The Bible contains many verses that tell us not to fear. When we face difficult circumstances, it’s natural to feel afraid. However, God wants us to trust in Him instead of giving in to fear. By relying on God’s power, wisdom and goodness, we can find courage and hope.
The phrase “fear not” occurs over 70 times in the Bible. God often tells His people to “fear not” when they are afraid or anxious. For example, when the angel appeared to Mary to tell her she would give birth to Jesus, he said “Fear not, Mary” (Luke 1:30). When the disciples saw Jesus walking on the water, He told them “It is I; do not be afraid” (John 6:20). After Jesus’ resurrection, He told the women at the tomb “Do not be afraid” (Matthew 28:10).
Why does God tell us so often not to fear? Here are some key reasons:
- God is in control – When we feel afraid, we can remember that God is sovereign over every circumstance. Nothing takes Him by surprise or is beyond His control. As Proverbs 21:1 (ESV) says, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.”
- God cares for us – Jesus tells us that God cares deeply for us: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:29-31). We never need to worry about being abandoned or unimportant to God.
- God gives us strength – When God calls us to do difficult things, He also equips us with courage through His Spirit. As God told Joshua, “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 eternal security – This world is not all there is. Jesus came to offer us eternal life, which frees us from fearing what any person can do to us (Hebrews 2:14-15). As believers, we no longer need to fear death, judgment or condemnation because Jesus took those punishments for us.
- Fear is useless – While fear is natural, it often causes us to miss out on God’s blessings. As Jesus said, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25). When we give in to worry and anxiety, we cannot receive God’s peace and direction.
- Love casts out fear – God’s perfect love removes our reasons to be afraid. “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). Knowing God’s unconditional love helps us stop living in fear of rejection.
- God gives peace – Jesus offers us a peace the world cannot give: “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). This supernatural peace guards our hearts against anxious thoughts.
While we may continue to feel afraid at times, we can bring these fears to God in prayer. By keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus instead of our circumstances, we can experience calm and hope in the midst of storms (Matthew 14:22-33). As Isaiah 41:10 (ESV) says, “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.”
God does not condemn us for feeling afraid – He made our emotions and understands we are prone to fear. However, He gently calls us to place our trust in Him instead of remaining enslaved to anxiety. His perfect love casts out fear and allows us to receive His unspeakable peace. Rather than trying to get rid of all our fears, we can ask God to replace each fear with deeper faith and reliance upon Him.
The Bible warns that fearing other people or circumstances can become a dangerous snare (Proverbs 29:25). Our fears can even become like false gods that rule our minds and lives. But when we reverently fear the Lord – standing in awe of His holiness and power – all other fears begin to fade away (Psalm 34:4). As we spend time immersed in Scripture, we are able to anchor our minds on God’s trustworthy promises, which free us from anxiety about the future.
Some key Bible verses about fearing God rather than people or anxiety:
- “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)
- “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
- “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” (Psalm 56:3)
- “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)
- “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
- “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” (2 Timothy 1:7)
- “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)
- “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7)
- “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7)
In many cases, the Bible reassures us by telling us not to fear because God is with us and will help us through whatever we are facing. Other times, it reminds us not to fear because this world and its troubles are temporary. But the consistent message is that we can confidently place our fears in God’s hands and trust His sovereign plans and purpose for our lives.
Through prayer, we can receive God’s comfort, wisdom and strength to overcome specific fears. By keeping our focus on the magnificent, holy God who created the universe, our fears over earthly troubles will gradually fade away. Though we cannot avoid feeling afraid at times in this fallen world, we can choose whether we will allow those fears to control us. May God give us bold faith that casts out fear and continually fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).