FEAR. We all have the capacity to make it our constant companion. Chronic fear can paralyze us, keeping us stuck in misery and brokenness. This is never more true than in the aftermath of a shattered heart! When the world turns upside down, it can be difficult to figure out how to reconcile fear and faith.
Sometimes, in that place of darkness, even the Bible can seem a bit confusing on the subject of fear. We’re told again and again not to fear, and yet we’re also told TO fear God. So from down in the depths of despair, it’s pretty easy to think ourselves in circles, and before we know it, fear has taken hold and spun out of control.
What we need to do is look at the whole Bible and compile what it has to say on the subject of fear so we can come away knowing exactly where we should stand.
So, for the next four weeks we’ll be facing off with fear as we jump into a comprehensive Bible study on fear and faith. The whole Facing Fear series can be permanently found here, and will be updated as we work our way through.
Chronic Fear
Most of us know, or have at least noticed that anxiety and depression seem to be on the rise. It’s hard to go anywhere without seeing or hearing something on the subject. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the United States. They say these disorders affect 40 million adults in this country alone! (Click to read more.) And the statistics don’t change much in the world at large with the World Health Organization reporting 1 in 13 adults suffer from anxiety globally.
I wish I could say this struggle with chronic fear lessens within the church. Sadly, that doesn’t seem to be the case. In fact, if these numbers from LifeWay’s Facts & Trends research are accurate, the numbers might even be higher in the church. (Click to read.)
Granted, there are far bigger issues at play here than just fear and faith. For some, the struggle with chronic fear is physiological and requires medical treatment. But often, even with treatment, countless people never manage to get control of their chronic fear. I believe this is because the issue is almost never one dimensional.
Getting medical help to balance out of control chemical production in the brain is a great start, but if we don’t figure out how to get to the source of the fear, the solution will be short lived.
Benefits of Facing Your Fears
The benefits of a life without fear hardly have to be stated. I’m sure we can all agree that if we could find a way to live at peace, the benefits would be incalculable. But in order to achieve peace, we have to find a way to deal with our fear.
Of course, if we’re looking for solutions to overcome our fear and anxiety, we’ll find no shortage of suggestions. Everyone has a theory on how to get there. Whether it be essential oils, guided meditation, that magic diet, aromatherapy, the perfect exercise regimen complete with yoga, or a hundred others, countless experts offer hope.
Certainly, there are benefits to some of these solutions, and many actually can help balance the physiological elements involved in chronic fear, anxiety, and depression. But I believe a lasting solution has to go deeper.
The Bible is clear. True and lasting peace can come only from God. If we’re going to enjoy a life of peace, free from fear and worry, anxiety, and all the rest, we have to face our fears, get to their source, and surrender them to God.
Facing Fear
That’s why, in this series, we’re facing fear. We’re standing toe to toe with that ugly monster, and reminding it who sits on the Throne of Heaven! He is the same God who has made His temple in our own hearts! And this is what HE tells us about fear:
John 14:26-27 – But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative – that is, the Holy Spirit – He will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you. I am leaving you with a gift – peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.
God tells us there is a peace that comes from Him which cannot be matched by any other means. That’s what we’re looking for in this series. We want to know how to find that peace.
We don’t just want to know it exists, but how we can claim it. How can we go through life without being troubled or afraid because our fear and faith have balanced and we have peace of mind and heart?
Get these beautiful Scripture writing pages to go along with this Facing Fear Series and use them to help personalize the Scripture in this Bible study on fear and faith. Just click the image to get yours.
How to Overcome Fear Biblically
Believe it or not, the Biblical solution to fear begins with a well developed, healthy fear. That is, the fear of the Lord. The Bible teaches us it is the beginning of wisdom. If we have any hope of conquering our chronic fear, we have to learn to understand what it means to fear God. Then, we have to establish a strong fear of the Lord within our hearts.
Psalm 112:1 – Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying His commands.
So next week, that’s where we’ll start. We’ll dig through Scripture to find everything we can on the subject. Hopefully, by the end, we will fear God in exactly the way He wants us to.
Fear and Faith
After that, we’re going to look at some Biblical accounts of people who overcame fear. We’re going to see what we can learn about fear and faith from people who were given such great faith that it silenced some pretty mighty fears.
If faith begins with the fear of the Lord, and faith is the catalyst to lasting peace, then we want to study the Bible in order to grow our faith so big no anxiety or worry stands a chance!
A Bible Study on Fear and Faith
Finally in the last week of this Bible study on fear and faith we’re going to look at God’s repeated command of comfort to His people throughout the Bible, “Do not fear.”
What are the particulars that go along with His reassurance? What promises does He make to guarantee the trust we place in Him is well founded? When He says, “fear not,” what reasons do we have to comply?
I believe by the end we’ll have everything we need to choose faith over fear. We’ll be fully equipped to live a life at peace. Of course, we’ll still have to choose to act on that information. We’ll still have to CHOOSE faith. Even with all the right information, it’s still possible to remain paralyzed by fear, but it won’t be because God hasn’t given us everything we need to move past it. It will be because we have chosen to allow fear to keep its grip on us. May we all choose faith!
*Find the whole Facing Fear Series here.
20 thoughts on “Facing Fear: A Bible Study on Fear and Faith”
This is exciting, Cherith! I’m looking forward to your study. Fear is very real in our lives. Choosing faith is the only way. When I lost my limbs the only way I could cope was by choosing the Lord. I never could have gotten through without Him!
I am sure the battle with fear has been very, very real for you Wendy! You face challenges most of us will never even know. I’ve had to face my own set of fears through our circumstances, and I agree with you that I never could have gotten through a second of it without God’s help. As the Scriptures say, “He silenced all my fears!” I truly believe I would not still be alive if it weren’t for His presence in my life!
I am looking forward to this series! Fear and anxiety are very real and crippling to many of us and that includes in our Christian walk. I believe that faith is a choice. We choose to believe, but so often we try to take control of our lives back.
No doubt Heather! I have already learned so much as I’ve been researching and writing this series. I believe God has a lot to teach all of us about fear and how we can have a healthy relationship with it. It is my prayer that this series will be used by Him to help more than just me discover at least some of it! 🙂
I’ve being greatly blessed by this article on fear and faith. I thank God for reminding me again about His peace of mind He has assured us. I’ve been strengthened again no matter what. God bless you for this message or our time
I’m very excited for this series! Fear and anxiety are real and is an issue for many myself included. As hard as I try to break the hold fear has on me it can get the upper hand at times. I know this stems from my 15 year abusive marriage but those memories can be difficult to stop. Great ministry you have here Cherith
Thanks Angie! Yes, I know fear is a very real issue for many of us! I have had my on and off struggles with it, but there are two people in our house who have major struggles with it. I hope God can use this series to show all of us a few things to help us gain some ground in our battles with fear!
This will be a wonderful study. Fear is so pervasive. Our society promotes it as a way to make us conform. And, as you pointed out so skilfully, fear abounds in Christians as well. The fear of God is almost never talked about so it will be wonderful to have you expand the subject.
Fleda, I find it interesting that the subject of fear is such a mainstream issue, even in Christian circles, and yet, you’re right, we almost never talk about the fear of the Lord. It’s a little frustrating, because I don’t believe victory over fear is possible without a very strong and healthy fear of the Lord!
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I just have to say that not only do you write beautifully, you are one heck of a graphic artist. Such beautiful pins! Thank you for the clear and concise breakdown!
Thank-you Alice, that is very sweet. A lot of the photography for this series was done by my daughter. When I have an image in my head of what I’m looking for and I can’t find it from my usual resources, I just ask her and she makes it happen for me. I am very fortunate to have a very talented photographer at my disposal. It makes the job of designing graphics a lot easier!
Cherith, looking forward to this series and can’t wait till next week to read what the Lord has deposited in you about fearing Him. Loved this ::: “We don’t just want to know it exists, but how we can claim it. How can we go through life without being troubled or afraid because our fear and faith have balanced and we have peace of mind and heart?” I love how you not only let the reader know that God has peace, joy etc for them but you take the time to hear the Lord in how to lay out the way for your reader claim it for themselves. Love this sweet friend! ❤
Thank-you Donna! I am learning so much as I write this series! The research through Scripture has been such a blessing to me. I pray God will help me to communicate what He is teaching me in a way that it will help others as well.
Fear is such a strong emotion. Love this study on fear and faith. Honestly, I wrestle with the times when fear is a result of anxiety – which is a mental illness I struggle with or when it’s not trusting God and I have control over it… Either way, This was so encouraging!
Totally understand the difficulty in this Tiffany! I struggled with severe anxiety for a short time due to some physiological changes after my hysterectomy, coupled with some circumstantial issues that sent me into some deep pits of imbalance. I believe medication literally saved my life. But even after the chemicals had been dealt with, I still had to learn how to apply healthy mental disciplines to my life in order to gain control of my fears and submit them to God. Sorting it all out wasn’t easy, I doubt it ever is. But God is faithful!!!
This is such a timely topic! I just wrote a post on fear’s ugly relative, worry. It really dominated my life at one point. I liked that you gave a shout out to the things that give us momentary relief (breathing exercises, etc), but I know from experience that lasting peace is only possible by laying my fear at the feet of Jesus and leaving it there! Looking forward to this study!
Thanks AnnMarie, you are right that worry is a VERY close relative of fear. Please feel free to post a link to your study on worry here in these comments too!
Reading your article on ‘Facing Fear’, Now I can face Fear with the power of Holy Spirit. Faith drives away Fear and vice versa. So let Faith reigns over God’s people so that fear of every thing will be gone.
Praise God Graceson! Thankful that God used this article to point you to the truth in His Word! God bless you!