Walking In Love (Pt 6)

Walking in Love Part 6

“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. We love Him because He first loved us.”

‭‭I John‬ ‭4:18-19‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

No fear in love

Often because of human nature, we want people to love us first before we can love them back. We want people to make us happy before we can be happy. The way we treat others becomes situational, that is to say we act in response to the way we are treated. Other times, we are afraid of opening up to others to receive love or even show love to them, for fear of being hurt. Whilst some of us may have been hurt several times in the past, it becomes difficult and challenging to open up to receive or walk in love.

1 John 4:18 tells us that there is no fear in love! Wow! Understanding this, is both illuminating and transforming. There is indeed no fear in love. This is because the God kind of love ( the agape love ) is not concerned about self. Love is dead to self and is not really worried or concerned about getting hurt but rather bringing glory to God by walking in love.

There is no fear in love. Notice from the passage (1 John 4:19) that God loved us first! God loved us first even while we were sinners and incapable of His love. (“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans‬ ‭5:8‬ ‭NKJV‬‬)

Ephesians‬ ‭5:1-2‬ ‭NKJV‬‬ further buttresses the fact that there is no fear in love. It says “Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” ‭‭We are admonished to imitate God as dear children and walk in love. The passage goes on to tell us how....'as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling aroma". You see, if we have given up ourselves, then fear would be gone. There will definitely be no fear in our love walk. No fear of hurting or being hurt, because we are dead to self. This love, the God kind of love, sacrificial love will certainly cast away fear and we will be made perfect in God's love.

The God kind of love in us focuses on putting other people and their interest first and the aim is to glorify God. Our flesh or human nature will not like it but we are sacrificing for others because of God. “Jesus called the crowd together with His disciples, and said to them, “If anyone wishes to follow Me [as My disciple], he must deny himself [set aside selfish interests], and take up his cross [expressing a willingness to endure whatever may come] and follow Me ....‭‭Mark‬ ‭8:34‬ ‭AMP‬‬. Again Mark 8:34 admonishes us on the need to put aside selfish interest and put others first.

As a believer, the love of God is already shed abroad in our hearts by his spirit and it is for us to walk in the light it. There is no need to fear.

Remain blessed and have a wonderful week walking in perfect love!