In this episode of the Weekday Podcast, Pastor Chuck Allen explores the powerful weapon of love and how it drives out fear. Drawing from 2 Timothy 1:7 and 1 John 4:18, he explains how love, though not often seen as a weapon, can fiercely combat the enemy’s lies and help us overcome fear. By making decisions rooted in love rather than fear, we find peace, security, and strength in God's perfect love. Chuck encourages us to let love guide our lives and deepen our connection with God, reminding us that His love is the ultimate defense against fear.
Hi, everybody, and thanks so much for joining me on today's weekday podcast, where I want to talk about a weapon of love. Second Timothy one seven says, for God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self control.
You see, among all the powerful weapons in our arsenal against fear, what we have is love. Now, we don't typically think of love as a weapon, but it is. In fact, it's fierce. When wielded against the enemy's lies in our lives in its best and fullest capacity, it can drive out and defeat the authorization of that fear. We're told in one John 418 there is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear. Now some folks say every action we take is motivated either by love or fear. Why do you clean the house? Because you love your family or because you're afraid someone will drop in and pass judgment, right? I mean, why do you buy your wife a Valentine's gift? Because you love her or because you fear? Well, the doghouse. Why do you do a good job at work? Because you love God and are called to work at it. And it's as if working for God and not for man, according to colossians three. Or because you fear losing your job. You see, making decisions out of fear is not the safe or loving choice, but a defensive choice. When we live in a constant state of defense, we become weary and lose the battle against fear, leaving our spirits exhausted and spent. And the only countermeasure to fear is to let love be in command of our life. Only then will our peace be restored and leave us rest.
Only then, when we have wielded the weapon of love, will we defeat fear. You know, the Bible likens us to sheep. We do have a lot of similarities. Maybe the most striking is that sheep are easily frightened. We can be a fearful people, and most of what we worry about never transpires. Anxiety and fear are like perpetual dark clouds in the middle of the day. They obscure the brightness of the sun, which will shed light and give us clear vision. And those dark clouds of fear limit our perspective. Fear traps us in a hopeless world of devoid of love. But the sunshine of love drives those clouds away, giving us a brighter perspective. But not only that. Perfect love drives out fear because there is security in knowing that we are loved with an everlasting love. And finally, there is security in knowing that God makes all things work together for the good. Sometimes I come out of my time alone with God, feeling such a deep connection with him, like I can take on the world. Nothing, not any fear or worry or dread that I am dealing with, is too much for me when my knowledge of his love has taken root in my heart. So today, allow the knowledge of God's love to take root in your heart and let that root grow deep inside your soul. God bless you, my friend, and thanks for joining me on today's weekday podcast.
