How Perfect Love Casts Out Fear (with 10 Reasons Not to Fear)

I used to struggle with fear really badly. I was fearful about my relationships, my daily activities, my future, and so much more. I was fearful of what might happen and of what might not happen. I had panic attacks during which I could barely breathe; it felt like something was sitting on my chest. Fear had a stranglehold on me.

I tried all the solutions that popular culture tells you about: faith, confidence, “doing it afraid,” positive affirmations, and more. All of those things were nice, but not one of them worked to actually solve my problem. I was making it through life and even being successful—but the spirit of fear still wound its evil cords tightly around my chest, constricting the very life out of me.

But one day, something changed.

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I was sitting alone with the Lord one day, praying—but again struggling through a panic attack at the same time. As I gasped for breath, I cried out to the Lord for help. When I did, I felt Him whisper a Bible verse into my heart.

The verse was 1 John 4:18-19, which says:

“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. We love Him because He first loved us.”

I knew that Father God was showing me His solution for the fear that plagued me.

The passage from 1 John 4:18-19 says clearly that “he who fears has not been made perfect in love,” and I realized how true that was for me. I was definitely not “perfect in love.” I didn’t feel very loved at all and never had. I had been badly bullied from my childhood and through my teenage years, and the bullying had destroyed my self-image. I felt like everyone around me hated me, and I didn’t know how to love other people well either.

Face-to-face with the root cause of my problem, I asked the Lord to heal my heart by making me perfect in love. I asked Him to fill me up, right in that moment, with His perfect love that casts out fear.

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“If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:31-32)

I knew that, in order to receive real revelation about God’s love for me (which would then cast fear out of my life), I would need to meditate on God’s love. I would need to ponder and chew on Scriptures about His love—thinking about what His love really looks like, feels like, and even sounds like. I didn't know how to “receive” that love, but I was desperate. So, I asked the Lord for help.

Suddenly, I saw a mental picture that changed everything. I believe it was from the Holy Spirit.

In my mind’s eye, I saw a mental picture of the Lord pouring blue liquid into me, as if from a pitcher. It was as if I were a human-shaped bottle, and I was completely empty. The liquid was His perfect love—His calming, comforting, making-everything-all-right-again love—and I saw this love filling me up from my toes upward.

As I imagined Father God pouring His perfect love into me, I kept thinking about that Scripture: “Perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). I also remembered Bible verses like “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1) and “Herein is love, not that we loved Him, but that He loved us and gave Himself for us” (1 John 4:10). These verses helped me fasten my mind to the truth that God loves me. 

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As I pondered these Scriptures, I kept imagining myself being filled to the brim with our Father’s perfect love. Then, something wonderful happened:

The chains of fear that had kept me from breathing ripped free, and I took a deep breath—for the first time in a long while.

As I sat there with the Lord that day, He healed me from fear.

He ministered to my heart, helping me sense the wonder and power of His love for me. I encountered this God who so loved the world that He gave His only Son to die for me—and for you … and I felt the spirit of fear leave me.

Father God wants to heal you from fear today too. And He wants to do so by filling you with His perfect love.

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Faith, confidence, and even positive affirmations won’t do it. We have too many people trying to get healed from fear by trying to work up “enough faith.” Remember what Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “… if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:2).

According to the Bible, love is the opposite of fear. Think about it. People fear what they don’t understand. They may become more concerned with everything that could go wrong, everything that could threaten or cause them harm.

In a hypothetical sense, if we were all loved perfectly by everyone around us, there would be no reason to fear. So, it makes sense that love is the opposite of fear.

My friend, you may not be surrounded by people who love you perfectly at all times. But, you are perfectly loved.

There is a God in Heaven who loves you with His perfect, overwhelming, undying love. 2 Timothy 1:7 says: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Over 2,000 years ago, God sent His Son Jesus to suffer and die for you as a testament of His love for you. Now, Jesus ever lives to intercede for you—because He loves you. If your life belongs to Christ, God’s precious Holy Spirit—His Spirit of love, by which you can cry out “Abba! Father!”—is with you right now.

All because He loves you.

God’s perfect love is manifest in our lives every day, but we don’t always realize what it looks like.

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1. Father God is passionate about His love for you. Loving you really matters to Him. You always have priority with Him.

2. His love is never flawed like human love; it is not tainted by sin. His love is the epitome of what love should be.

3. He loves to spend time with you. As a matter of fact, He is with you right now. He will never, ever leave you or forsake you.

4. His touch is always pure and true. He will always touch your heart with His affection, strength, comfort, and encouragement—right when you need it—if you ask Him to.

5. He will never spite you. He will always protect and cherish you.

6. He will perfect all things that concern you. Your future is safe with Him.

7. He is open and honest about His feelings for you, His thoughts about you, and His intentions toward you. You never have to wonder; all of these things are written in His Word. They have never changed and never will change.

8. He gives you only good and perfect gifts. Anything that steals, kills, or destroys is from the devil, not from God (John 10:10).

9. Though He is higher than the heavens and the earth, He stoops to love and serve you. He is your ever-present Help in time of need.

10. What He says is always true. He never lies and cannot lie. You can count on Him 100% of the time, without fail. 

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My friend, do you struggle with fear? Father God will heal you too.

If you will ask our loving Heavenly Father to make you perfect in His love, that perfect love will cast out fear.

It may be a journey for you, as it has been for me.

Through the years, I have had to continuously remind myself of Father’s love when fear has tried to creep back in. I have had to actively refuse fear and focus on God’s love instead. But, since the day He taught me how to apply His Word in this area, God’s perfect love has always cast out fear in every way it has tried to make inroads into my life.

Father God wants to free you from fear right now. Go ahead and ask Him to make you perfect in love today, and His perfect love will cast out all fear from your life.

Can you identify with my story? Will you also begin the journey of receiving God’s love for today? If so, please leave a comment below! 

Jamie Rohrbaugh is an author, speaker, and Presence seeker whose heart is for the local church. Called to edify, encourage, and equip the Body of Christ, her passion is to see sons and daughters of all ages transformed by the love of Abba Father. Jamie blogs at FromHisPresence.com® about prayer, revival, and the manifest presence of God. She is the author of four books and of numerous articles around the web. Jamie is a grateful member of the Redbud Writers Guild. She and her husband live in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and together they have one cat. Follow her on Pinterest, Facebook, or Twitter. 

This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin and history of specific verses within Scripture context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today.

"Be Still and Know that I Am God"
"Pray Without Ceasing"
"Fearfully and Wonderfully Made"
"Faith Without Works is Dead"
"Trust in the Lord with All Your Heart"
"All Things Work Together for Good"
"Be Strong and Courageous"

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