5 Things the Bible Says about Fear | Scriptures on Fear
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We all experience fear at some point in our lives. Fear is a natural emotion we have as humans that can sometimes feel overwhelming. Thankfully as Christians, we know that we don’t have to allow fear to take over us because with God, we can overcome fear.
Fear in the Bible is mentioned over 500 times. This lets us know that it is a very important topic. There are two types of fear in the Bible, good fear and bad fear. Good fear is the fear of the Lord, meaning we have a deep respect and reverence for God.
Bad fear is the type of fear that paralyzes us and keeps us from living the life that God has planned for us. I struggled with this type of fear for many years and the only way out of it was to surrender my life to Jesus. I was paralyzed with fear for many years of my life.
I’m hoping that I can help you understand that you don’t have to be a slave to this paralyzing fear. There is freedom in Christ.
What Does the Bible Say about Fear?
In the Bible, we see examples of people who faced fear and overcame it with God’s help. For example, David faced Goliath and Esther risked her life to save her people. We can see that God was with them as they feared and gave them the strength to overcome it.
There is so much going on all around the world that can make us fear. We fear for our kids, our spouses, our finances, our safety, etc. The Bible tells us not to fear. We are called to trust the Lord and remember that He is in control of our lives. He knows our life from beginning to end.
The phrase “fear not” is a common phrase mentioned over 80 times in the Bible. This helps us understand that God knows we struggle with fear. It’s important to remember that fear and faith are closely related. Hebrews 11:1, it says:
“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.”
Faith means we trust in something that we can’t see or touch. While fear causes us to worry about the unknown. This is why having faith in God will help us overcome our fears. Here are 5 important things the Bible says about fear:
- Fear is NOT from God (2 Timothy 1:7)
- God Protects us from Fear (Isaiah 41:10)
- God Fills us with Peace (Philippians 4:6-7)
- God is Light (Psalm 27:11)
- God’s Perfect Love Casts out Fear (John 4:18)
Examples of Fear in the Bible
As I mentioned above, there are several examples of fear in the Bible. I’m going to briefly go over two of them: David’s fear and faith and Jesus calming the storm.
David’s Fear and Faith
David was the second king of Israel. He faced many challenges in his life, this includes fighting Goliath, fleeing from Saul, and dealing with his own sin. In Psalm 56, David shares about his fear and how he overcame it with faith:
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” Psalm 56:3-4
David knew his fear but instead of giving in to it, he chose to trust in God’s Word and promises. He knew that God was with him and that he was protected. Ultimately, David’s faith in God helped him overcome his fear and instead have courage.
Jesus Calming the Storm
We read about how Jesus and his disciples were in a boat crossing the Sea of Galilee in Mark 4:35-41. Out of nowhere, a great windstorm arose, and the boat was filling up with water because the waves were so strong.
The disciples were full of fear and woke Jesus up from his nap, saying, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” (Mark 4:38). Jesus responded by rebuking the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!”.
The wind stopped and the water was calm. Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4:39-40). We see here that even Jesus’ disciples, who had firsthand seen him perform miracles, still struggled with fear.
Jesus calmed the storm and showed them that they could trust in him, even during a storm.
How Can We Overcome Fear?
The first thing we need to remember is that our minds are a battlefield. Everything that comes into our minds needs to be tested with the Word of God. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says:
“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” NIV
We must take our thoughts captive and trust that the Lord is in control. If we allow ourselves to think about thoughts that don’t line up with Christ, we start to worry and fear. God has given us a spirit with a sound mind, not a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7).
We need to recognize that if we are fearing something, it’s not from the Lord. Sure, our flesh can act on our emotions but we need to realize that our emotions and feelings can lead us astray. The Bible is the only Truth.
We need to read our Bible so we can learn more about fear in the Bible and pray to Jesus for protection. God promises to be with us when we are in fear. This means that faith can help us overcome our fears, and understanding God’s love can help us overcome our fears.
Scripture on Fear
Here are some of my favorite Bible verses about fear. I love how we can turn to the Bible to gain wisdom about every situation we face.
You should consider trying to memorize these scriptures on fear. It has helped me so much to be armed with these scriptures when fear tries to creep in. If memorizing is hard for you, make 3×5 notecards of these Bible verses and keep them with you at all times.
God’s Word is our armor and we can use it to get through anything in life. Choosing to have faith over fear will keep you comforted and at peace. The Bible verses about fear below are from the English Standard Version.
Scripture on Fear from the Old Testament
“You shall not fear them, for it is the LORD your God who fights for you.” Deuteronomy 3:22
“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23:4
“The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalm 27:1
“I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” Psalm 34:4
“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” Psalm 56:3
“The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Psalm 118:6-7
“Say to those who have an anxious heart, “Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.” Isaiah 35:4
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
“For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. 14 Do not be afraid, you worm Jacob, little Israel, do not fear, for I myself will help you,” declares the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.” Isaiah 41:13-14
“But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.” Isaiah 43:1
Bible Verses about Fear in the New Testament
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” John 14:27
“But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” Mark 5:36
“For they all saw him and were terrified. But immediately he spoke to them and said, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” Mark 6:50
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6-7
“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled” 1 Peter 3:14
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” 1 John 4:18
“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last” Revelation 1:17
Share this Fear in the Bible Message with the World
We can express our faith and encourage others not to fear by wearing Christian apparel.
Our I Will Not Fear Christian clothing collection is inspired by Psalm 118:6, “The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”. NKJV
An example of our I Will Not Fear Christian Apparel is below. This design comes in multiple colors and sizes.
Here are pictures of my daughters wearing our I Will Not Fear Christian Apparel. All of the items we sell are made of great quality and are comfortable.
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