Fear Not

“I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears” (Psalm 34:4).

Fear, worry, and anxiety distress us. They tie us up in knots and steal our peace. We may not all face the same fears, but sooner or later we all encounter some form of fear, worry, or anxiety in life.

Some say we are born with two innate fears, loud noises and falling. Others claim there are five basic human fears, listing such things as death, embarrassment, loss of love, rejection, and falling. Still others count six: poverty, old age, criticism, loss of love, ill health, and death. Whatever the number, most humans harbor fears. We live in a fearful age. Our minds are bombarded with reports of natural disasters, terrorism, political unrest, and economic setbacks. On a personal level, we worry about finances, health, relationships, and failure. It’s easy to allow such thoughts to overwhelm us.

Can the child of God live without fear? If we believe the Bible, the answer is yes. The King James Version uses the phrases “fear not” and “be not afraid” eighty-nine times. Would God repeat these phrases over and over if it were not possible to live free from fear?

Philippians 4:6 instructs us to “not be anxious about anything.” That’s a tall order, but we can do it with God’s help. Remember these two things about fear: it does not come from God and it cannot coexist with His love.

• “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7).
• “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (I John 4:18, NKJV).

God does not want us to live in fear. It torments us, eats at us, and destroys our peace. We lose sight of the things God desires for us as our mind becomes dizzy with all the “what ifs.”

To overcome fear, we must trust God to meet our needs and believe He desires only the best for us. Yes, troubles will come, but He can take the seemingly impossible things in our lives and use them for His glory and our good. (Read Psalm 40:4-5, Isaiah 41:10-13, and Romans 8:37-39.)

Today, take time to fill your mind with some of those eighty-nine “fear not” verses found in His Word. Replace fear with faith in our all-powerful, loving God.

“For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:13).

Prayer: Lord, help me to turn all my fears and worries over to You. When I hold onto them, they rob me of peace and keep me from fully trusting You with the difficult things in my life. I recognize that fear does not come from You, and I do not want it in my life. Fill me so full of Your love that there is no room left for fear.