1 John 4:18, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear..." (NIV)

Most of my life I was plagued with fear. During my early Christian walk, when I would read the above verse, I would think that I had to work on my "love" walk in order to be healed from every fear that came along. And if I was feeling fearful about anything, I would think that somewhere I had gotten out of "love" and then rack my brain trying to find out where I went wrong. I did everything I knew how to do like trying to be kind to those who were unkind, doing nice things for people and not speaking evil of anyone no matter how much I felt hurt by them. And all those things are good to do, but I completely missed the context of 1 John 4:18. My focus was on myself and what I thought I was supposed to do, but the key word in this scripture is "perfect."

You see, no matter what we do, we will never be perfect in this life and therefore cannot exhibit perfect love. We can try and come close and of course, God the Father sees us perfect through the Blood of Jesus Christ, but we're still in this earthly body. Perfect love can only be from One, and that is the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. They are One. God is perfect and has perfect love.

The light bulbs went on when I had this revelation, and then I realized that Perfect love is in me because I am in Christ who again is perfect love and He is in me. With this revelation, the torment of fear left me, which confirms the last part of verse 18, "...the one who fears is not made perfect in love." I know that I am made perfect in love when I know that Christ is in me and I am in Him.

There can be no fear when we understand that Christ is in us for perfect (God who is love) drives out all fear. I am not the one who drives it out, but God. And I love the fact that 1 John 4:18 is not written in past tense, but present, meaning as fear arises or comes to torment, He continues to drive it out.

It's not about us and our works, it's about Jesus Christ and His works. Lifting Up Jesus, Perfect Love!