An exploration of fear in the Bible and how God’s promises can set you free.
In today’s uncertain world, fear seems to be stalking us at every corner. At the time of the writing of this article, the word “recession” is being widely discussed as the US stock market is taking a beating amid uncertainty and trade wars.
Furthermore, the price of eggs recently hit record highs due to a bird flu outbreak and LA fires recently destroyed 37,000 acres and 16,000 structures.
Then there are the plane crashes, most notably the recent crash between an Army Blackhawk and an American Airlines passenger jet that has incited the fear of flying for some Americans. This is just in the US. And if you’re reading this article at a later time, just fill in the blank.
My point wasn’t to lead you into this article and be an alarmist, pessimist or Debbie Downer. I know you probably limit your intake of the news because it’s really been alot lately. As have I.
My goal was to illustrate that this fallen world does not have a shortage of things to fear. And Satan wants it that way. But, as a child of God, you are the beneficiary and recipient of promises made long ago that He knew you would need in this crazy world today. He gave us this foundational word.
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
2 Timothy 1:7
Iwant to share with you what God has placed on my heart about fear and how you can be better prepared to handle any and every situation with Him.
So, in this article, we will:
- Explore the difference between godly and worldly fear
- Look at some biblical stories on fear in the Bible
- Explore 6 powerful ways to conquer fear biblically
Definition of fear in the Bible
The Bible speaks of two types of fear. One is the fear of God, a holy and respectable fear. The other is worldly fear which everyone will experience. Yet, it’s the one that’s not of God and from which He has freed us.
Godly fear vs worldly fear
The fear of God stems from the recognition of who God truly is which leads to obedience and righteous living. In our haste and often our suffering, it becomes easy to forget the unimaginable and vast power of our God.
This is the God who created the heavens and the Earth in just six days. From small molecules to vast oceans to complex organisms such as us. This is the same God that raised Jesus from the dead, defeating sin and death once and for all.
It’s not that God wants us to be scared of Him or that He wants to bully us into doing what He wants. That’s the enemy and God wants the opposite. He wants us to approach Him no matter what baggage we carry and gives us free will to choose.
The fear of God gives us wisdom and the knowledge of good and evil. Fearing God is an act of worship and respect. And because of this, it’s also for our good.
And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?
Deuteronomy 10:12-13 NIV
Worldly fear on the other hand is to our detriment. Worldly fear is the opposite of faith and thus can block the blessings of God due to unbelief. I would also go as far as to say that it’s a direct attack on faith, the currency of heaven.
If you go back through the gospels looking at the life of Jesus, the presence or lack of faith was what amazed Him and disappointed Him respectively. And this is why fear is one of the most powerful weapons that the enemy can use to stifle you.
Examples of fear in the Bible
The Bible is God’s love letters and instructions for us and the lessons it provides are timeless. If we want to learn how to deal with our problems today, we can learn from the successes and failures of those who came before us when they faced similar situations.
Every person on this earth will experience fear. However, it’s what you do with that emotion that matters. So let’s take a look at some biblical stories about fear to help us conquer the spirit of fear today.
Moses’s fear in the Bible
When God called Moses to lead the people out of Egypt, he wasn’t too thrilled about the assignment.
Years prior, Moses was rescued by the daughter of a Pharaoh after Pharaoh had ordered the death of male newborns of Israelite descent. Moses grew up in the palace and was privy to the royal lifestyle.
However, his people, the Israelites, were enslaved by Egypt. When Moses saw one of them being mistreated, He killed the Egyptian slave master and word got back to Pharaoh. Moses ran and started a new life in a new town.
God had set Moses apart to fulfill His desire of rescuing the people and bringing them into the Promised Land, possibly using his influence in the palace. However, when Moses committed murder, plans changed.
There’s no doubt Moses may have had some fear of facing his past. So he gives God excuses on why he couldn’t go. When that doesn’t work, he asks God to send someone else.
We know how the story ends. Moses does in fact lead the people out of Egypt with God’s power and authority. But, what can the modern-day Christians learn from Moses and his fear?
Moses’s story proves God’s patience even when we are disobedient. It also reveals that when we’re called, God himself will go with us, strengthen us, and confirm us in the presence of others. We don’t have to be afraid of our past nor what lies ahead.
You were called to live the exact life that you’re living. Imposter Syndrome is no match for the power of God when He has anointed you for the journey.
Israelite spies and their fear
Numbers 13-14
On their way to the promised land, Moses sent spies at God’s command to gather information on the land of Canaan, which God had promised to the Israelites. His instructions were to send 12 men from each of the tribes of Israel.
The men explored the land for forty days and returned. They noted that the land flowed with milk and honey and even brought back some of its fruit. However, they also reported on how strong the city walls were and the people living there. They felt as grasshoppers compared to them.
Overcome with fear instead of God’s promises, the men committed a sin that would cost the whole community dearly. When Caleb called for going into the land and taking it, the other men started spreading lies allowing the spirit of fear to infect the Israelite people.
This fear led to complaints, doubt, and rebellion against God. They thought God didn’t know what He was doing and didn’t have their best interest at heart. They wanted to choose a leader and go back to bondage…Egypt.
When Joshua and Caleb tried to tell them the truth that the Lord was with them, they threatened to stone Moses and Aaron.
I know, facepalm. But it’s easy to read this story and judge the Israelites and not recognize when we are doing the same things in our lives. For example, God tells us to start a business and we look at everybody else’s business, decide we can’t do it and turn back.
Is there an area in your life where God has said this is for you, but in fear you have decided otherwise? Because here is the consequence of the Israelites’ actions. At first, God was going to wipe them out and build a nation through Moses. But, Moses pleaded on their behalf.
So God made a vow that none who complained against Him would ever see the Promised Land. They would remain in the desert for forty years and die there. Only Caleb and Joshua would enter the land because they believed in the Lord. As for the men who spread lies, they were struck by a plague and died.
If you’re struggling with the spirit of fear, ask the Holy Spirit to help you trust the Lord and grant you courage in whatever God has asked of you. No one should desire to be in a spiritual desert for 40 years on a journey that was supposed to take days. I don’t want you to miss God and what He wants to do in your life because of the spirit of fear.
Elijah fearing for his life in the Bible
They say that a thief doesn’t try to rob an empty home. It’s the same with Satan whom the Bible states is a thief who steals, kills, and destroys. As a Christian, you have a target on your back as the enemy desires to bring you down. Elijah would know something about that.
After calling out the false prophets in the land and allowing God to use him to show the people who the one true God is, his life was threatened by Jezebel.
Now Ahab told Jezebel everything Elijah had done and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. So Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah to say, “May the gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.”
1 Kings 19:1-2
Elijah ran for his life. But, here’s how God responded.
While Elijah was sitting under a tree praying that he might die out of frustration and fear, God sent provisions and strength so that he could continue his journey.
Elijah was doing the right thing by following his calling and honoring God. If you ever find yourself standing on what’s right in the sight of God with people are against you for it, remember this…
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Romans 8:31
King David overcoming the spirit of fear
I wasn’t going to keep this section for fear of making this article too long, but how can I not? King David wrote numerous psalms and some were in the midst of him fearing for his own life.
God made him into a mighty king and formidable warrior. Yet, he experienced fear. The significant fact to point out here is how he handled it. David completely surrendered and trusted God.
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. Psalm 20:7
Unlike the Israelites and the ten spies above, David understood who He was fighting for and who was fighting for Him. Thus, he went into every situation with godly confidence knowing that God would be by his side every step of the way.
So if we are taking advice from King David in modern times, I would say do not lean on the amount in your bank account, your worldly connections or lack thereof, and definitely not your own strength. These actions invites fear.
As David did, give it all to God walking in His wisdom and confidence. That invites faith.
How to overcome the spirit of fear biblically
Remember who God is
Whenever I felt overwhelmed or troubled, I loved standing by the ocean when I lived in Charleston, SC. The ocean’s vastness reminded me of God’s vast power and how small my problems were compared to it.
In the midst of fear, it’s imperative that you remind yourself of how enormously bigger, stronger, and smarter God is compared to anything that you will EVER face. Don’t let present circumstances make you forget or distract you from who He is and His promises.
Pray God’s word against fear
When the Spirit of fear comes, you are now in a spiritual battle. So what’s two of the swiftest and sharpest weapons God has given us? The answer is prayer and His word. Now imagine combining the two.
A prayer for fear
This is the time to start using scripture just as Jesus did when Satan came for him. Here’s an example of a prayer for fear,
From 2 Timothy 2:17, God I thank you for not giving me the spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and a sound mind.
From Hebrews 13:5, God I thank you that I am never forsaken
From Romans 8:28, And I know that you are working all things for my good.
From Joshua 1:9, So God I will be strong and courageous as you have commanded. I will not be frightened because you are with me wherever I go.
In Jesus’s name, Amen.
Know that you are never forsaken
It’s easy for the spirit of fear to creep in when we feel alone. In fact, isolation is one of the strategies Satan uses as he carries out his attacks. However, the Bible states multiple times that we are never forsaken. If God is repeating himself it’s cause for us to pay close attention.
He knows the battles we will encounter and has given us His promises for us to stand on. You are never alone. You have the gift of the Holy Spirit if you’ve accepted Christ into your life.
Rest in God’s Love
No matter what you’ve done, you are never too far gone from God’s grasp. Jesus gave His life for you and He’d do it over and over again even if you were the only soul on this Earth.
Let that sink in because there is no greater love.
God is not human in that he can only focus on one person at a time. He’s omnipresent and His eyes and love are on you as if you were the only person in this world.
You matter to Him. You are His creation and He cares deeply about every detail and every circumstance of your life.
Trust God as your defender
God doesn’t play about you…like at all.
I specifically used the word trust here. When we aren’t confident in someone’s ability to do as they say, we tend to take matters into our own hands. This allows fear’s counterparts, worry and anxiety, to move in and set up a home in our thoughts.
This is not what God wants for you. In fact, He promises to be your defender. Out of all the battles that King David fought, both physical and spiritual, he didn’t trust in chariots, swords, or his own skill as we discussed above. He trusted in God and recognized him as his defender.
David acknowledged God as his fortress (protection from the front), his rock (a firm foundation) and his shield (a blockade for any of the enemy’s attacks). Thus, he didn’t fear battle. As God was with David, so is He with you.
Adopt a Kingdom Mindset
Throughout childhood, we have been programmed, mostly involuntarily, on how to handle difficult situations. Maybe we saw how anxious a close adult became when things didn’t go as planned. Or perhaps we saw how anger and frustration were the response when things went wrong.
All the while, Satan is patiently planting seeds aka strongholds waiting for them to bloom in your adult life. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
Not only should we trust God when the spirit of fear rears its head, but we should also think like Him. Mindset is everything and I’m a firm believer that it determines whether you succeed or not.
For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee
Your mindset is linked to your faith.
Final thoughts on fear in the bible
So, I hope this article has helped you distinguish the healthy fear of God from the unhealthy fears of this world. I also hope that you have gleaned inspiration and encouragement from the biblical examples of fear as well as the tips provided to overcome it.
Cheers to godly confidence and serving God boldly.
Until next time,
-Dr Jay
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