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1 John 4:12-18

Fear CONTROLS…

• relationships

• behaviours

• emotions

• Most people today, for most of the time,

abide in fear.

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• “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”

– Abide most commonly means “to encamp; to dwell; to lodge; to remain; to tabernacle”.

• It literally means “to continue in a place or state in which one now is; to dwell, reside”.

• We need to move from living in a place of fear to a place of love!

LOVE IS GREATER THAN FEAR

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1. Fear limits our intimacy with God

• Genesis 3:10-11

• 1 John 4:17

• Revelations 1:17-18

• Abiding in God is not the absence of fear, abiding in God is the presence of Christ, bigger than any fear.

2. Fear limits our intimacy with one another

• fear causes us to run from each other (Matthew 26:56)

• or cling to each other (John 20:19)

• John 18:10

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2. Fear limits our intimacy with one another

• “Human love is directed to the other person for his own sake, spiritual love loves him for Christ’s sake. Therefore, human love seeks direct contact with the other person; it loves him not as a free person but as one whom it binds to itself. It wants to gain, to capture by every means; it uses force. It desires to be irresistible, to rule” (Bonhoeffer).

• Christ’s love does not desire, but rather serves

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3. Fear limits our destiny

• We become paralyzed i.e. Moses (Exodus 3:11-12, Exodus 4:1, Exodus 4:10)

• We become over productive i.e. Saul (1 Samuel 13:6-14)

• The Amplified Versions says "There is no fear in love [dread does not exist], but full-grown (complete, perfect) love turns fear out of doors and expels every trace of terror!"

• LOVE IS GREATER THAN FEAR!

Know and believe the love of God.

• 1 John 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.”

• Jesus knew and believed He was the "Beloved Son"

– 1 John 3:1

• John the disciple whom Jesus loved was boasting on God's love for him.

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1 John 4:18 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.

Love is Greater than FearLove is Greater than FearLove is Greater than Fear

Scriptures (NKJV)

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1 John 4:12-18

If we love one another, God abides in us,

and His love has been perfected in us. By

this we know that we abide in Him, and He

in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.

And we have seen and testify that the

Father has sent the Son as Savior of the

world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the

Son of God, God abides in him, and he in

God.

1 John 4:12-18

And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 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.

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Genesis 3:10-11

So he said, "I heard Your voice in the

garden, and I was afraid because I was

naked; and I hid myself.” And He said, "Who

told you that you were naked? Have you

eaten from the tree of which I commanded

you that you should not eat?”

1 John 4:17

“Love has been perfected among us in this:

that we may have boldness in the day of

judgment; because as He is, so are we in

this world.”

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Revelations 1:17-18

“And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as

dead. But He laid His right hand on me,

saying to me, Do not be afraid; I am the first

and the last. I am He who lives and was

dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.

And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.”

Matthew 26:56

“all the disciples forsook Him and fled.”

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John 20:19

“for fear of the Jews”

John 18:10

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it

and struck the high priest's servant, and cut

off his right ear.

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Exodus 3:11-12

Moses said to God, "Who am I that I should

go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the

children of Israel out of Egypt?" So He said,

"I will certainly be with you.

Exodus 4:1

“Then Moses answered and said, "But

suppose they will not believe me or listen to

my voice; suppose they say, 'The Lord has

not appeared to you.' ",

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Exodus 4:10

“Then Moses said to the Lord, "O my Lord, I

am not eloquent, neither before nor since

You have spoken to Your servant; but I am

slow of speech and slow of tongue.".

1 Samuel 13:6-14

6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in

danger (for the people were distressed), then

the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in

holes, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews

crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad

and Gilead. As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal,

and all the people followed him trembling.

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1 Samuel 13:6-14

8 Then he waited seven days, according to the

time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come

to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from

him. 9 So Saul said, "Bring a burnt offering and

peace offerings here to me." And he offered

the burnt offering. 10 Now it happened, as

soon as he had finished presenting the burnt

offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out

to meet him, that he might greet him.

1 Samuel 13:6-14

11 And Samuel said, "What have you done?" And Saul said, "When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, 12 then I said, 'The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the Lord.' Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering."

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1 Samuel 13:6-14

13 And Samuel said to Saul, "You have done

foolishly. You have not kept the

commandment of the Lord your God, which

He commanded you. For now the Lord

would have established your kingdom over

Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom

shall not continue.

1 John 3:1

“Behold what manner of love the Father has

bestowed on us, that we should be called

children of God!