The Bible teaches us that if we have true faith, we have little to fear and we should never despair. The Reverend Billy Graham said,“fear can banish faith, but faith can banish fear.” He was right.
One of the most repeated commands in the Bible is “fear not!” God is reassuring us that in Him, we find the perfect peace and the strongest, most trusted safe haven — when we truly believe and we wholeheartedly have faith, then we literally have nothing to fear.
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.” – 2 Thessalonians 3:16
“If we trust in our worry more than we trust God we are sinning by our lack of faith in God, who has given us the richness of His constant abiding presence, for those who put their faith in Him.” – Deuteronomy 31:6
“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” – Psalm 34:4–5
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” – 2 Timothy 1:7
“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
God offers perfect strength and peace to those who come to Him with a trusting heart and an open mind. When we fix our mind to focus on ourselves and our problems, our thoughts become dark and burdened with anxiety and worry. However, when we focus our thoughts on God, and put our full trust in Him, we are graced with His peace.
Worrying and being afraid seem to be part of human nature and I believe that even the most devout and faithful among us will occasionally feel frightened or stressed. Knowing this, how do we let go of fear and worry? What can we do to have a strong and lasting faith in God’s promise that we have nothing to fear?
Firstly, we need to understand that the not fearing that the Bible refers to, doesn’t necessarily mean that we should throw caution to the wind and live a cavalier life, devoid of vigilance. We should of course be careful and mindful, but ultimately, we should not fear evil or what other men can do – followers of Christ should never live in a constant state of anxiety. For example, we should never stress about what others think about us and our faith. Or, we should not fear the plots and plans of the wicked, no matter how powerful they are, because no one and nothing is more powerful than God. “Fear not” means we shouldn’t allow anxiety or worry to rule our hearts and lives – why fear, when God is in control and ultimately, He will make all things right?
I feel that God expects us to sometimes feel afraid, stressed or nervous, but He is assuring us that in truth, nothing can harm us when we are with God and He is with us. We will probably still have pangs of fear, but we should live our life to the fullest, being brave and courageous. If a Christian has true faith, then nothing can defeat us — I think this is probably the most important thing for us to always remember.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7
“If we trust in our worry more than we trust God we are sinning by our lack of faith in God, who has given us the richness of His constant abiding presence, for those who put their faith in Him.” – The Reverend Billy Graham
