Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Love – 1 John 4:17-18 -Drives Out Fear – Growing As Disciples
In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 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. 1 John 4:17-18 (NIV)
Drives Out Fear
How will love drive out fear in you? That is a good question. I don’t understand the relationship between love and fear. I will help you to understand the relationship between love and fear. I’d like that. Let me ask you a few questions. I’m game. What are you afraid of? What have been some of the biggest fears that you have faced in life? I have faced the fear of the unknown. I have worried about what may come next in life. I have had anxiety with the thought that I might miss out on something critically important to my life. I have let my mind dwell on the question, “What happens if I make a wrong turn and fail to go and do your will?” You know that I love you, don’t you? Yes, I know that you love me. Do you believe that my love will guard and guide your life? Do you believe that my love will not let you miss out on going and doing my will? Can you trust in my love more than in the uncertainty of the future? Yes, I can trust in your love. Yes, I believe that your love will protect my future. Yes, I believe that your love will guard and guide my life and make me able to know and do your will. Then my love has driven this fear of the unknown out of you, hasn’t it? Yes, it has. That’s good.
Name another fear. I have feared failure. Sometimes, my fear of failure has been so strong that I have felt paralyzed by it. What have you done when fear has paralyzed your life? When fear has paralyzed my life, I have done nothing. What will doing nothing accomplish? Doing nothing will accomplish nothing and lead to certain failure. That’s true. Will my love for you allow you to be a failure? Will you ever be a failure in my eyes? Do you know that you are the work of my hands? Do you know that I am lovingly making you into my masterpiece? Do you know that I lovingly began a good work in you that I will certainly bring to completion? Yes, I believe that you are working in and through my life. I believe that your love will not allow me to be a failure. Then my love has cast this fear of failure out of you, hasn’t it? Yes, it has. That’s good.
Let’s talk about one more fear. I have feared death. Why have you feared death? I’m not sure. You can’t say your future, after death, is unknown. No, I cannot say my future after death is unknown. I know that on the day of my death, I will come to live forever in heaven with you. I will leave this life that is filled with pain and suffering and difficulties for my new and eternal life in heaven with you. That’s true. Do you believe that my love has prepared a place for you in heaven? Do you believe that my love has made heaven a place far beyond what you could hope for or even imagine? Yes, I do. Then my love for you driven out your fear of death, hasn’t it? Yes, it has. Live in my love and you will nothing to fear. Yes, I will. I will let your love drive every fear out of me. That will be very good.
Lord, my life has been filled with both real and imagined fears of every shape, size and kind. This is no way to live. Thank you for the love that we have for each other. Your love is driving fear out of my life because I know that you have everything under control. Amen
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Love – 1 John 4-17-18 – Drives Out Fear – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide
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