To overcome fear, we must first assess its place in our lives. According to the Oxford Dictionary, fear is “an unpleasant emotion, attributable to the specter of danger, pain or harm.” It’s necessary to acknowledge fear generally is a healthy emotion God gave us to maintain us protected. It is the emotion that causes our body to fight, fight, or freeze when it must. Fear in our bodies acts as a warning light if we get too near a cliff edge, or too near a hot pot, or a burning fire. Fear in our bodies is an instinctive emotion that alerts the nervous system and is a big a part of our survival instincts as human beings. But the fear we’re talking of today, nonetheless, will not be the fear that keeps us protected, but moderately the fear that keeps us sure.
What Does the Bible Say About Overcoming Fear?
How can we overcome fear? As Christians, we imagine the Bible is the true word of God. In it, the prophet Isaiah wrote:
“For I’m the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I’ll allow you to.” – Isaiah 41:13 (emphasis mine)
If God asks us to fear not, then there have to be a solution to overcome this debilitating emotion, but how? The answer to how we overcome fear is found nestled into this very passage of scripture. It is here we read:
“I’m the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand.”
Earlier on on this same chapter, God declares to Israel,
“Do not fear, for I’m with you.”
He goes on to say how He strengthens us, helps us, and upholds us with His righteous right hand. Oh friend, if we had time there’s a lot lets say here, but one a part of that is that you just are never alone. God is at all times right there with you and beside you. He is upholding you with His right hand.
How Can Our Faith Help Us to Overcome Fear?
I even have heard it said that fear is the other of religion, and I don’t learn about you, but I just don’t imagine that to be true. Faith will not be an emotion but a formulated decision to follow and place our trust in someone higher than us. Where fear is an emotion felt by our bodies resulting from an external factor. Hot and cold are opposites as they’re each temperatures. Negative and positive are each electrodes, but faith and fear are usually not the identical things; subsequently, they can’t be opposites.
Fear doesn’t mean we don’t trust God. I think there have been many individuals within the bible who operated in fear and faith. Esther, for instance, as she approached the king, had the religion to imagine God would move for her and her people, but she was little doubt afraid for her own life. If you’re a one that feels fear that debilitates you, please know that there is no such thing as a guilt here. Fear, anxiety, and depression all exist at times in our minds and our bodies, but their existence doesn’t mean we should not have faith in God to like us, to maneuver for us, or to maneuver through us. Even in our moments of doubt, fear, or uncertainty, we are able to know with truth and assurance that God is with us, strengthening us and helping us irrespective of what it’s we face or what storm we’re weathering.
But thankfully, in God, fear could be silenced and overcome. 2 Timothy 1: 7 says,
“For God didn’t give us the spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-control”.
Breaking Free of Fear through Faith
Fear takes hold of us, and if not handled, it will probably grow to be a shackle or a series that we’re confined to, but that will not be how God wanted us to live our lives. Rather, He offers us a life filled with love, power, and self-control, all with the aim that we can be selfless, in powerful control of our lives, and in a position to live free in response to that. God is offering us an alternative choice to fear, and as Christians or followers of Christ, now we have available to us the Holy Spirit, who can lead and guide us within the ways of Jesus. Who can prompt us, purify us, and direct us into the very best path for our lives, leaving fear behind and as an alternative walking in love?
1 John 4:18 reminds us that,
“There is not any fear in love, But perfect love casts out fear.”
What is that this perfect love? Just two verses earlier, we read that “God is Love” (Emphasis mine), and in these two verses, side by side, we see that God’s character is ideal love. Love is who He is, and He is the love that helps us solid out the fears that live unwanted in our lives, who take up residence where they shouldn’t be, causing us to be grieved, afraid, unsure, and sure.
Walking on daily basis with God, learning to lean into and on Him, and trusting God to assist and uphold us helps us cope with our fears and worries.
Scripture to Speak Over Your Fear
I’d love to go away with you simply two last verses of the various within the bible that talk of fear. Psalm 34:4 reads:
“I sought the LORD, and he heard me and delivered me from all my fears.”
And then Psalm 56:3-4 reads:
“When I’m afraid, I’ll trust in you. In God I’ll praise his word, in God I even have put my trust; I is not going to fear what flesh can do to me.”
These verses talk of overcoming fear by in search of the Lord, by taking our eyes off what is occurring around us, and placing them on the one we all know we are able to trust. I really like that Psalm 56 tells us that we’ll decide to praise after we are afraid. What if our resounding cry in fear was worship, prayer, or intercession? How different would our lives look in those moments?
I know the way easy it’s to be sure by the fears of tomorrow, the threats in front of us, and the warning signs going off left, right, and center. But I also know of the faithful God who sticks with us even in those moments and ensures that while the road could be rocky, we’ll never cope with life alone, and we’ll never be left alone. But He will include us, strengthen us, uphold us, help us, and deliver us irrespective of what it’s we face.
Maybe you cope with fear often. Friends, I encourage you to lift all of it to Jesus and permit Him space to maneuver in it. Lift your eyes as much as the hills from where your help comes from.
But possibly you’re reading these words debilitated by fear, and also you have no idea Jesus. Friend, reach out to the Lord, and He will come alongside you. Get in contact and I’ll happily share with you all about Jesus and pray that He will grow to be the place you’ll put your trust when fear arises.
Photo Credit: © Getty Images/tuaindeed
