Yes, you can!  We can all be free from fear according to 1 John 4:18

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.

John tells us the solution to be free from fear:  “perfect love casts out fear”!

WOW! the answer I had searched for a long time…but I had no clue as to what “perfect love” is.

John also wrote in the previous verses that “God is Love”(vs. 8,16) and in verse 7 that “love is of God”.  But to be honest , that was not helpful. I still had fear.

In reading on I found more clarification, something that helped me to understand: 1 John 5:3

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

Finally, a definition of “love”, that to me, was something tangible, something I could relate to: keeping the commandments is the “love of God”.  And the commandments were not grievous, or in plain english are ‘not hard for us to do’.  It was  becoming a little clearer, now.  I could experience love by keeping the commandments. But, at that time in my life, my legalistic thinking saw that as an impossible obstacle. “No wonder I wasn’t free from fear, I was a miserable sinner, I could never keep all the commandments…”  And to make it worse, John said only “perfect love” casts out fear.  Was he saying I had to keep all the commandments perfectly, before fear would leave?  Fear was now telling me, “…how could I do perfect love when plain love seemed an impossible obstacle…”.

Never the less, the small still voice of our Father encouraged me there was hope for me to be free.  So, continuing on in the word I saw 1 John 2:5

“…whosoever keeps (obeys) his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected…”

Now it was even clearer.  Perfect love is simply obeying the word of God. One cannot obey two opposite commands at the same time. Obeying the word instead of the fear, would cast out the fear. Now the light was beginning to shine through the darkness. For example; Proverbs 29:25 states, when I put my trust in God I will be safe – no fear, but if I am afraid of what man thinks of me I will be trapped, ensnared by fear which is holding me back from the freedom in the truth which is in that word or commandment of God, (John 17:17). So, it was not saying in 1 John that I had to keep all the commandments/word first and then fear would leave.  What John is sharing is, instead of obeying the thoughts and emotions of fear when it is speaking, obey the word instead, and fear will leave. Simple.

John 8:32 says that we will ‘know’ the truth, not just a mental or intellectual awareness, but an experiential grasp, like trust. That will bring freedom; freedom from anything that is holding or binding us, including fear.  Believing the truth will not only free me from the bondage, but will keep me from getting into bondage.

I could see now that fear was a weapon satan uses to hold me back from the victory that I already possess as a child of God, through Jesus Christ.   So, now, instead of obeying the fears and being held in torment or bondage I can simply obey the word of God, his truth, which will bring freedom and safety when ever fear comes to me.

This was God’s plan from the beginning. Keeping/obeying his word/commandment to remain free. If Eve had only stood on the word that God spoke to her through Adam, she would not have yielded to the fear that satan was speaking to her, 2 Corinthians 11:3

But I fear (a godly concern), lest by any means, as the serpent (satan, Revelation12:9, 20:2)  beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

God gave them that commandment in the beginning not to bind or limit them, but to keep them free and safe.  John said the commandments are ‘not grievous’  because in keeping them there is great reward Psalms 19:7-11

The law (word, commandment) of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony (word) of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.  The statutes (word, commandment) of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment (word) of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.  The fear (respect, reverence) of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever:  the judgments (word, commandment) of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.

The word of God, his commandments, are still the avenue to release freedom, love, joy, peace, and all the fruit of the Spirit.  Walking in the word of God is walking in the Spirit .  Jesus said the words that He spoke to us are ‘spirit and life’, not fear, John 6:63

It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

So, choose freedom today, choose to walk in the word when fear is speaking to you and watch the fear flee; it will be cast out! Fear cannot dwell where the word of God is kept/obeyed. The word  kept in your heart is the Love of God perfected in you.

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