22 Nov The Love of God
1 John 4:18 – There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
John 14:25–27 – These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.
Luke 23:46 – Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
Sometimes professional help and medication can help with fear and anxiety. Sometimes the problem is more physical than spiritual and requires medical attention.
Other times fear and anxiety are, at least in part, spiritual. A demonic spirit may be behind the fear. The way to deal with this is to cast it out and replace it with the love of God. This is why replacing worry with worship, fear with faith, and panic with prayer drives out the spirit of fear. We find the peace, presence, love, and life of God in our Helper, the Holy Spirit.
Jesus models how to overcome fear with faith. In the Garden of Gethsemane, with the cross only hours away, Jesus experienced fear and anxiety. Unable to sleep, His sweat like drops of blood, spending the entire night in prayer, He was honest with God the Father about His struggles. He asked if there were any way to save sinners without having to suffer.
In the end Jesus surrendered in faith to the Father, saying, “Your will be done.” On the cross Jesus was no longer fearful or anxious but instead had the peace that surpasses understanding, saying with His final breath, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit.”
To order the new book from Pastor Mark & Grace Driscoll “Win Your War”, visit: https://amzn.to/2YuhoDn.
For the entire eight-week “Win Your War” sermon series from Pastor Mark, visit www.markdriscoll.org or the Mark Driscoll Ministries app.
