Perfect Love

So it was 01:30 in the morning, on the 30th of March. After praying, minding my own business, I started hearing “perfect love, it’s perfect love, unconditional, freely given” playing over and over in my head. Which is a part of a song called Perfect Love (Father of Lights Reprise) by Jesus Culture (an amazing song, give it a listen). I think I know the reason why this song was in my head; I had been praying before and Holy Spirit reminded me of several verses that we should be praying into our lives and also using to help us in this current situation (Covid-19).

One verse was “perfect love casts out all fear” from 1 John 4:18. I think Dad was purposeful revealing in this verse because it goes back to the fundamentals; why we were created, why He brought Jesus to come and die for us, and ultimately, why Jesus did what He did for us- because He loves us. We are so loved by God. And His perfect love leaves NO ROOM for fear that is; Dads’ perfect love for us (which is without flaw, lack, and is more than enough) removes every shred of fear, anxiety and worry in our lives, and why do you think there’s no room for fear? Because fear has no place when we are FILLED to the rafters with His unconditional and perfect love! Your entire 사람이 (person) is so full of Him that there is no room, space, for fear, worry or anxiety- your entire person just exudes His love.

"Perfect love casts out all fear." 1 John 4:18

In my previous article I wrote about popping Jesus bubbles, so we ca to get to know Him more but you know what, you can also pop His bubbles to experience more of His love for you, which will drive out any fear worry and anxiety that might be plaguing you right now. And what’s beautiful is that because we are now being filled by His love, we discover what He loves about us and we end up loving ourselves and subsequently love others! One of the things Jesus taught us was that we have to love our neighbours as we love ourselves! Mark 12:31 was the other verse Holy Spirit revealed to me. I think He was also quite purposeful in revealing this verse to me because it is quite clear that most actions done in this time are mostly done in fear (which we have already discussed) and also because people are getting into self-preservation mode, which is fueled by loving oneself.

"The second is this: "you shall love your neighbour as yourself." There is no commandment greater than these." Mark 12:31

Jesus is love made manifest. And Jesus is the perfect model for us to look up to when we want to see how we can love our neighbours correctly; look at what He did for you and I. But now, we see people trying so hard to preserve themselves and their family that they forsake their neighbour, who is in the very same predicament and requires the very same resources they are hogging. What’s Jesus’ answer to that? “Love your neighbour as much as you love yourself.” That very same love you are using to preserve yourself, give it unto others so that they are also able to survive these tough and uncertain times. Once people love others as much as they love themselves, they will stop thinking and, subsequently, acting selfishly, because as a man thinks in his heart therefore he is (Proverbs 23:7). People will start thinking of the rest of the nation, before they will even consider buying 10x the tissue (or any other essential goods) they need. So, let us all die to ourselves. Like Paul said in Philippians 1:21, "to live is Christ and to die is gain", as we continue to die to ourselves we are gaining more and more of Him! Allowing Him to increase within us and we're meant to decrease (John 3:30) and as we see more of Him in ourselves we see how He sees His other children (by wearing Jesus tinted glasses) and we start considering them and their needs before we act based on our fear.

Dad is an amazing Father, He is far greater than your earthly farther. He loves you beyond measure and limitation (John 3:16). And because of this, He doesn’t want us to feel like the world, our fears, worries and anxieties are greater than He is. He trumps the world, your fears, your anxieties ten fold, even more than that. Greater is He that lives in you than that lives in the world (1 John 4:4), so you don’t have to live in crippling fear, worry or anxiety. Paul in Philippians 4:6 – 7 said that you don’t have to feel the way you feel, obviously not disregarding the normalcy of anxiety and worry because they are natural occurrences in our lives, it’s how we deal with them that makes them problematic. Paul said not to be anxious for anything, but instead of being anxious about your plight, make your requests known to God (for peace, provision, protection, etc.), and His peace that surpasses all human understanding will protect our hearts and minds, through Christ Jesus.

"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He Who is in you, is GREATER than he who is in the world." 1 John 4:4

As you decrease yourself and allow Christ to increase Himself and also increase His love, which will cast out ALL fear, you have an equation where you are so filled with the love of Christ that you have so much love for your neighbours and you act with love towards them; you help them however you can. I pray that in this time you and your family are filled with Christ’s love and His peace, so that every action you make towards loved ones and neighbours is rooted and orchestrated by the love of Christ permeating inside of you.

Bible verses used in the article:

1 John 4:18 New International Version (NIV)

Mark 12:31 New International Version (NIV)

Proverbs 23:7 King James Version (KJV)

1 John 4:4 New International Version (NIV)

John 3:30 New International Version (NIV)

John 3:16 New International Version (NIV)

Philippians 4:6 – 7 New International Version (NIV)

Philippians 1:21 New International Version (NIV)

Image sources:

Father hugging son. https://eckerd.org/father-hugging-his-crying-son/.