22 Things for You and I to Remember

1. Peace is a fruit of the Spirit - not earned or achieved - no matter how much thought-energy we emit or produce.
2. According to John, there is "no fear in love" (Greek here is terrified/full of dread). He also wrote that the one who fears is not perfected in love (it seems to me that perhaps in a sense, fear is the opposite of love...or, it is what is present when love is absent. When we do not love - we can cause those who we are not loving to be afraid; and likewise when we are not loved, fear is present).
3. Satan is the father of fear (Adam and Eve hid because "they were afraid").
4. Satan is happy when we are afraid ('nuff said).
5. Fear stunts our spiritual maturity.
6. Ultimately, God MUST be trusted.
7. God possesses my freedom.
8. We are not at home in this world of fear.
9. Fear is the outcome of feeling unsafe (as well as unloved).
10. We punish ourselves with fear (opposite of loving ourselves) when we feel guilt... Why are we guilty? We are guilty of hating those we love...so we punish ourselves.
11. Every thought must be taken captive to the obedience of Christ (fear begins as a single thought).
12. Fear is not what God intended for us in the beginning, and His intention now is to replace the fear with its "opposite."
13. We must live in God's Word. We need constant-repetitive truth reminders.
14. Perfect love casts out fear. Who is perfect love (the opposite of fear)? Jesus Christ...
15. To live in fear is to live in the flesh - another reason living in fear is sin.
16. Fear is a colossal waste of time.
17. God is our FATHER. Whom (or what) shall we fear?
18. We don't belong in this world of fear - we are here - but we don't belong here.
19. Anxiety is to be CAST onto Jesus - for he cares for us.
20. Fear involves punishment - we need to stop punishing ourselves...we are guilty, but the guilt has been removed.
21. When we unplug ourselves from the Word and promises of God... prepare to fear (because we are unplugging ourselves from the truth of God's love).
22. We are to "be anxious for nothing" but INSTEAD bring requests to God (in other words, fear puts focus on "me" - love puts focus on God/others).

All the "musts" and "shoulds" are there with the understanding that it is God Himself that "must" help us and ultimately bring about peace in us, for us, through us...