This Year I have not heard much, if any talk about people making New Year resolutions. I made one, No Fear.
I sat the other day on a rock as my children jumped from rock to rock in the Peak District, running like mad literally, letting off a load of steam. My Son jumped about with no fear, he was just leaping and leaving nothing in the tank for second thoughts or doubts. As I sat watching him I saw myself in him, but something was different as I watched him, I felt fear.
It is so easy for us men to allow our path, our choices, our actions, ambitions and aspiration to be numbed, slowed and deconstructed by fear. Looking back in my own life, it has happened, how about you?
Fear of ridicule, fear of what people might say and how your ideas, dreams or thoughts might be shot down in flames and with it your confidence and self esteem. Well, let me tell you something, its time to fight.
I believe there is a vast army of men in our Churches who have the most incredible kingdom potential to advance with great authority the name and saving power of Jesus Christ, but fear has numbed and crippled them. Maybe they had a go but enemy fire or even friendly fire took them out. Maybe they have failed personally and fear has set up camp and renders them unable to advance once again. Maybe your own story is in there somewhere, mine has been.
I would like to say that to overcome fear you need more gut and glory, more fight and force, more fire and meat but the bible has something else. Love.
Perfect love drives out all fear. (1 John 4:18)
So do you need to just do more loving things? Be more thoughtful, encouraging, gentle and quit your job and be a volunteer at a local cats home? No that’s not what I believe this is driving at.
Perfect love available to you and to me isn’t being described as a series of behavior modifications we need to make, these things work outward from us when we have accepted the source of this love. What’s the source then? I believe it is Jesus.
Here is what I have discovered, if I try and be loving, caring, gentle and compassionate fear goes nowhere. If I focus my heart, mind and energy on Jesus and make him the captain and commander of my life fear collects its coat and finds the exit.
That doesn’t mean I never experience fear, it just means that I have a power at work in me that is greater, speaking truth and light into the darkness which fear brings. That’s what I have discovered in Jesus, HE is love and drives out fear which means I can advance for HIS glory!
No fear because Jesus loves you!
Image credit: Photo by Sean MacEntee / CC BY 2.0
