Did you know that there is one truly terrible feeling and emotion that most people think happens only in Hell? It is something that God says we open ourselves up to that is literally robbing us of the promise-filled life of victory and power that God has called us to… It’s called TORMENT.

So, how can there be torment on earth?

People all around us are in torment—in our neighborhood—at work . . . maybe even in our home, in our family life, or in our very own heart. Yes, there is torment here on earth, now, right here in the hearts and minds of millions of Americans and in the hearts and minds of billions of people around the world. And the cause isn’t lack. It isn’t lack of money, lack of education, lack of food, lack of friends, lack of romantic love, or lack of political power . . . the cause is something that far too many people have far too much of: FEAR!!!

Fear is no small thing, not to you, not to God:

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” 1 John 4:18

Notice, FEAR BRINGS TORMENT! And the Bible defines torment as: EXTREME DISTRESS or PAIN; ANGUISH; the UTMOST DEGREE OF MISERY, either of body or mind. This fear and torment is something that God doesn’t want His beloved children to live in—not another day of our lives! Jesus bled and died for us to be FREE FROM FEAR AND TORMENT!

God wants you to be FREE FROM FEAR FOREVER!!!

You might live in a fear-filled world;
but you don’t have to live a fear-filled life!

Recently, the Lord showed me SEVEN ways fear torments people. And it’s time for it to stop!

The SEVEN WAYS fear torments us are:

1. It PARALYZES US from moving forward.
   He told me, “I don’t want My people staying in the same place that they’ve been spiritually. I want them moving forward. And they are not going to move forward when they are afraid.”
2. It REDUCES US to something less than what God created us to be.
   The Lord went on to say to me: “Fear torments My people because it gets them comparing themselves to others.” As we compare ourselves to others, we limit ourselves from being the unique creation God made us to be. When we compare, we despair; stop comparing, and you’ll stop despairing.
3. It IMPRISONS US to stay the same.
   God said, “Fear tells my people they’ll never change. That’s a lie from the enemy because I have promised to change you and conform you to the image of My Son Jesus Christ (Romans 8:29)!”
4. It DECEIVES US into thinking we’ll never get what we truly want.
   But God says in Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Friend, what God wants for you is far better than anything you could ever want for yourself!
5. It SINKS US into a life failure and gloom.
   Fear is a force that creates negative living through negative thinking.
   Job said, “For what I have feared has come upon me; and what I dread befalls me” (Job 3:25). Failure & defeat are drawn to fear like sharks are drawn to blood in the water.
6. It DEPRESSES US.
   All negative emotions come from a sense of powerlessness. And FEAR is the granddaddy of all negative emotions. When we are afraid that there’s nothing we can do about our current situation or our future, we get depressed.
7. It CONFINES US to our present condition or pain.
   Have you ever felt like the pain would never end? I have. And it is tormenting. But the truth is, the pain will go away as you tap into God’s mercy and grace. You can go to His throne NOW and receive the mercy and grace you need to be healed; and break out of the confinement of whatever pain you are in. (Hebrews 4:16).

Fear is the problem.
But God’s Love is the solution.
There is no fear in love.

“…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.” 1 John 4:18

YOU CAN BE FREE FROM FEAR FOREVER!

You see God’s love is never empty words. His love is always accompanied with gifts. For example, God so loved, that He gave His only Son… You see? Because He loved, He gave. When you realize He loves you perfectly, you’ll realize He also GIVES you whatever you need; and fear is cast out. So the secret to being free from fear is KNOWING the THINGS God has ALREADY GIVEN YOU. Here are 3 of them as described in 2 Timothy 1:7, where Paul says: God has not given you the spirit of fear, but:

1. POWER! You have the power of the Holy Spirit; the Power of God’s Word and the Power to His promises! In fact, you have been given authority over ALL THE POWER of the enemy! (Luke 10:19). You have power in your words to change your world; power in the seeds to grow the future you desire; and the power to choose God’s wisdom over the ways of this world.
2. LOVE! You are God’s beloved child! 1 John 3:1 says, “See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” God has perfect, unconditional love for you, which “casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). Love is an unbreakable promise. To know He loves you is to know He will keep His promise to you. God loves you, my friend, no matter how far you’ve fallen or slipped up. He will never leave you or forsake you–That’s perfect love!
3. A SOUND MIND! Tell fear that you have the mind of Christ! (1 Cor.2:16). Thanks to the Holy Spirit and God’s Word, you can think from God’s point of view! You can see things from God’s UNLIMITED perspective and His position—seated FAR ABOVE all things! (Eph.1:21, 2:6). If the devil ever tells you that you’ve lost your mind, tell him, “You’re right! And now I have the mind of Christ!”

As a result of these 3 great gifts from God, you can have:

BOLDNESS! Tell fear with greatest confidence “ . . .  as Jesus is, so am I in this world” (1 John 4:17). When you do that, God says your confidence “will bring GREAT REWARD” (Hebrews 10:35). You can have boldness and confidence today. Why? Because you’ve been washed by the blood of Jesus; and you’ve been made the very righteousness of God! Because of His great love, God put all the torment and punishment we deserved, on His Son on the Cross; therefore we will never be punished! There’s nothing left to fear!