Claim God’s Love

By Michael Youssef, Ph D.  02/09/22

God’s redemptive love for us is beyond anything this world offers. There is nothing we can do to earn it. It is a free gift that God has chosen to give us. It is, however, our responsibility to accept His gift by faith. Paul admonishes us to “[t]ake hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses” (1 Timothy 6:12). Paul calls us to live out our faith, to grasp it with confidence, for God’s love is sure. We have nothing to fear: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

Author and evangelist E. Stanley Jones wrote:

I am inwardly fashioned for faith, not fear. Fear is not my native land; faith is. I am so made that worry and anxiety are sands in the machinery of life; faith is the oil. I live better by faith and confidence than by fear, doubt and anxiety. In anxiety and worry, my being is gasping for breath—these are not my native air. But in faith and confidence, I breathe freely—these are my native air.

We have been redeemed from eternal death through Jesus Christ. We no longer have an occasion to fear. Our fate has been sealed, and we have every reason to have hope for the future. Many people, however, do not realize the power of God’s redemption. They cower in fear and worry about tomorrow.

But fear stifles creativity. Fear destroys our dreams. Fear blocks God’s love. Fear prevents us from telling others about the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Fear is one of Satan’s favorite weapons against the believer.

Each one of us can think back to a time when we felt fearful and wanted to retreat. God, however, calls us to move forward in the victory His love has secured, just as the apostle Paul reminds us “we are more than conquerors” through Christ who loves us and gave Himself for us (Romans 8:37). The redemptive love of God is yours to enjoy. Claim it by faith and refuse to allow fear to rob you of God’s blessing.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for the times that I have taken my eyes off of You and allowed myself to be overwhelmed by my circumstances. I know that You are sovereign over all things, that Your love for me is deeper than I can fathom, and that I have nothing to fear, for You have overcome the world. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).