Perfect Love Drives Out Fear

As prophecies are being fulfilled at a more rapid pace and signs appear all around us, it is becoming evident that the return of our Lord and Savior, Yeshua, is getting nearer and nearer.  I don't know about you, but despite my great excitement over this thrilling event, I have some fear.  Am I really ready to stand before Him?  Luke 21:36 says, "Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."

I DO pray this prayer.  I AM always on the watch. I do ask the Lord to keep me safe in the terrible times of tribulation that end-times saints will go through - and I have a strong faith that He will, so this is not what generates fear in me.  It is the last part: "that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."  How can I possibly be made ready for THAT? Standing before my Righteous King and Judge, giving account of my life -- that is an overwhelming picture that somewhat terrifies me. I know the FEAR OF THE LORD is a good thing! We must have that fervent, healthy awe and respect for Who He is. The Lord our God is a Consuming Fire, a Potter's Wheel, a Blazing Torch! But I came to realize that I must be missing something if I feel so unprepared to stand before Him.

Then a friend of mine in Israel sent me a book she has just completed and asked me to write a review on it. It is not yet in publication, of course, but when it is released, I will let you know. It is a veritable FEAST of Scripture and deep understanding to help guide us through these troubled waters ahead of us, WITHOUT FEAR.  The book contains a chapter on the Judgment Seat of Messiah. As I read it, one passage absolutely captured my heart and convicted my soul, all at the same time. Do you remember when, as a child, your father disciplined you, and somehow you felt hurt and loved all at the same time? This is how I felt when I read this verse:  "In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have boldness on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like Him. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love."  (1 John 4:17-18)

The answer to my haunting question flooded my soul.  We will be able to stand before our Righteous Judge, Yeshua, with boldness only when LOVE has been perfected in us! When I can learn to love as He loves - I mean really love the "unlovable people" in my life - I will be able to stand before the Son of Man without all this fear. I will be as HE is in this world! Through these verses the Spirit showed me that my fear is fueled by regret. I am not regretting things I have done in the past nearly so much as I am regretting things I have left undone! Suddenly in that moment of revelation, I realized that I am not perfected in love, and that is the work that must be done in me to drive out fear and get me ready to stand before Him. 

I know now where to start. The Spirit showed me the person I must reach in and love with my whole heart, without reservation, without condition.  And when I have done that, then He will show me another, and then another, so that in this world I am like Him - and eventually these wobbly legs will shed fear and boldly be able to stand!