I always thought that the opposite of love was hate and the opposite of fear was faith.
I have come to realize that the opposite of fear is actually love, because the reason people hate, and demonize, and are prejudice is from a lack of receiving and walking in love. The apostle John tells us in 1John 4,"that perfect love removes fear", and if that is true then the opposite is also true and fear removes love. Love and fear have been at war for 1000's of years and humanity seems to lash out and attack what we fear rather then allow love to transform our fear to faith.
Faith works by love according to the apostle Paul in Gal 5:6, and so wherever there is love faith follows, which is trust, belief, and confidence. So when our faith is struggling it is not as much a faith issue as it is a love issue. I travel a lot and minister in all kinds of churches and movements and so I get asked by leaders to give insight on situations they may be going through. I can normally tell very quickly if they are responding to situations out of fear or love, because when fear is present it will not be a redemptive solution but a response out of the fear of the unknown rather than out of love that will lead to faith.
Love never fails, and if we believe that then we know that love is always the proper response regardless of the situations we find ourselves in. God has not given us a spirit of fear, but power (ability), love (Agape), and soundness of mind (the saving of the mind). In other words God gives us the ability to love that saves our minds, because fear manifests in our thoughts and keeps us from love which is able to transform our thoughts and actions.
“Love never fails, and if we believe that, then we know that love is always the proper response regardless of the situations we find ourselves in.”
This last month during my sabbatical I had a powerful healing encounter that removed a fear that had been in me since I was 6 years old. It had affected my breathing and at times given me panic attacks on airplanes and whenever I was in closed in places. However, after the love of God came into that memory and healed it, I was instantly set free of a few allergies that had affected me for years to where I no longer needed Zyrtec or nasal spray to breath. God really does give us the ability to receive His love that transforms our minds and removes fear by His love.
I want to encourage all of my friends to not let fear reign in your hearts and minds, but decide that love is the only way and that we are to love as He loves. There is a reason that Jesus would show up in storms, prisons, behind closed doors and other places and the first thing He would say is,"fear not", or "be not afraid", then follow that at times with,"where is your faith". He was and is perfect Love personified and He always walked in that love which is why His faith was so strong. Fear removes love, but love can also remove fear, so those of us who have been raised under a message of fear struggle at times receiving and giving love, until that love drives that fear far away. So let Jesus into those places of fear and watch His love change everything.
I love and believe in you. Thanks and blessings.