There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love, 1John 4:18

I have dealt with fear most of my adult life. I had no understanding about what was wrong with me until I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. I believe this brief testimony of how I overcame fear will help many. I have discovered that God is a Good, Good Father and He has made away for all of us to be whole (*complete or full: not lacking or leaving out any part).
 
When my siblings and I where young we experienced a traumatic event in our lives. All of our families were born in and around beautiful Corpus Christi, TX. We attended Gardendale Baptist Church, where my Father was the song leader. My three sisters and I received Jesus as Savior there at Gardendale Baptist. I remember very well what my childhood was like, very loving and caring, excellent parents. My Dad was a very hard working provider. He also struggled with anxiety, which produced a nervous breakdown that put him in the hospital. Dad kept a lot of his fears hidden from his children. From our observation Mom and Dad loved one another. As years past and I became a Teenager (13 years old), my mom, sister and I were traumatized when Dad stumbled into the house beat up and bloodied. We found out later he was pistol whipped by a man who caught my father having an adulterous affair with his wife. My Dad and Mom separated for a few months and then later reconciled. But the man who almost killed my father was not finished with his vengeance. He began with weekly threatening phone calls that terrified all of us. His threats consisted of killing my father and the entire household. It got so bad that we had to move from Corpus Christi to Houston.
 
We settled in a community just east of downtown Houston called Channelview. When we first arrived in Channelview all seemed normal. Dad found employment and we quickly found a home Church and we attended it with regularity. I was there physically but my heart would never trust again in Jesus, because of the failure of my father. After all my Dad was a pillar in the Church and after his moral failure I processed my Mom & Dad’s religion as pure hypocrisy. From that time on Jesus was only a mythical character, He did not exist. I entered Junior High School and did ok with my grades and then transitioned into High School. Again I maintained my grades for a while until I reached my Senior year (1968-69) in High School. I remember my Senior year as change. Not only for myself but for our Nation as well. I felt anxious about facing the reality of responsibilities. I did not feel confident in facing the challenges of adulthood. I begin to be anxious and afraid. There was a lot of confusion going on in my head. It did not help when my generation was confused as well, due to social change and the war in Vietnam. For me I was looking for an escape outlet so I hid myself in the hippie culture that was using drugs. It was here that I was with others in demonic chaos. Some were trying to make a statement about their political views and wanting a social nirvana (*a state or place of great peace). As for me I just didn't care, I was dazed and confused and partying like there were no consequences.
 
My rebellion against God lasted 23 years. The fruit of it produced nothing but depression and insecurity, with thoughts of suicide. My parents experienced heartache and pain for their only son and their 3 daughters. My sisters had their problems as well with failed marriages and addictions. It was a vicious cycle that has affected children and grandchildren. After seven attempts of getting well through hospitals and mental institutions I became desperate enough to cry out to God. Somehow in my wonderings in a mental fog The LORD broke thru to encounter me to fulfill the grand design of my purpose in life. I survived only by The Mercy of a loving Heavenly Father. Little did I know then the plans that God had for my life. The Jesus that I mistakenly perceived as a myth has become my Healer, Deliverer, Savior, Lord and King. The reality of it all came about when I surrendered completely. It was then that the Holy Spirit begin to reveal the demonic rule over a Nation and my former life. The Lord revealed to me generational gates that where opened for satan to enter in order to afflict and torment. Most of us are ignorant of satan’s schemes to destroy (2Cor. 2:11). The way we discern his tactics is by The Holy Spirit (Acts 13:6-12).
 
The Word of God reveals Truth to us about demonic spirits and a loving God who created us for a relationship with Him so order can be restored in our lives. This Truth is not hidden from us but for us to discover. The Truth about life is hidden in Christ (“the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to HIS saints. To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory, 1Cor. 1:26-27. “In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, Col. 2:3). In my desperateness to know Truth I discovered the Love of God that transcends all human understanding (Rom. 8:39). This Perfect Love has driven fear from my heart (1Jn. 4:18). God is a jealous Lover who has made away for us to come under His influence so we can walk in complete victory. There is much revelation about His love for us to encounter. This Truth can only be known by being born again by the spirit. Jesus said, “you must be born again to see The Kingdom of God,” John 3:3. The Kingdom of God is to be seen and understood. He has given every believer The Holy Spirit to unveil the Mysteries hidden in The Word of God. How do we resource this great Truth for Divine Wisdom?1Corinthians 2:12-16 says, “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.”

I will probably never fully comprehend this “Magnificent Love” that has vanquished fear in my life. What I do know is “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth,” John 4:24. This reality has ushered me into His presence where all my insecurities disappear. The Holy Spirit has opened my eyes to see and comprehend The Word of God so I can know His perfect will for my life (Rom. 12:2). As I am given this privilege to know Him and to encounter Him, He rewards me with “The Mind Of Christ” to prosper me so I can bless others. This relationship between my Heavenly Father and I has brought me out of fear and into His perfect Love.