“Knowing God Changes the Way We Face Fear.”

“Knowing God Changes the Way We Face Fear.”

When Fear Tries to Take the Lead

Fear is something every one of us will face at some point in our lives. We fear what might happen. We fear what might not happen. We fear losing what we have, making the wrong decision, being rejected, getting hurt, failing, or simply not knowing what tomorrow holds.

Sometimes fear is obvious. Other times, it hides behind words like, “I’m just being careful,” “I have a bad feeling about this,” or “What if?” But as believers, we must learn to recognize when fear is trying to take a place in our lives that belongs to God.

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” 2 Timothy 1:7 NKJV

Notice what the Scripture says: God has not given us a spirit of fear.

That means when fear begins controlling our thoughts, decisions, actions, and expectations, we need to stop and ask ourselves: What am I allowing to lead me?

Fear Wants You to Live in the “What If?”

One of fear’s greatest weapons is the question:

“What if?”

What if I fail?

What if something happens to my family?

What if I don’t have enough money?

What if the doctor gives me bad news?

What if they reject me?

What if things don’t work out?

What if I make the wrong decision?

Before long, we can find ourselves suffering emotionally over something that hasn’t even happened.

Jesus said: “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:34 NKJV

Think about that. God gives us grace for today, yet fear tries to drag us into tomorrow. Fear wants us to mentally live through situations that may never happen. And even if something difficult does happen tomorrow, the God who is with us today will still be God tomorrow. Faith Doesn’t Mean You Never Feel Afraid.

Sometimes Christians think that experiencing fear means they don’t have faith. That isn’t necessarily true.

Courage isn’t the absence of fear. Sometimes courage is trusting God while fear is knocking at the door.

David said:“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.” Psalm 56:3 NKJV

David didn’t say, “I am never afraid.” He said, “Whenever I am afraid…” Then he told us what he did with his fear:

“I will trust in You.”

Fear may come, but we don’t have to give it permission to stay. We don’t have to feed it. We don’t have to build our decisions around it. We don’t have to allow it to become our counselor. Instead, we can take that fear directly to God.

What Are You Feeding?

Fear grows when we continually feed it.

If we constantly think about everything that could go wrong, fear will grow.

If we continually listen to frightening predictions, fear will grow.

If we constantly rehearse negative possibilities in our minds, fear will grow.

But faith grows as we fill our hearts and minds with the truth of God’s Word.

“So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 10:17 NKJV

This doesn’t mean we pretend problems don’t exist.

Faith isn’t pretending.

Faith looks directly at reality and still says:

“God is greater than what I see.”

There is a tremendous difference between denying a problem and refusing to allow the problem to become bigger in our minds than God.

Fear Can Make Decisions for Us

This is an area we don’t always recognize.

Sometimes fear is behind our decisions.

We don’t apply because we’re afraid we’ll be rejected.

We don’t speak because we’re afraid of what people will think.

We don’t step into something new because we’re afraid of failing.

We stay where we’re comfortable because at least we know what to expect there.

Sometimes we even pray for God to open a door, and when He does, we’re too afraid to walk through it!

Fear says: “Stay where it’s safe.”

Faith says: “Knowing God Changes the Way We Face Fear.” If God is leading me, I can trust Him.”

That doesn’t mean every opportunity is from God or that wisdom isn’t necessary. Scripture teaches us to walk in wisdom. But there is a difference between wisdom telling us to wait and fear telling us we cannot move.

We need to know the difference.

When You’re Afraid to Do It Alone

Sometimes what we’re afraid of isn’t the thing itself.

We’re afraid of having to do it alone.

I could do it if someone went with me.

I could go if I had someone beside me.

I would try it if somebody else would do it with me.

I know I should move forward, but I don’t want to go by myself.

There is nothing wrong with wanting companionship. God created us for fellowship, and there are times when He places people in our lives to walk beside us, encourage us, help us, and strengthen us. But we have to be careful that our need for another person’s presence doesn’t become greater than our confidence in God’s presence.

Sometimes God may allow us to walk through something without the person we thought we needed so that we can discover something greater: He is enough.

When God called Joshua to lead Israel after Moses died, Joshua was stepping into an enormous responsibility. Moses the leader he had followed for years was gone. Now Joshua had to move forward.

God told him: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 NKJV

Notice God didn’t tell Joshua, “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure someone always goes with you.”

He told him: “I am with you.”

There are some things in life we may have to do without another person holding our hand.

You may have to walk into that room alone.

You may have to make that decision alone.

You may have to take that trip alone.

You may have to start something new alone.

You may have to go somewhere you’ve never been alone.

You may have to stand for what is right when nobody else stands with you.

And sometimes you may have to obey God without anyone around you understanding why.

That’s when we have to remember: Being without another person is not the same as being alone. If God is with you, you are not alone.

“And the LORD, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8 NKJV

Maybe you’ve spent years saying, “I don’t do things by myself.”

But perhaps fear has quietly built a boundary around your life.

There may be experiences you’ve avoided, places you haven’t gone, opportunities you’ve passed up, or things you’ve never attempted simply because you didn’t have someone to go with you.

At some point, we have to ask ourselves:

Am I waiting for a person when God has already told me that He will go with me?

That doesn’t mean we become reckless or refuse help. It means another person’s presence is no longer the requirement for our obedience.

Sometimes spiritual growth looks like taking that first uncomfortable step and saying:

“Lord, I’m afraid. I’ve never done this alone before. But if You are leading me, I’m going to trust You and go.”

Your hands may shake.

Your heart may beat a little faster.

You may even wonder halfway there why you ever decided to do it!

But go anyway.

Because every time you trust God enough to move beyond a fear that has controlled you, you learn something—not merely about yourself, but about Him.

You learn:

God really is with me.

God really will strengthen me.

God really will help me.

God really can carry me through unfamiliar territory.

And one day you may look back at something you were once terrified to do alone and realize: I was never alone in the first place.

Knowing God Changes the Way We Face Fear

This is why growing in the knowledge of God is so important.

The more we know Him, the more we understand His character.

We learn that He is faithful.

We learn that He is good.

We learn that He is our provider.

We learn that He is our strength.

We learn that He is our refuge.

We learn that He sees what we cannot see.

We learn that He knows tomorrow before tomorrow ever arrives.

Fear often asks: “What is going to happen?”

Faith asks: “Who is with me?”

Those are two very different questions.

Sometimes God doesn’t tell us what is going to happen.

He simply reminds us that He will be with us.

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”  Isaiah 41:10 NKJV

Look at what God says.

I am with you.

I am your God.

I will strengthen you.

I will help you.

I will uphold you.

Maybe the answer to fear isn’t always knowing more about our situation. Maybe sometimes the answer is knowing more about our God. Fear and Our Feelings. We also have to be careful about allowing our feelings to become our authority.

There will be times when we feel afraid.

There will be times when we feel uncertain.

There will be times when we feel like everything is going wrong.

But our feelings do not determine what is true.

God’s Word does. Feelings change. Circumstances change. People change.

But God does not. “For I am the LORD, I do not change.”  Malachi 3:6 NKJV

Our feelings may tell us, “You’re not going to make it.”

God’s Word tells us He is our help.

Our feelings may say, “You’re all alone.”

God says, “I am with you.”

Our feelings may say, “There is no way out.”

God sees what we cannot see.

This is why we cannot build our faith on how we feel from one day to the next.

Sometimes We Have to Talk Back to Fear.

I don’t mean having a conversation with fear. I mean reminding ourselves of what God has said.

When fear says: “What if you can’t handle this?”

Remind yourself: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13 NKJV

When fear says: “You’re alone.” Remember: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Hebrews 13:5 NKJV

When anxiety begins overwhelming your thoughts:

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” Philippians 4:6 NKJV

We must learn to answer fearful thoughts with truth. Not positive thinking. Not motivational sayings. Not clichés. The Word of God.

Ask Yourself: What Am I Really Afraid Of?

Sometimes we need to sit quietly before God and examine our fear.

What exactly am I afraid of?

Why am I afraid of it?

What do I believe will happen?

Am I trusting God with this?

Am I trying to control something that belongs in God’s hands?

Have I allowed my imagination to create a disaster that hasn’t happened?

Is this fear based on truth or possibility?

Those questions can reveal a lot.

Sometimes beneath fear is a desire for control.

We want to know how everything is going to turn out before we’re willing to move forward.

But faith doesn’t work that way.

Abraham left without knowing exactly where he was going.

Peter stepped out of the boat.

Israel had to walk toward the Red Sea before seeing how God would make a way.

Faith often requires us to trust God without having all the details.

Don’t Let Fear Write Tomorrow’s Story

Fear is always ready to write an ending God hasn’t written.

Fear says: “This is going to end badly.”

But how do you know?

Fear says: “Things will never change.”

But how do you know?

Fear says: “You can’t do this.”

But how do you know what God can do through you?

We must be careful about declaring defeat over situations that God is still working in.

Your current chapter is not necessarily your final chapter.

Fear May Knock, But Faith Can Answer

We may never reach a place in this life where fearful thoughts never come.

But we can reach a place spiritually where fear no longer controls us.

Fear may knock.

Faith can answer.

Fear may whisper.

God’s Word can speak louder.

Fear may ask, “What if?”

Faith can respond: “Even if I will trust God.”

Even if things don’t happen the way I want…

I will trust God.

Even if I don’t understand…

I will trust God.

Even if I have to wait…

I will trust God.

Even if I have to walk by myself…

I will trust God.

Even if the road becomes difficult…

I will trust God.

Because ultimately, our confidence isn’t in knowing exactly what tomorrow holds. Our confidence is in knowing the One who holds tomorrow.

Something to Think About

What fear have you been carrying that God never asked you to carry?

What situation have you mentally lived through a hundred times that hasn’t even happened once?

What have you been putting off because you’re waiting for someone to go with you?

Is fear keeping you from doing something because you believe you have to do it alone?

Maybe today is the day to put that fear back where it belongs: In God’s hands.

“Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.”  Psalm 56:3 NKJV

Fear may come. But it doesn’t have to lead. Let God’s Word lead.

Let faith lead. And above all, let God lead.