FEAR: What does the Bible Say?
WHAT DOES THE WORLD SAY?
CAN THE WORLD HELP OVERCOME FEAR AND DOUBT?
FEAR: USING GOD’S WORD TO OVERCOME FEAR
Fear: verb, noun \ˈfir\
1 to be afraid of : expect with alarm <fear the worst>
2 to be afraid or apprehensive <feared for their lives>
3 an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger
FEAR: In the times in which we live, danger seems to be growing and with it, fear. Yet, for hundreds of years, Christian believers have successfully overcome fear through belief and faith in God’s Word.
Though the Corporate Media is engaged in stoking fear among the population, the Bible contains the words that lead to the relief of that fear.
In fact, those who have been persecuted, afflicted and even martyred have received comfort through their knowledge of God’s Word.
FEAR: WHAT THE WORLD SAYS
What the world has to say about fear is nonsense and has no power to deliver one from the spirit of fear. Some examples follow.
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
—Franklin Roosevelt
“Always do what you are afraid to do.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
“The first duty of man is to conquer fear; he must get rid of it, he cannot act until then.”
—Thomas Carlyle
“There are very few monsters who warrant the fear we have of them.”
—Andre Gide
Feel better?
FEAR: WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
The Bible says that fear is a spirit and that it comes from the bondage of sin.
“For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;”
—Romans 8:15
But there is no spirit more powerful than the Spirit of God: the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is with us forever – John 14:16
The Holy Spirit gets His authority from God – John 16:13
The Holy Spirit will teach you all things – John 14:26
The Holy Spirit will bring everything to your remembrance – John 14:26
When one becomes a believer, one is given the Spirit of God. There is no spirit in heaven or earth that can withstand the Holy Spirit.
Two of the three most powerful Scriptures about overcoming fear concern the Holy Spirit. Here are the three.
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
—2 Timothy 1:7
TESTIMONY
2 Timothy 1:7 has always been a particular comfort when doubt begins to whisper in my ear. Becoming a believer forced turmoil to flee.
When one has the perfect love of God; when one is right with God: fear is powerless.
“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.”
—1 John 4:18
“Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed: neither be thou confounded; for thou shalt not be put to shame: for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more.”
—Isaiah 54:4
GOD’S PROMISES CONCERNING FEAR
The Bible has literally HUNDREDS of promises God has made to believers about fear and doubt. NOTE: These promises are to believers. While the thoughts these verse convey are soothing to all, the reality, the promises are to those who place their trust in Jesus Christ alone for eternal salvation.
TESTIMONY
This is exactly how this writer got saved over three years ago. Throughout my life, I never actually became acquainted with fear. Then in 2010–though my life was going great–I experienced several months of turmoil. Searching for answers early one morning (or late one night), I stumbled across a website which asked “Do you know if you are going to Heaven?” I didn’t. I read the pages and then forgot about it all.
But when I went to sleep, I fell asleep quickly and slept the rest of the night. That was new. Then, as peace took hold, fear left.
Now, completely 100% free of fear, I trust on the promises of God completely and absolutely.
Here are a few of those promises.
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.”
—Isaiah 41:10
There is nothing in heaven or on earth or under the earth that comes close to the strength of the Lord of Hosts. If God is upholding someone, they will stand firm and have nothing to fear from any entity.
“And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on. The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment. Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?”
—Luke 12:22-24
“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”
—Isaiah 54:17
“Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.”
—Deuteronomy 31:6
Jesus Himself spoke about the only One whom humans should fear: God Almighty.
“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.”
—Luke 12:4-5
“When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
—Isaiah 43:2
Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God: But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.
—Luke 12:6-9
“For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”
—Isaiah 41:13
One of the Bible’s most famous events concerning fear is found in 2 Kings 6. It concerns the prophet Elisha, who was accompanied by his servant, and the King of Syria, who was out to destroy Elisha.
Elisha and his servant were staying in the town of Dothan. The king of Syria found out and sent an army to kill Elisha.
“Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.
And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do?
And he [Elisha] answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.
And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
And when they came down to him, Elisha prayed unto the Lord, and said, Smite this people, I pray thee, with blindness. And he smote them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.”
—2 Kings 6:13-18
The complete story is in 2 Kings 6, but God had sent an army of angels to surround and protect Elisha and his servant.
Are you searching for peace of mind?
Get the peace which “passeth all understanding.”
PSALMS FOR CONQUERING FEAR
The book of Psalms has an unusual amount of Scripture concerning fear. David wrote many of the Psalms. In fact, David wrote a number of Psalms when he was alone, hunted and in fear for his life.
TESTIMONY
A friend of this writer–who is not a believer and who belongs to a cult–has stated more than once: “I always read Psalms to comfort me.”
It is this writer’s experience that when doubt and fear begin to gnaw at one’s mind, reading Psalms out loud can have an incredibly calming effect.
NOTE: Reading Psalms do not have a calming effect because of any magical power in and of themselves. They have a calming effect because they reassure the believer that God is with him and will never forsake him. Psalms are praises to God. When the believer is praising God, the spirit of fear must flee for God Himself inhabits the praises of believers.
“But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.” —Psalm 22:3
PSALMS CONCERNING FEAR
Let’s start with perhaps the most famous Psalm concerning fear.
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
—Psalm 23:4
The following verses from Psalms specifically deal with overcoming fear or dread.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
—Psalm 27:1
“What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.”
—Psalm 56:3
“In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.”
—Psalm 56:4
“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”
—Psalm 118:6
“I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
—Psalm 34:4
Lastly are three particular Psalms which concern the overcoming of fear. these three Psalms have comforted believers for centuries. They have a particularly calming effect due to their strong promises from God and the faith of the Psalmist in those promises.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Some modern believers have memorized Psalm 91 due to the great number of promises to protect believers from physical harm. Some have even speculated that the Psalm protects against zombies (?!?) due to the imagery used in verse 6.
Regardless, Psalm 91 is a powerful antidote to fear.
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.
5 Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;
6 Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.
7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.
8 Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked.
9 Because thou hast made the Lord, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation;
10 There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.
11 For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.
12 They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone.
13 Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.
15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
Lastly, Psalm 18, cried out by David, spoken of in 2 Samuel 22.
I will love thee, O Lord, my strength.
2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.
4 The sorrows of death compassed me, and the floods of ungodly men made me afraid.
5 The sorrows of hell compassed me about: the snares of death prevented me.
6 In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears.
7 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth.
8 There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
9 He bowed the heavens also, and came down: and darkness was under his feet.
10 And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly: yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
12 At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire.
13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.
14 Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.
15 Then the channels of waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were discovered at thy rebuke, O Lord, at the blast of the breath of thy nostrils.
16 He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters.
17 He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me.
18 They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the Lord was my stay.
19 He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me.
20 The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.
21 For I have kept the ways of the Lord, and have not wickedly departed from my God.
22 For all his judgments were before me, and I did not put away his statutes from me.
23 I was also upright before him, and I kept myself from mine iniquity.
24 Therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness, according to the cleanness of my hands in his eyesight.
25 With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright;
26 With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward.
27 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks.
28 For thou wilt light my candle: the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness.
29 For by thee I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.
30 As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.
31 For who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?
32 It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
33 He maketh my feet like hinds’ feet, and setteth me upon my high places.
34 He teacheth my hands to war, so that a bow of steel is broken by mine arms.
35 Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
36 Thou hast enlarged my steps under me, that my feet did not slip.
37 I have pursued mine enemies, and overtaken them: neither did I turn again till they were consumed.
38 I have wounded them that they were not able to rise: they are fallen under my feet.
39 For thou hast girded me with strength unto the battle: thou hast subdued under me those that rose up against me.
40 Thou hast also given me the necks of mine enemies; that I might destroy them that hate me.
41 They cried, but there was none to save them: even unto the Lord, but he answered them not.
42 Then did I beat them small as the dust before the wind: I did cast them out as the dirt in the streets.
43 Thou hast delivered me from the strivings of the people; and thou hast made me the head of the heathen: a people whom I have not known shall serve me.
44 As soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me: the strangers shall submit themselves unto me.
45 The strangers shall fade away, and be afraid out of their close places.
46 The Lord liveth; and blessed be my rock; and let the God of my salvation be exalted.
47 It is God that avengeth me, and subdueth the people under me.
48 He delivereth me from mine enemies: yea, thou liftest me up above those that rise up against me: thou hast delivered me from the violent man.
49 Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
50 Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.
FEAR: CONCLUSION
The Bible is a powerful antidote to fear.
Faith in God and belief in His everlasting promises will conquer fear in all true believers. Faith is what enabled the martyrs to go cheerfully to their deaths with songs of praise and thanksgiving.
The words most commonly associated with affliction and persecution in the Bible are “glory” and “rejoicing.”
End Times Trials, Tribulations, Troubles and Disasters: Put your trust in Jesus!
Persecution, Tribulation, Troubles, Trials: What the Bible Says to Christians
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.“
—2 Timothy 1:7
Place your faith in the one who can deliver you from fear, doubt and apprehension. Put your trust in Jesus Christ.
Eternal Salvation Through Jesus Christ: Salvation Messages from End Times Prophecy Report
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by Jeremiah J. Jameson
–with Mondo Frazier
images: hyena reality, FreeDigitalPhotos.net
© Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report, 2012-14. © Mondo Frazier, DBKP and End Times Prophecy Report, 2007-14. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jeremiah J. Jameson and End Times Prophecy Report with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
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