For or Against? – Greg Laurie Devotion – February 25, 2026

Biblical Context

The First Letter of John, or 1 John, is one of the “General Epistles” in the New Testament. Most scholars agree that John the Apostle, the one Jesus loved, wrote this letter. He also wrote the Gospel of John and the book of Revelation. John wrote 1 John likely between A.D. 85-95, probably from Ephesus. He wrote to Christians facing false teachings, especially Gnosticism, which denied the real humanity of Jesus. John wanted to help believers understand the true nature of God and Jesus, calling them back to basic Christian truths: love for God and each other, obedience to God’s commands, and the reality of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. This letter is a powerful call to live out authentic faith, walking in light, truth, and love.

Key Word Study

The Greek word for “fear” in 1 John 4:18 is φόβος (phobos). In this verse, phobos isn’t talking about a healthy respect for God’s power, but rather a paralyzing dread or terror, especially the fear of punishment. It’s the kind of fear that keeps you from getting close to God, making you think He’s waiting to get you. John tells us that God’s perfect love actually kicks out this kind of fear. When you truly get how much God loves you, that dread of punishment just doesn’t stick around. It’s replaced by a loving trust.

The Parrot and the Doberman: A Misplaced Fear

We heard a story about a thief, sneaking around a house in the dark with a flashlight. Then, a voice cuts through the quiet: “Jesus is watching you!” The thief nearly jumped right out of his skin. He’s wondering, “Where did that voice come from?”

It happened again. “Jesus is watching you!” Now, the thief is really scared. He follows the sound with his flashlight, and then lets out a breath of relief. What he sees is a parrot on a perch, saying it again: “Jesus is watching you!”

The thief laughs. But then he looks down. At the parrot’s feet, there’s a really big Doberman pinscher, showing its teeth. The parrot looks down at the Doberman and says, “Sic ’em, Jesus.”

That’s just a joke, of course. But this story hits home because it shows us something important. There are people who honestly believe that God is out to get them, or at the very least, that He is against them. They think He’s like that Doberman, ready to attack.

Exposing the Enemy’s Lie

This idea that God is against us? It’s a lie. It’s a common trick our spiritual enemy uses. Jesus Himself spoke about this enemy, saying, “For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies” (John 8:44 nlt).

The suggestion that God is against us is a particularly bold lie. It’s meant to make you keep your distance from the Lord. It’s brazen because it goes against one of the most important truths in all of Scripture.

God’s Love: The Unmistakable Truth

Think about this:

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 nlt).

This verse isn’t just a nice thought; it’s the core of God’s character. He didn’t just feel love; He showed it in the biggest way possible. He gave His Son. Why would someone who wants to hurt you give up their most precious possession for you? They wouldn’t.

And then there’s this powerful truth: “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8 nlt).

Get that? While we were still sinners. Not after we cleaned up our act. Not after we earned it. While we were messy, doing our own thing, making mistakes—that’s when He sent Christ. This means His love isn’t based on your performance; it’s based on who He is.

Let’s look at another one: “This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins” (1 John 4:10 nlt).

This verse turns everything we think about love upside down. We often think love starts with us, with our good deeds or our feelings for God. But Scripture says the opposite. Real love started with God, reaching out to us, fixing what was broken, and forgiving our sins through His Son. It’s all His doing.

Perfect Love Kicks Out Fear

And that brings us back to our main Scripture for today: “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. We love each other because he loved us first” (1 John 4:18–19 nlt).

Why would the Lord show such love and sacrifice so much if He were against us? It just doesn’t make sense. If you’re walking around with a dread of punishment, it means you haven’t fully grasped the amazing depth of His perfect love. His love isn’t meant to make you scared; it’s meant to set you free from that kind of fear. When you truly get it, fear of punishment just melts away.

He Found You First

Many Christians talk about their conversion as “the day I found the Lord.” But that’s not quite accurate, is it? The truth is, He wasn’t lost—we were. We certainly did discover a God who loved us, and that’s a powerful moment. But God found us before we ever found Him. He chose us before we ever chose Him. Jesus sought us out, like a shepherd desperately looking for a lost sheep, leaving the ninety-nine to find the one.

He wasn’t waiting for you to get it all together. He wasn’t sitting back, hoping you’d clean up your act. He came looking for you, actively pursuing you with a love that never gives up.

The truth is, no one is more for us than the Lord. No one wants your good, your peace, your joy, and your eternal life more than He does. He’s not the Doberman; He’s the Shepherd. He’s not against you; He’s utterly, completely, and perfectly for you.

Reflection question: How can you keep from believing that God is against you?