WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
Scripture: 1 John 4:18

Verse 18 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.” If we understand the fullness of the five layers of God’s love, fear will depart. The last two layers of God’s love involve co-creating with God as we release judicial adversity. The very faith to walk with God in dispensing Layers Four and Five of His love precludes any concern, worry or fear. If we were walking with Peter in the anointing that terminated Ananias and Sapphira and understood that God was the Ultimate Terminator, who would there be to fear? Let’s try to imagine ourselves as Peter! Suppose Herod put us in jail, killed James, and was intending to bring us out and kill us too. Before he could do that, the angel of the Lord sovereignly and supernaturally got us out of jail. The guards were killed instead of us. God traded our lives for the guards. And suppose, shortly thereafter, the same angel that got us out visited our persecutor. If we had been there, we would know without a shadow of a doubt that we were free because God’s love terminated our enemies. If we become matured in this dimension of God’s love, who should we fear? 1 John 4 was written by the man whom the emperor tried to boil in oil, but his flesh would not boil. Was John around to watch Ananias and Sapphira die at Peter’s feet? You better believe he was! Was John around to watch the angel visit Herod? You better believe he was! Where did 1 John 4:18 come from? It came from experience. It came from walking with the God of love. Is it not time we decided to follow in John’s footsteps? Is it not time to get matured in that which will save us from being boiled in oil? Should we not develop to the degree that we can pray a prayer that releases an angel to visit a wayward head of state? Perfect love casts out fear. When love puts those trying to kill God’s people in the grave, it becomes clear how it removes fear. That is a different element of walking with God. Is it not time we grew into that dimension?