Yesterday I wrote about King David. I spoke of his confidence as he faced the giant Goliath. The entire army of Israel feared this giant, but David faced him without an ounce of fear. What was it about David that made him so fearless? The name David means ‘beloved’. David was not only named ‘beloved’, but he knew he was loved – loved by God.

He was a man who understood the covenant he had with God. He understood that covenant was based on Hesed, God’s unfailing, passionate love for His people. David himself was possessed by this love in his covenant with Jonathan. And this love made him fearless.

First John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” (KJV). David said in Psalm 23:6, “Surely or only goodness, mercy, and unfailing love shall follow me all the days of my life…” (Amplified). The word ‘mercy’ is the Hebrew word ‘hesed’ – passionate, unfailing love. He knew of the Father’s love for him.

Let’s take a look at another man who knew the love of God. “And behold, a voice from heaven said, This is My Son, My Beloved, in Whom I delight” (Matthew 3:17). Could you imagine hearing those words? Oh, how they must have blessed Jesus. (Blessed = empowered to prosper). The Bible says that man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. After hearing these words Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness and fasted for forty days. He lived off those words. I am His Son. He loves Me. He delights in Me.

I heard a pastor make an important point about the time that Jesus spent in the wilderness being tempted by the devil. He pointed out that each time the devil addressed Jesus, he said, “If You are the Son of God…” He was tempting Jesus to doubt that He was God’s Son, but he didn’t dare mention the word ‘beloved’. God had called Jesus, “my beloved Son” (KJV). But the devil knew that he couldn’t defeat Him if He knew He was loved. The enemy operates by fear and there is no fear in love.

He does the same with us. How many times has the enemy brought up thoughts that caused you to lose confidence in the Father’s love for you? His love is unfailing. He always has and always will love you. He may not love the things you do, because He wants the best for you, but He never stops loving you.

In the book of John, believed to be written by the disciple John, he refers to himself as “the disciple whom Jesus loved” (KJV). Nowhere else in the Bible does anyone else refer to John as the disciple whom Jesus loved. But in his own account John is the disciple whom Jesus loved. 🙂 And that’s what mattered most, that he knew he was loved. When the other disciples deserted Jesus, presumably due to fear, John was right there at the foot of the cross.

In 3 John 2 we hear the heart of the Father through the inspired words of the writer, “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (KJV). God sending Jesus to take our sins and our sicknesses, weaknesses and distresses through His death is all the proof we need that He loves us (see Isaiah 53; 1 Peter 2:24; Psalm 103:3).

In this the love of God was made manifest (displayed) where we are concerned: in that God sent His Son, the only begotten or unique [Son], into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (the atoning sacrifice) for our sins. Beloved, if God loved us so [very much], we also ought to love one another. (1 John 4:9-10, Amplified)

Beloved… you are His beloved. Take some time to think about that today. Take some time to thank Your Father for His love.