Go! And Live in Perfect Love
Introduction:
Today we gather in the presence of our mighty God, who is love itself. Love is at the very core of the Christian faith, and today, we turn to 1 John 4:18 (NLT) for a powerful truth:
"Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love."
What does it mean to live in the perfect love of God? How does His love drive out fear? Today, we will explore three key truths about God's love:
Perfect Love Conquers Fear
Perfect Love Comes from God Alone
Perfect Love Leads Us to Action
May the Holy Spirit open our hearts as we dive into His Word.
1. Perfect Love Conquers Fear
Fear is a powerful force. It can paralyse, control, and hinder us from fully embracing the life God has for us. But 1 John 4:18 assures us that God's perfect love has the power to cast out all fear.
The Greek word for perfect here is teleios (t??e???), which means complete, mature, or whole. This means that when we truly understand and experience the completeness of God's love, fear loses its grip on us.
The word expels is from the Greek ballo (ß????), which means to throw out, to drive away forcefully. God's love does not merely reduce fear; it casts it out completely.
Romans 8:15 (NLT) - "So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, ‘Abba, Father.’"
When we truly grasp that we are children of God, fear is replaced by confidence. We are not distant from Him; we are His beloved sons and daughters.
2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT) - "For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline."
Fear does not originate from God. The Holy Spirit empowers us with boldness, love, and self-control to live as His people.
Imagine a small child in a thunderstorm. The child clings to their parent, and in their parent's embrace, fear dissipates. That is what God's love does for us—it surrounds us, calms us, and strengthens us.
Pastor Tony Evans said, "Fear is faith in the wrong thing. When you allow fear to control you, you're placing more faith in the problem than in God."
God's perfect love redirects our faith toward Him!
Pastor Tony Evans speaks a profound truth when he says, "Fear is faith in the wrong thing. When you allow fear to control you, you're placing more faith in the problem than in God."
Fear is a powerful emotion. It can paralyse us, cloud our judgment, and lead us to doubt the goodness and faithfulness of God. But as followers of Christ, we are called to walk by faith, not by sight (2 Corinthians 5:7). Fear often arises when we focus on our circumstances rather than on the sovereignty of our Heavenly Father.
Consider the story of Peter walking on water in Matthew 14:29-30 (NLT):
"Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. 'Save me, Lord!' he shouted."
Peter was fine as long as his eyes were fixed on Jesus, but the moment he shifted his focus to the storm, fear took over, and he began to sink. This is what happens when we put more faith in the problem than in the power of God.
The enemy wants us to be consumed by fear because fear weakens faith. But the Word of God repeatedly reminds us "Do not be afraid" (Isaiah 41:10, Joshua 1:9, John 14:27). Why? Because God is greater than any problem we face.
Tony Evans' statement challenges us to shift our faith from the problem to the Problem-Solver. Instead of fearing what might happen, let us trust in the One who holds all things in His hands. Instead of dwelling on what we cannot control, let us rest in the knowledge that "God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." (Romans 8:28, NLT).
So, what about you? Are you placing more faith in the problem or in God? Today, choose to put your trust fully in Him, for He is faithful, He is powerful, and He is in control. Faith in God always overcomes fear.
2. Perfect Love Comes from God Alone
1 John 4:19 (NLT) - "We love each other because he loved us first."
Love does not originate in us—it comes from God. Our ability to love others flows from the love we have first received from Him.
Romans 5:8 (NLT) - "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."
God's love is not conditional. He loved us before we even turned to Him. This kind of love is supernatural!
Picture a well that never runs dry. Human love often runs out—it is conditional, fragile, and inconsistent. But God’s love is eternal, unchanging, and abundant.
C.S. Lewis wrote, "Though our feelings come and go, God’s love for us does not." His love is not based on our performance, but on His unchanging nature.
C.S. Lewis, with his deep theological insight, reminds us of an essential truth: God’s love is constant, unchanging, and steadfast. As human beings, our emotions fluctuate—we experience joy and sorrow, faith and doubt, confidence and fear—but God’s love remains unchanging and eternal.
Malachi 3:6 (NLT) declares, “I am the Lord, and I do not change.” God’s love is not like ours, which is often based on circumstances or emotions. His love is rooted in His unchanging nature.
Romans 8:38-39 (NLT) gives us this assurance: “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love.”
God’s love is not dictated by our emotions, nor is it dependent on our faithfulness—it is solely based on who He is. When we feel distant from Him, it is not because His love has changed, but because we have allowed our feelings to cloud the truth.
Let this truth anchor our hearts: even when we struggle, when we doubt, when we fail, God’s love remains unwavering. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and His love endures through all seasons of our lives.
3. Perfect Love Leads Us to Action
1 John 4:11 (NLT) - "Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other."
God's love is not meant to be hoarded—it must be shared! When we have been transformed by His love, we are called to show that love to others.
Matthew 5:16 (NLT) - "Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."
When we reflect God’s love in action, it points others to Him. The world needs to see His love through us!
Think of a candle in a dark room. The candle does not exist for itself—it exists to give light to others. We are called to illuminate the world with God's love.
Francis Chan said, "Do not assume you are good soil just because you hear the Word. Jesus is saying that the only proof is in your fruit." God’s love produces action!
Francis Chan’s words echo the profound teaching of Jesus in the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13:3-9, 18-23. It is a powerful reminder that merely hearing God’s Word is not enough—true faith is evidenced by the fruit it produces in our lives.
Jesus explained that the good soil represents those who not only hear the Word but understand it, accept it, and allow it to transform them, producing a harvest of righteousness (Matthew 13:23, NLT):
"The seed that fell on good soil represents those who truly hear and understand God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!"
It is not enough to sit in church, to listen to sermons, or to memorise Scripture if our lives remain unchanged. James 1:22 (NLT) warns us:
"But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves."
A tree is known by its fruit (Matthew 7:16-20). If God’s Word is truly taking root in our hearts, it will transform our character, our actions, and our love for others.
Let us examine our hearts today. Are we truly bearing the fruit of God’s Spirit? Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT) tells us what that fruit looks like:
"But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control."
If there is no evidence of spiritual growth, perhaps we need to ask: Has God’s Word truly taken root in my life? Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to cultivate the soil of my heart?
Jesus calls us to go beyond simply hearing—we must live out His Word, bear fruit, and bring glory to the Father (John 15:8, NLT):
"When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father."
May we not merely assume we are good soil—may we prove it through lives that reflect His love, His truth, and His power!
Conclusion & Call to Action
Today we have learned that:
Perfect love conquers fear.
Perfect love comes from God alone.
Perfect love leads us to action.
The question is: Are you living in God's perfect love?
Are you bound by fear, or are you trusting in His love?
Have you received His love, or are you still trying to earn it?
Are you sharing His love, or keeping it to yourself?
If you have never received God's love through Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, today is the day! Jesus invites you to experience His perfect love that casts out fear.
Romans 10:9 (NLT) - "If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
Come to Jesus today. Surrender your fears, your doubts, and your burdens. His love is waiting for you!
Let us pray.
