The opposite of fear is…

Here are the notes from an activity that I facilitated for a group of artists, followed by my own sharing of what I received while doing it.

Question: What do you think is the opposite of fear? (choose one only)

1. Faith

2. Hope

3. Love

4. All of the above

Answer:

“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.” 1 John 4:18a

“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13

→ Only when we have experienced His perfect love and unconditional acceptance are we able to 

• Trust in Him fully that everything He has planned for us is for our good

• Believe that He will never leave nor forsake us

• Base our hope on His unfailing promises

• Face all adversity without fear

Often, it's a matter of changing our perspective to see things from God's perspective. The next activity will hopefully help us to do just that.

Activity:

1. Using your digital sketching/drawing app, write down all the fears (including worries & anxieties) you have.

2. Draw the outline of a big heart around all your fears. Colour it in slowly, stroke by stroke, to cover over all your fears while giving your fears to God and asking Him to reveal His love for you.

Play these songs while artists are drawing and colouring the heart:

I Will Fear No More by The Afters 

Stand in Your Love by Josh Baldwin

3. Write on the heart key words to help you remember what He spoke to you just now. You could also draw pictures/symbols to represent what He has shown you.

Play this song while artists are writing/drawing on the heart:

Rest in Your Love by Martin Nystrom 

4. Take turns to share. 

Closing prayer. 

Sharing of what I received:

I heard Him say in this order: Rest, Peace, Joy, Assurance. The last word - Assurance - came as a surprise but it reminded me of my favourite hymn after I had just received Christ, Blessed Assurance (by Fanny Crosby). We have assurance not only for eternal life beyond this life, but He also assures us of His loving presence, protection and provision in this life. God brought me back to my early days as a Christian, to my first love for Him, and the joy that results from a childlike faith in Him.

1 Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.

Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long.

2 Perfect communion, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight.
Angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love. 

3 Perfect submission, all is at rest.
I in my Savior am happy and bless’d,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love.