DCLM Higher Everyday 3 June 2024 — Fear Has Torment
Topic: Fear Has Torment
Text: 1 John 4:16-20
16And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.
18There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.
19We love him, because he first loved us.
20If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
Key Verse: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18).
Message
Robin Sharma noted that, “The fears we don’t face become our limits.” Fear is limiting and leads to regrets. We cannot live up to our dreams if we do not deal with the monster called fear. The presence of God in our lives and His word in our minds expel all forms of fear. This is because God is greater than any situation or personality threatening our peace. We develop faith by reading and meditating on God’s word.
As Christian youths, we must maintain our position of dominion always, knowing that God has not given us the spirit of fear. David did not fear Goliath nor did Moses fear Pharaoh. Allowing fear in our lives, by listening to its whispers, paralyzes our mind and slows us down on life’s track. We must therefore rebuke the spirit of fear whenever we sense its presence and move on. Silence the whispers of the spirit of fear by repeating the promises of God. You are created to have and take dominion and cannot afford to be held down by the shackles of fear.
Quote: Rebuke the spirit of fear
Challenge: Fight fear with faith drawn from God’s word.
Prayer for today: I rebuke the spirit of fear in my life in Jesus’ name.
1. Admit that you are a sinner. "For all [humans] have sinned, and comes short of the glory of God....[and] the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 3:23)
2. Repent now. "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out ...[for] if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness " (Acts 3:19, 1 John 1:9)
3. Believe that God loves you and Jesus died for you. "God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet Sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8)
4. Invite Jesus into your life through prayer of faith. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me" (Revelation 3:20)
