Fear Not! How Do We Do That?

Clearly, fear is not of God.  Throughout the Bible, God commands that we “fear not.”  

God said it it directly to His people (Gen 15:1, Josh 8:1, Isa 41:10, 13, Mat 14:27, Acts 18:9, Rev 1:17, et.al,). His angels proclaimed it (Matt 28:5, Luke 1:13, 1:30, 2:10). And, His people declared it (Gen 43:20, Ex 14:13, 20:20, 2 Kings 6:16).  

Faith Overcomes Fear

Strong faith overcomes fear. So God calls us to engage in practices that will build our faith.  He calls us to praise Him at all times, to rejoice always, to pray without ceasing, to give thanks in all things, to read and meditate on His words so we will have hope, and more.

Some might think that praising, rejoicing, praying, giving thanks, and hoping will generate happiness and therefore we will not fear.  I suggest that much more than an emotional change takes place by focusing our eyes on Jesus, opening our hearts to receive His love, and desiring to know His Word.  Such practices build confidence in God, which gives us the ability to choose to “fear not.”  

We know that our journey in life is a walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor 5:7).  But it is not a blind faith. In our salvation, God washes away our sins, but He does not take away our brains.  While faith may seem very intangible, it is fully real and fully apprehensible.  By increasing our confidence in God we are able to choose to walk in faith.  Where a firm, confident faith is, fear will flee because faith expels fear regardless of the circumstance or our emotional condition.

Confidence Overcomes Fear  

The process for building confidence to overcome fear starts by renewing our minds in the Word of God and hiding God’s precious promises in our hearts. Increasing our knowledge of Jesus causes us to remember that God loves us, He is faithful to uphold us in all things, and He gives us a calm assurance to overcome fear.

“Come Let Us Reason Together” — God (Isa 1:18)

To start, renew your mind with reasons — reasons for confidence in God and reasons that we need not fear.  

Reasons for Confidence in God

• God is all-powerful to do what He says He will do.
   Isa 46:11  … Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.
• God is all-powerful in creation. (Psa 33:6, Psa 147:5a, Isa 44:24, Rom 4:17, Heb 1:3, Jer 32:17)
• God is all-powerful in salvation. (Phil 1:6, Jude 1:24, Jude 1:25, Rom 1:16)
• God is all-powerful in understanding. (Psa 147:5b, Psa 135:6, Isa 46:10)
• God is all-knowing.  (Luke 1:37, Ephesians 1:19; Romans 11:33, Hebrews 4:13)
  2 Chr 16:9  “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him…”
  1 Pet 3:12  For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers;
• God is always present with us. (Deut 31:6, Isa 41:10, Heb 13:5b)
• God is a loving Father. (Matt 7:11, James 1:7, 1 John 3:1)
• God is always faithful.
  Deu 7:9  “Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments.
  1 Cor 1:9  God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
  2 Th 3:3  …the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.
  Rev 3:14  “…These things says the Amen [Jesus], the Faithful and True Witness…”

Reasons We Need Not Fear

• God has a purpose and plan for everyone and in all things. ( Ro 8:28, 1 Cor 2:9)
• God gives wisdom and directs our ways. (Prove 16: 9, Heb 13:20-21)
• God promises to be with us, to help us, and to hold us in times of trouble (Isaiah 41:10, 13).
• God promises to give us all we need to obey, enjoy, and honor him (Matthew 6:31; Philippians 4:19).
• God helps us (Heb 13:6, Ro 8:31)
• God provides what we need. (Ro 8:32, 1 Cor 10:13)
• God will never forsake us (1 Sam 12:22, Heb 13:5b)
• God delivers us.  (Ps 22:8, Ps 91:14)

Respond in Faith

Knowing God and having reasoned faith assures us we can trust in the Lord. Then we can respond in faith with practices God calls us to:  praising, rejoicing, praying, thanking, and hoping.

Praise God

Psa 150:1  Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament!
Psa 150:2  Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!
Psa 150:3  Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp!
Psa 150:4  Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!Psa 150:5  Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals!
Psa 150:6  Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!

Rejoice in the Lord

• Psa 33:1  Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.
• Psa 35:9  And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD; It shall rejoice in His salvation.
• Psa 105:3  Glory in His holy name; Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the LORD!

Pray always

• Psa 5:2  Give heed to the voice of my cry, My King and my God, For to You I will pray.
• Psa 32:6  For this cause everyone who is godly shall pray to You In a time when You may be found;
• Psa 55:17  Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice.
• Luke 18:1  Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,

Give Thanks  

• Psa 30:4  Sing praise to the LORD, You saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
• Psa 136:26  Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven! For His mercy endures forever.
• 1 Th 5:18  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Have Hope 

• Psa 130:7  O Israel, hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is mercy, And with Him is abundant redemption.
• Psa 147:11  The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
• Rom 5:2  By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
• 1 Pet 1:3  Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

In Conclusion — His Eye, His Arm, His Ear, His Grace, His Promise

“If the Lord be with us, we have no cause of fear. His eye is upon us, His arm over us, His ear open to our prayer. His grace is sufficient, His promise unchangeable.” –John Newton, 1725-1807, the hymnist who wrote “Amazing Grace”

As Christians who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, so we have nothing to fear.  

• Our salvation is secure (Read What is eternal security/assurance of salvation?)
• Or God is faithful. (Deu 7:9, 1 Cor 1:9, 2 Th 3:3, Rev 3:14)
• Our hope is anchored in Jesus. (Heb 6:19)

We leave you with the ministry verse of Reasons for Hope* Jesus. Ponder these words and hide them in your heart.  Remember them at all times and rejoice! 

This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast…
(Hebrews 6:19)

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