I tend to group my fears into two categories: physical and mental. Physical fear is the kind that gets your adrenaline pumping, like the fear when you hydroplane, encounter a bear, or can’t find your child at the grocery store. Mental fear is when the danger exists only in your mind: Fear of clowns. Fear of what the doctor found. Fear of being unloved and unaccepted. These two types of fear are different in nature, but believe it or not, the Bible doesn’t differentiate in what our response should be. It simply says: Do not fear.
That is not a suggestion; it’s a command. In fact, this command appears dozens and, some argue, hundreds of times in the Bible. From God telling Abraham not to be afraid in Genesis to the Psalmist’s declarations of “Whom shall I fear?” to John’s description of Jesus in Revelation. Jesus’ first words to John are, “Do not be afraid.” God is adamant we not let fear control us. So how do you shake it? In the past few years, as God has been painstakingly cutting fear and anxiety out of my heart, He has equipped me with three vital tools to help:
PRAYER
In a healthy relationship, one of the first things a scared child will do is to divulge this information to a parent. Every parent immediately responds to, “Daddy, I’m scared.” God does, too. When we, as beloved children, are afraid, why wouldn’t we take it to Him?
Prayer doesn’t need to be an elaborate system of communicating with an other- worldly being. It’s simply a conversation between me and my Daddy where I cry out (sometimes literally) “I’m scared!” The Father gives good gifts and comforts His children. Crying out for God’s help gives our waiting Father the opportunity to swoop in, scoop us up and wipe away the tears.
WORSHIP
The second tool God has been teaching me to wield against my fearis worship. Praising God is not just an activity for good times. What He has already done is more than sufficientto reassure me of His love and care,but confidence and courage come in waves when I praise God for who Heis and what He is going to do. This bold declaration of what will be in the midst of fear reminds my heart of who He is and brings peace. Praise robs fear, and anxiety is robbed of power. I cannot be anxious and grateful for His goodness at the same time.
Worship also speaks to God’s heart. It allows me the opportunity to remind both myself of who He is and His promises to me. Often, when I succumb to fear, it is because I have lost sightof that goodness. If I truly believe God is good, working for my good and only giving good gifts, fear and anxiety have no place. Praise shifts my focus from me back to the Creator of the universe. When I remember how truly big God is, my fears pale in comparison.
SCRIPTURE
The third tool, Scripture, works in conjunction with the first two. God’s
word is living, breathing, and useful in any context. When used in conjunction with prayer and worship, Scripture creates a solid foundation for truth to rest upon. I’ve gotten into the habit of praying Scripture: taking verses that speak to my heart or situation and praying them back to the Lord, expressing their truth in my life, and releasing their power over my situation. Whether a lament, promise, or worshipful praise, praying Scripture allows me to speak God’s language back to Him.
Here are some of the verses I’ve written out and taped to the bathroom mirror so I can pray them back daily: Philippines 4:6-7, 2 Timothy 1:7, Matthew 6:34
CHARGING FEAR
A young buffalo approached his dad and asked him if there was anything he should be afraid of. “Only lions,” dad responded. “Oh yes, I’ve heard about lions. If I ever see one, I’ll turn and run as fast as I can,” said the young buffalo. “That’s the worst thing you can do! If you run, the lions will chase and catch you, jump on your unprotected back and bring you down. If you ever see a lion, stand your ground to show him you’re not afraid. If he doesn’t back down, show him your sharp horns and stomp the ground with your hooves. If that doesn’t work, move slowly towards him. And if that doesn’t work, charge him and hit him with everything you’ve got!”
“I’d be too scared to do that. What if he attacks me back?” said the startled young buffalo. “Look around, son. What do you see?”
Looking around, he saw the rest of the herd: hundreds of massive beasts armed with sharp horns and huge shoulders. “If ever you’re afraid, know that we are here. If you panic and run from your fears, we can’t save you, but if you charge towards them, we’ll be right behind you.”
This story illustrates exactly what we should do in the face of fear: stand your ground expressing your fear in prayer, flex your muscles in worship and then charge forward with confidence in God’s written promises knowing you have a whole herd behind you: a cloud of faithful witnesses, your community in Christ and the Creator Himself.
(Story adapted from “Better Life Coaching Blog” by Darren Poke)