How Perfect Love Casts Out Fear
1. Perfect love strikes fear into the demonic.
Consider the story of the Gadarene demoniac. “Legion” is afraid of the abyss and searches for anywhere—anyplace to exist. Fear itself is afraid. It settles for some flesh, any flesh, where it can work its evil. Fear exists to torment anyone and anything. There’s nothing special about humanity: Swine will do. Just give us something to torment.
2. Perfect love exposes the lies we believe.
But here, exactly here, fear overplays its hand. It is no different than us—it is also afraid. Love flushes the quarry and sends it running zigzag for its own life. Love exposes the lie, brings the light, and fear dissolves. Love casts out Wormtongue and sends him back to Isengard.
3. Perfect love paves the way for peace.
First comes the casting out: the command, followed by a flurry of events. Then, suddenly, the world looks different. Fear gives way to peace, followed by impossible joy. It’s a narrow passage. Fear would have us roaming naked among the tombs. Love would have us seated with Jesus, clothed and sane. Fear demands that God himself should ignore the problems of others. Love suggests that nothing is final except itself. Fear cries out in despair. Love leads to faith.
We want the fear to be gone. So does our Master. His perfect love casts out fear. He takes our hand, faces the torment along with us, and says, “Don’t be afraid, only believe.”
