“From the Heart” teaching by Drs. Rodney & Adonica Howard-Browne.
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (of cowardice, of craven and cringing and fawning fear), but [He has given us a spirit] of power and of love and of calm and well-balanced mind and discipline and self-control. 2 Timothy 1:7 AMP
Fear does not come from God. God is the author of love and of faith, which go hand in hand. The Bible says that God has given us a spirit of love. There is no fear in love.
If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 1 John 4:14-18 NIV
We know and rely on the love God has for us. As we live in God and He lives in us, His love is made complete in us. Perfect love casts out fear. The more we become aware of how much God loves us, the less we fear punishment and death. If we don’t fear death, if we don’t fear God, if we don’t fear His wrath, then what else is there to fear? When we are confident in God’s love, we are also confident in His hand upon us—His hand of protection and provision. We have nothing to fear from man or beast, because we know—we have a revelation—that God is on our side at all times and in all things. We can go forward confidently—fearing nothing and no one!
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 NKJV
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 NKJV
But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” 39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved. Hebrews 10:38-39 NIV
Faith pleases God—fear does not! God is not pleased with the fearful, faithless person. Those who have no faith cannot be His, because the only way to come to God is to come in faith. If you are His, it is because you have faith in Him. God wants you to know Him—His nature and His character—that He IS and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. It pleases God when you have faith in Him and when you press in to Him—believing that He is a rewarder. The whole foundation of your relationship with God is founded on faith in Him, confidence in His Word, and an expectation of receiving the rewards He has promised.
The righteous live by faith! The righteous are righteous because of their faith! They have met God; they know God; they have come to know His nature and His character; they know how much He loves them; they know how much He has done for them and how much He has promised to do for Him. They have the absolute confidence in their Heavenly Father that a young child has in their loving, caring, earthly father. Our Heavenly Father wants us to know how kind and loving He is. Anyone who believes otherwise does not know Him and, therefore, is not one of His children.
Those who shrink back in fear do so because they have no faith in God and no knowledge of Who He is. God is not pleased with those who shrink back in fear, but He is pleased with those who believe, because it is this very belief that is your salvation.
In Whom, because of our faith in Him, we dare to have the boldness (courage and confidence) of free access (an unreserved approach to God with freedom and without fear). Ephesians 3:12 AMP
Because of Jesus; because He loves you; because of what He has done for you; because you trust Him; you have no reason to be afraid of the Father. It is the Father Who sent the Son to die and be raised up again to bring you and me into a relationship with Him. He initiated the relationship and the fellowship. He is the One Who desires to bless us. Because of Jesus, when you come into God’s presence to speak to Him, you do not expect Him to punish you, but you expect Him to receive you, hear you, answer you, and bless you. The more you know of God’s love for you, the more confident you become in that love and the more confident you become in your everyday life.
Fear has no place in your life. Because you have faith in God, your Father, you have confidence to go forth and do His will and live your life in faith and in peace!