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There have been times where my life felt like a washing machine. All the various components of my life were my laundry, and without my knowing it at the time, they were being cleaned. Every season of spiritual growth and promotion will take us through this washing-machine process, but it only takes one time for it to make a lasting impression. The reason for this is because the motion of the washing-machine process is rarely pleasant. If this has happened in your life, you can probably attest that there’s nothing like it. As a washing machine spins, what’s up goes down, and what’s down comes up. This is precisely what happens to us during this period of discombobulation and discomfort, and it’s the ‘what’s down’ that you and I have to contend with.

1John 4:18(NLT) tells us, “Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.” The love of God is perfection, and He desires us to have His brand of love in our hearts. This verse tells us that He wants us to experience His perfect love, but a fear of punishment will prevent it. This is an important piece of truth for any person who has a dream in their hearts that they’ve been praying about for quite some time. It’s also an especially important truth for the single woman waiting to cross paths with her future husband. She must know that experiencing God’s perfect love is the target—it is the priority He has deemed most important. We will not attract the blessing until fear is banished and the love of God has filled its place.

Sometimes, we pray for a blessing that we’re not spiritually prepared to receive. All of us think that we are prepared. We think we know enough, are humbled enough, and are strong enough to handle the success, abundance, or spouse we’ve prayed to receive. The thing is, you and I don’t get to decide this. Heavenly Father knows when we’re ready, and He’ll reward us when we are. He tells us Hebrews 11:6 that He rewards diligent effort, and spiritual preparation to receive will always require diligence.

After we’ve put on our work clothes and goggles, 1John 4:18 is our excavation tool. It reveals the place where we need to dig and apply the diligent effort of prayer and mind-renewing. It is the place in our hearts where we still have fear. God says that if we allow Him in that space, His love will cancel out the fear, but many of us are so comfortable with business as usual that we won’t allow Him entrance. Fear hides in the ‘what’s down’ area of our souls. Our persistent prayer regarding the blessing we desire causes the washing-machine of life to spin. It will bring the fear up to the surface where it can be exposed for what it is.

We shouldn’t abide under the illusion that we can continue to let fear hide-out in our hearts and still acquire greater blessings. It’s not true. We can’t do this, because fear blocks the blessings of God. Fear keeps us inflexible to His Will. God wants to guide us through the Holy Spirit, but fear keeps us paralyzed, and we won’t budge. So, we keep getting what we’re getting because at the deepest level we’re afraid to change.

We don’t let the love of God in those secret places because we fear punishment. The kind of punishment we’re afraid of is things like fear of being alone, fear of not having enough, fear of being exposed, fear of being shamed, fear of being disappointed. We stay stuck because we don’t want to confront those emotions and feelings that are propping up the fear.

Change will require us to give up the familiar. We have to give up the thought-and-feeling patterns that have blocked the very thing we’ve been praying to receive. To paint a picture of this in your mind, visualize yourself nailing the fear of lack to the cross and crucifying it there. Take your deliverance by faith! Know that by nailing fear to the cross you’ve given it to Christ and created space for the love of God to come in. Out loud, decree and declare that God is your sufficiency, that you lack no good thing because you are completely, completely, complete in Christ Jesus, your Lord! (2Corinthians 3:5, Colossians 2:10)

We can’t expect to acquire abundance if we refuse to release a fear of lack. We can’t expect to attract a destiny partner when fear keeps us bound to the dysfunctional person we’re in a relationship with right now. God has heard our prayers, and He is preparing us to receive. He will not fail you, and you need to be grounded in the faith of this. Fear must come from its hiding place in your heart, and you must be washed of its stain through God’s love. Pray for the courage to endure this light discomfort. You will find that the reward far exceeds it.■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“He Will Not Fail You!” written by Reverend Fran Mack, edited by Kim Times for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2019. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.

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