爱里没有惧怕

感谢主，使徒约翰是属灵生命经验最丰富、经历主同在、圣灵启示最资深的一个使徒，也是属灵战场上一位久经考验的精兵。他在圣灵启示下写下五本书，在新约圣经中占有重要的地位。他以亲身的经验告诉每一个活在世界的人，特别是基督徒，只要我们能活在上帝的爱中就不惧怕。我们从两个方面来分享：

一、人人自危（伯3:25）

这个世界没有一个人不存在“惧怕”的心理，可以说是个个惧怕，人人自危。小时候怕书读不好，老师批评、父母打骂；长大了怕找不到工作，老了又怕生病；没钱的人怕生活困难，家人受苦；有钱的人怕被偷被抢；无权无势的人怕人欺侮，当上了总统更怕，需要许多人保护。所以有人预言二十一世纪最严重的疾病会是“恐怖症”。美国著名的医生卡洛博士说：“惧怕能带来真正的疾病”，人们害怕失眠，果真就失眠；害怕癌症，果真就患上癌症，害怕做错事，偏偏就做错事。主耶稣告诉我们说：“那杀身体不能杀灵魂的，不要怕他们；惟有能把身体和灵魂都灭在地狱里的，正要怕他。”（太10:28）我们要想消除惧怕，摆脱惧怕的捆绑，唯有信靠主，《圣经》的话语是我们随时的帮助。

二、爱里无惧

约壹4:16-18告诉我们在上帝的爱中生活就不惧怕。从《圣经》的角度看人惧怕的原因是人犯罪而远离上帝的结果。创3:9-19耶和华神呼唤那人，对他说：“你在哪里？”他说：“我在园中听见你的声音，我就害怕……”当亚当夏娃远离上帝时，惧怕就伴随他们的一生，也带给世上每一个人，从此人因犯罪要惧怕。人远离真神侍奉假神也是惧怕的原因。王下17:33记载以色列人离弃耶和华真神，去侍奉外邦人的假神，就活在恐惧中，今天许多人也是如此。还有对死亡的恐惧，对永生的迷惘，都是惧怕的原因。

感谢主，我们只要来到主的面前，这一切惧怕的原因都会消除，因为：

1．在主爱中罪得赦免，就除去惧怕。

箴14:16上“智慧人惧怕，就远离恶事”。敬畏上帝的人，因惧怕罪恶就远离恶事，“可以在审判的日子坦然无惧。”虽然“魔鬼如同吼叫的狮子，遍地游行，寻找可吞吃的人。”（参彼前5:8）但我们在主爱中，宝血遮盖我们，我们就不惧怕，而得胜有余了。

2．有主做牧人，不必惧怕。

耶23:4“我必设立照管他们的牧人，牧养他们。他们不再惧怕，不再惊惶，也不缺少一个。这是耶和华说的。”耶和华神是我们的牧者，我们必不致惧怕、缺乏。太10:29-31记载“两个麻雀不是卖一分银子吗？若是你们的父不许，一个也不能掉在地上。就是你们的头发也都被数过了。所以，不要惧怕，你们比许多麻雀还贵重。”

3．有主同在就不惧怕。

当以色列百姓要进迦南美地时，遇到各样的问题与困难，他们就灰心、软弱，但神告诉他们说：“你当刚强壮胆！不要惧怕，也不要惊惶，因为你无论往哪里去，耶和华你的神必与你同在。”（书1:9）有主的同在我们就不惧怕。有位牧师初到一个教会牧会时，教堂非常破烂，只有十几位挂名的基督徒，教会的情形非常糟糕，他也几乎放弃，但主一直鼓励他。后来他发动了通宵祷告，迫切为这一切祷告。十几二十年后，这个教会成为一万多信徒的大教会，也买了很大的教堂。这位牧师说：“世界上任何一件事情，都不可能大到上帝解决不了。”感谢主，只要神与我们同在，我们就不惧怕。

感谢主，只要我们在主的爱中，就能把各样的惧怕除去，“所以我们只管坦然无惧地来到施恩的宝座前，为要得怜恤，蒙恩惠，作随时的帮助。”（参来4:16）

No fear In Love

By Rev. Chen Lifu

Bible Verse Reading: 1 John 4: 16-19

Thanks be to the Lord. John is not only the most experienced disciple in spiritual life but also a long-tested picked fighter in spiritual war. Under the revelation of the Holy Spirit he wrote five books which hold important position in the New Testament. With his personal experience, he tells all, especially the Christians, that live in this world that as long as we are in God's love, we won't be afraid. Following are the two aspects that I'd like to share with you.

1. Everyone is fearful (Job 3:25)

Nobody in this world is not "fearful". When in childhood, one is afraid of failing in examination, of being criticized by teachers, of being scolded by parents; when growing up, one is afraid of being unemployed, and when old, one is afraid of getting ill; the poor is afraid to live in difficulty; the rich is afraid to be robbed; the powerless is afraid to be bullied, and the president is even more fearful and needs protection. So some predicts that the most serious disease in the 21st century is the "fear symptom". Dr. Carol, the American famous doctor said, "Fear brings real disease." People suffer from insomnia when they are afraid to have sleepless night, suffer from cancer when they are afraid to get it, make mistakes when they are afraid to make them. The Lord Jesus told us, "Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell."(Matthew 10: 28) Only when we depend on the Lord can we get rid of fear and the words in the Bible give us ready help.

2. There is no fear in love,

1 John 4: 16-18 says that we won't be afraid living in God's love. From the Bible's point of view, the reason for our fear is we leave God because of our sin. In Genesis 3: 9-19, the Lord God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?"

He said that he heard the sound of HIM in the garden, and was afraid. The fear accompanied them all their life when they left God. Another reason for fear is they worship the false god. 2 Kings 17:33 recorded that Israelites deserted the truly Lord and worshiped false God, which makes him live in fear. Fear of death and wondering about eternity-are some other reasons of fear.

Praise the Lord. When we are in front of the Lord, all the reasons of fear will be got rid of. Because first, we are forgiven in God's love and not fearful any more.

"The wise are cautious and turn away from evil."(Proverbs 14:16) Those who fear the Lord will leave evil things because they are afraid of them. "We will be fearless on the day of judge." Although the devil is "like a roaring lion, prowling around, looking for someone to devour."(1 Peter 5: 8), we are in the Lord's love and cleansed by his precious blood.

Second, the Lord is our shepherd, we shall not be afraid.

"I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them, and they shall not fear any longer, or be dismayed, nor shall any be missing, says the Lord." (Jeremiah 23: 4) The Lord is our shepherd, we shall not fear or want. "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father. And even the hairs of your head are all counted. So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows." (Matthew 10:29-31)

Finally, with the Lord, there will be no fear.

When Israelites were going to enter Canaan, they encountered various kinds of troubles and felt frustrated and weak. But the Lord told them, "Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1: 9)

When a pastor first went to preach in a church, the church was running down and there were only a dozen Christians there. The situation was very bad. He thought about giving up, but the Lord always encouraged him. Later he started an all-night prayer, praying earnestly for everything there. Two decades later, the church developed into a big church with more than 10,000 Christians and bought a large building of church. The pastor said, "Nothing in the world is too difficult for God to solve."

Praise our Lord. As long as we are in God's love, we won't be fearful any more. "Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4 :16) 　

（根据录音整理）