So I intended for my next blog to be about kindness since that is the next characteristic in I Corinthian 13, but as we all know our plans are not always God’s plan. In fact, in my life I have noticed that my plans hardly ever coincide but I try to listen to His plans so here goes. I know that dad has already talked about love and fear and a lot has been said about I John 4:18 so I am going to continue on that topic.
I was reading in my Bible today in I John and when I got to that verse I noticed that there was an extra letter in my Bible written by Lisa Bevere. So I am just going to type this letter for you guys to read. My Bible is a Women on Destiny Bible so the letter is written to women, but it is really for everyone.
Dear Woman of Destiny,
I warn you of an insidious force that stands between you and your destiny in Christ -- an adversary so strong it is capable of causing reason and wisdom to flee as it drives to the brink of unbelief. Our deadly opponent is fear. Fear is not a mental state of mind or a bad attitude. It is a spirit, it is not from God(see 2 Tim. 1:7).
It is sent by the enemy to torment your soul and defile your human spirit. It is after your power, love, and soundness of mind. It is empowered to the degree that you yield to its deception. Imaginary fears can become real if you believe in them. Even the most unfounded ones can alter the course of our lives and, in turn, change our destiny.
But, dear sister, you are not defenseless in this matter. God has provided a strong tower, a shelter of protection and defense from you enemy. There is a haven that fear cannot inhabit. There is no greater protection afforded you than to live in God’s love while the love of God resides in you. It is here that you are hidden and inaccessible to the enemy. First John 4:18 tells us, “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.”
The love of God drives or casts out fear. This description confirms that fear is a spiritual force that must be dealt with spiritually. We are to cast out spirits and deny our flesh. Fear is conquered when we resist the base human tendency to preserve ourselves.
The spirit of fear wants to prevent this from happening, so it tries to trick us into believing that we must protect our selves. But the very of nature of love opposes the nature of fear. Love lays down its life while fear tries to preserve it. I have learned that I am incapable of protecting myself. I have tried and failed. But love never fails.
Fear and love both operate from belief in the unseen. Love challenges us to doubt what we see and believe what we cannot. Fear urges us to believe what is seen while doubting the unseen. Fear displaces love, and love casts out fear. Fear is the spiritual force that is in direct opposition to God’s love and protection in our lives.
Jesus conquered the greatest fear any of us will face -- the fear of death. As our High Priest, He was moved with compassion by our weaknesses and understood not only the fear of death, but all out fears. By victoriously facing the greatest fear (death), He conquered all lesser fears and their bondages. This victory over fear, death, and the grave was won when He laid down His life as the supreme example of perfect love.
Woman of Destiny, escape the clutch of fear. Lovingly lay down your life and embrace His.
-- Lisa Bevere
I know this is long but I know it was worth it for me and if I am the only one it reaches then it was worth it to me to type it, but maybe you will take something from it so I figured I would share it with you. I love you all very much. I am going long so I will stop for now. I do have much more I want to say though so I will not be gone long.
I have one more quick thought when I started talking about love in the first blog I went straight to I Corinthians 13:4, but I skipped three very important verses by doing this. I will not type all of them right now but I think that that is the point of why the spirit of fear attacks us. These verses basically say that all of the power and gifts are not worth anything without love. If the spirit of fear can move us away from love we have nothing.
Be filled with Love to the brim so there is no room for fear to move in.
May God’s Love fill us always,
Rachel
Friday, January 22, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Love is Patient
I have been thinking alot about God's love for some time now. Ever since I watched the movie Fireproof. After watching the movie, I decided to do The Love Dare. I didn't do it because my relationship with my husband was in turmoil because but because I knew it could be better, but along the journey i learned way more than I bargained for. God shows us things when we least expect it.
When we think about love and the Bible, we often think about I Corinthians 13. In this chapter love is described in many ways, by many different characteristics. The first characteristic we see is Patience. In my Bible which is the NKJV Spirit filled Life Bible, it says LOVE SUFFERS LONG. Being patient is so much more than holding your temper in certain situations or waiting for something to happen. Patience is suffering and not for a short time but for a long time. It is as if Patience is being a martyr.
A martyr is someone who loves God unconditionally as HE loves us and does not sway from that. They are willingto give up everything for Him, to SUFFER just for HIS name alone. If that is not showing love then i don't know what is.
Patience isn't jumping front of a bullet and then dying quickly because you were protecting someone, it is jumping in front of a knife and dying a slow death just to save the one you love. This may seem a morbid example, but when I think of suffering this is the most vivid picture that comes to mind. When some people think of suffering they might think of waiting an extra thirty minutes for lunch after they skipped breakfast but this is not the kind of suffering that the Bible speaks of.
When the Bible describes love and its first words are long suffering. It is speaking of Jesus and His unconditional love that he would cry out so desprately to God in the Garden the night before his death that He would bleed drops of blood and then be betrayed by one of His own and even then still love him. The next day, He was beaten in a manner that most of us can not even think about without shedding tears and He still carried the cross to the mountain and was nailed to it raised up and mocked. Not to mention watching His own mother stand before Him in tears as she watched him die. Jesus suffered every form of death. He did all for us and why because He loved us so much and had so much patience with us and our misgivings and sin that He refused to just let us die. Even after everything we had done He wanted us to live and to live forever.
Next time you start to feel that temper rise up, remember that it is from Satan and He knows not love. he would never suffer for you. He wants you to suffer for him. Jesus never asked this of us. Instead, He took it upon himself.
Okay so this is alot to think about and it is just my thoughts. if you disagree that is fine. I am always open to conversation and new enlightenment to things that maybe i do not understand. You are welcome to comment.
I Love You and I do not take Love lightly anymore. May God Bless You in Everything You do.
Rachel
When we think about love and the Bible, we often think about I Corinthians 13. In this chapter love is described in many ways, by many different characteristics. The first characteristic we see is Patience. In my Bible which is the NKJV Spirit filled Life Bible, it says LOVE SUFFERS LONG. Being patient is so much more than holding your temper in certain situations or waiting for something to happen. Patience is suffering and not for a short time but for a long time. It is as if Patience is being a martyr.
A martyr is someone who loves God unconditionally as HE loves us and does not sway from that. They are willingto give up everything for Him, to SUFFER just for HIS name alone. If that is not showing love then i don't know what is.
Patience isn't jumping front of a bullet and then dying quickly because you were protecting someone, it is jumping in front of a knife and dying a slow death just to save the one you love. This may seem a morbid example, but when I think of suffering this is the most vivid picture that comes to mind. When some people think of suffering they might think of waiting an extra thirty minutes for lunch after they skipped breakfast but this is not the kind of suffering that the Bible speaks of.
When the Bible describes love and its first words are long suffering. It is speaking of Jesus and His unconditional love that he would cry out so desprately to God in the Garden the night before his death that He would bleed drops of blood and then be betrayed by one of His own and even then still love him. The next day, He was beaten in a manner that most of us can not even think about without shedding tears and He still carried the cross to the mountain and was nailed to it raised up and mocked. Not to mention watching His own mother stand before Him in tears as she watched him die. Jesus suffered every form of death. He did all for us and why because He loved us so much and had so much patience with us and our misgivings and sin that He refused to just let us die. Even after everything we had done He wanted us to live and to live forever.
Next time you start to feel that temper rise up, remember that it is from Satan and He knows not love. he would never suffer for you. He wants you to suffer for him. Jesus never asked this of us. Instead, He took it upon himself.
Okay so this is alot to think about and it is just my thoughts. if you disagree that is fine. I am always open to conversation and new enlightenment to things that maybe i do not understand. You are welcome to comment.
I Love You and I do not take Love lightly anymore. May God Bless You in Everything You do.
Rachel
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