A Love That Casts Out Fear

John prayed for an answer regarding his fears during the Fall of 2005. He longed for an understanding of the kind of love that would cast out the fears that crippled him. Little did he realize how hard the battle would be. God’s love would be there to take on the strongholds in John's life. John's fears were to the point of passing out. A spiritual war was raging over John's faith and the expression of that faith in John's poems and writings.

In one of John’s most intense times he took the majority of the poems he had at home and threw them away. On a positive note, John received a special prayer:

Ephesians 3:16 – 18:

That God would grant you according to the riches of His glory to be strengthened with all might in his spirit in the inner man. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, that ye being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is breadth and length and depth and height of His love and to know the love of Christ that passeth knowledge.

The first attack was on John's salvation experience. John had called on me for salvation, forgiveness, and cleansing through my shed blood. The enemy had inroads causing John to doubt. By my design I opened John to the Gospel through a concept not directly from the Bible, but still a truth. .

My Father showed John the real answer for his sins. I took John's punishment for those sins on the Cross. John called upon Me to cleanse and forgive. He received a picture of My blood washing him. As John thanked me for this grace, he realized how great My gift was. He offered to go where I wanted him to go and do want I wanted him to do.

The enemy put a seed of doubt into John’s mind. By My design John was open to the gospel not found directly from the Bible, yet realizing a true spiritual concept. The concept was that those who were unclean because of sin deserve eternal punishment. All this was true but the solution was not answered the same way as My Father's plan. This philosophical way to be clean was to get more and more wisdom. My Father's way to be clean and forgiven was by My sacrifice on the Cross. For only through the shedding of blood is there forgiveness.

For over 25 years the enemy had used this seed of doubt in John's life.

My Love would have to cast that doubt out. It would take several months as the battle raged on. This doubt was a great weapon against John. As the trial was coming to an end, John started growing in assurance regarding the Gospel.

Although sin is pictured in this book of philosophy, perhaps the concept had come through Jewish teachings. The Jewish religion had a major impact on the world through Daniel and the Jewish people throughout history. Mankind had been open to the knowledge of sin and falling short, but their solutions vary. By God’s grace John found the solution to his sins through Me.

John 14:6

I AM the Way, The Truth, and Life, no man cometh unto the Father, but through Me.

A similar use of extra-biblical truth was used by Paul. Paul used the example of the unknown God in their culture to declare Me as the real true God.

The false guilt choosing salvation through a non-Biblical source confused John. John could not understand why or how this is possible. The confusion was overwhelming as John found no lasting peace.While this was going on John continued having feelings of death. The issue being resolved was similar to what John had faced right after his Salvation years ago. By My Grace John had My Word to use as the battle raged.

The dying feelings came to total fulfillment when John was on a trip with his parents. A shadow came over John and he felt his life slipping away. As he was in line with his parents, he prepared to say goodbye to them. One thought came to John, thank-you God. The feeling reached its peak and John realized he was still alive. This scene was very similar to the feelings John had experienced shortly after asking for cleansing. John had spent 25 years getting to know Me. I was there as the attack continued. John desired to use My Scriptures to find a way of escape. The next battle took place in a friend’s nursing home. John started to realize scriptures that might help. They overcame the evil one, by the Blood of the Lamb, by the Word of their testimony, and they loved their lives not even unto death.

John related to My bloodshed and the poetry as his testimony. His life was fading that night. John had an area of his life, that if it was confessed, the enemy would have to loosen his condemnation. John wept and cried out to Me asking for forgiveness of his judgmental spirit. As he did this he discovered that the judgmental spirit was from the enemy. The enemy blamed John for this spirit. John took responsibility for accepting these thoughts and that he could release the guilt through confession.

John started to experience a lessening of the condemnation and a growing affirmation that I had saved him years ago. He could now know the freedom that the poetry was truly good and it would bless others. If you are reading this entry it is because of God's Grace.

John's final thoughts for you are:

Remember when you first understood that Jesus died for your sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. For upon this Rock, God's Promises stand.