By Monique Gutierrez

Hi. My name is Monique and my middle name is Fear.

For a long time, I’ve allowed fear to influence my decisions. It has amplified my imagination in a bad way. I mean, my brain can seriously come up with some really crazy stories of what can potentially happen. Fear has even tried to prevent me in moving forward in obedience to what I felt God calling me to do. I’ve shared with you in the past some of my struggles.

I have learned that it’s a constant fight against fear, but it is fear that tears us down, and Faith that builds us up. The truth is that until Christ returns for us fear will always exist. We live in a scary world where bad things happen. One look at the news headlines and that’s clear.

In 1 John 4:18 it says: ¹⁸ Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love”

As you see, there is no fear in love. I like the following version from the message bible…

^17-18 God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us, so that we’re free of worry on Judgment Day—our standing in the world is identical with Christ’s. There is no room in love for fear. Well-formed love banishes fear. Since fear is crippling, a fearful life—fear of death, fear of judgment—is one not yet fully formed in love.

In Isaiah 43: 1-2 “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you.
    I have called you by name; you are mine.² When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.
When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”

As I read this a few times it occurred to me that our fears are like flames, and our efforts to protect ourselves are like gasoline and sometimes every attempt to ease our fears is like dousing fuel onto the fire. The only way to overcome our fears is to walk in faith of what we fear the most. But overall, what a beautiful promise of God’s love to hold onto!

2 Timothy 1:7 says “For God did not give us a Spirit of fear but of power and love and of sound mind” This has been a verse I have fiercely held onto and recited over and over this past year. One of my biggest fears of 2016 has been putting myself out there with my small business. The fear of failure can be very crippling! But once you decide to just go out there, the results can be rewarding. Fear loses its power when we actively trust God more than what we fear.

To know him we must remember his love, 1 John 4:7 says- “The one who does not love, does not know God because God is Love”

And when we know his love, we know what is not: 1 John 4:18- “There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear”

I encourage you to be Brave and seek His perfect love. In it you will find courage, boldness, hope and victory against your fears.

Hi. My name is Monique and my middle name is Brave.

*Like this blog post? Subscribe to our website and we’ll deliver updates like this directly into your inbox.