in love" - their ability to love others has not reached the fulness of love.
 The Bible tells us that if we love one another, then God remains in us, and the love of God is made complete in us. Those whose love is perfected in and through God's love have no fear of His punishment. Christ took the punishment we deserve when He died on the cross in our stead, so that we no longer need to fear God's wrath, because He declared us righteous at the point of our salvation. 
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.

Our United Prayer:
Heavenly Father, we pray that we would let these  words of truth settle in our hearts. There are times in our lives when we are very fearful. We know that when we are fearing things in life, we are not exhibiting trust in You. We pray that You would surround us in Your perfect love, where fear has no place to stay and has to be cast out. As we rest in Your love, we pray that we would experience the peace that passes understanding, whatever situation of life we are in.  As we come to a deeper realization of the depth of Your love for us, may we be used by You to love as we are loved. In Jesus’ name we Pray, AMEN.