fear

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?” – Psalm 27:1

One really crazy thing about fear is how real it feels, regardless if it’s rational. Fear can come at you when you least expect it and in ways you wouldn’t have imagined. A few months ago, I was waking up in the middle of the night racked with irrational fears. I prayed and asked God for His help and He revealed to me that I was watching a TV show that was making me fearful. I stopped watching the show and I stopped waking up at night fearful.

That’s the really great thing about God. When get to know Him,  it helps removes fear. As you know God better, you realize that He has the best in store for you. You begin to believe that He really will come through for you in every situation that you face. You can lean on His wisdom and guidance in every situation you face.

Today’s Bible verse is all about trust in God. When we place our trust in God, we have nothing to fear. There is nothing that comes your way that you’re unable to face and conquer with God on your side.

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So today choose to be courageous and face your fears. You know that you will come out on top when you begin to place your trust in God.

For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. – Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)

Have you ever been guilty of making decisions based on fear? Maybe you’re concerned about what your friends will think of you, so you give in to peer pressure just so you don’t lose face with them. Maybe you want to try out for the basketball team, but the fear of not making the cut keeps you from trying.

Fear is something we all face at times in our lives. And so you might wonder, is it possible to live a life that is free from fear? Today’s Bible verse seems to indicate that it is. God tells us not to fear. God wouldn’t tell us not to do something if it was impossible to do.

Many times, fear is based on the unknown. We might not know what will happen so we act differently, hold back, or stop in our tracks. This is the enemy’s ploy. He knows that if he can get us afraid we won’t do the things God is calling us to do. We will be afraid to tell others about Jesus, we won’t pray for the person going through a struggle or go on the missions trip God is calling us to go on.

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So if you’ve been bound by fear, choose today to face your fear head-on. Confront the fears and lies that have held you back. Determine that you will live courageously and boldly for God. Choose today to live fearlessly!

When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. – Psalm 56:3

What scares you the most? Is it performing in front of an audience? Speaking in front of others? Being alone?

Who you run to when you’re afraid shows a lot about who you trust most. If you run to a friend or a parent when you’re facing a scary situation, it shows that you trust that person to help you out.

In this Bible verse, the Psalmist talks about putting his trust in God. He has decided that God is going to be the person he goes to when he’s afraid. So how do you get to the place where you trust God enough to run to Him when you’re afraid? Many times it starts by getting to know God better. You begin focusing on all the things God has done in the past for those who loved Him.

As you focus on these things, it builds faith in your heart. You begin to trust that God will do the same for you. You begin to put your trust in God. So if your trust in God feels weak, begin to spend time in the Bible. Find stories to read about how He came through for those who placed their trust in Him. As you do this, your trust in God will grow, and He will become where you run when you’re afraid.

If fear has been a real struggle for you, check out this great 5-day devotion to help you defeat fear!

Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. – Psalm 23:4 (NLT)

Do you deal with fear? Maybe there’s a situation at school that seems scary. Perhaps something at home makes you feel uneasy and you’re not really sure what to do about it.

The truth is we all deal with fear. However, we don’t have to let fear rule our lives.

Fear Goes When You Know…

One of the best ways to defeat fear is knowledge. When you read verses like today’s Bible verse, you begin to see how much God loves you and wants to walk with you through the difficult seasons of life.

Knowing this helps you defeat fear because you realize that you’re not doing it alone. Yes, there are times when it feels overwhelming. Yes, there are scary situations that are very real. But you’re not alone in those. You’ve got a God who loves you, who’s for you and who will help you with what you need each step of the way.

So today, take a breath. Realize that God is there and He’s not going to let you fail. You are a winner in Him. You will get through what you’re going through. And with God’s help, you can go through it with confidence, free from fear because you know God won’t let you down!

Here’s a recap video of all the lessons on fear this week!

Day 1 – Fear Feels Big
Have you noticed that fear always feels bigger than what you think you can handle? In this powerful devotion, you’ll learn that even though fear feels big, you’re not facing it alone. See how God can team up with you to defeat fear in your life!

Day 2 – Fear Speaks Loud
When you’re facing fear, it speaks so loud. It’s hard to see anything else or imagine ever being free from the fears that hold you back. Learn in this devotion how to drown out fear and see God move on your behalf.

Day 3 – Fear Stops At The Word

When God speaks, it has to come to pass. That means the things that God has promised you will happen! This devotion shows you how to stop fear with the Word of God!

Day 4 – Faith Holds You Steady In Fear

Fear will try to rock your world if you let it. Choose instead to cling to faith to combat fear. Learn how faith can be the anchor to hold you steady when fear tries to capsize your life!

If you’d like more devotions to stir your heart and challenge you to walk free from fear, check out last week’s devotions on fear.

The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh. – 1 Samuel 23:18 (NIV)

When things got fearful in David’s life, he was able to remain steady. Why? It was his faith in God. David was able to remain at Horesh because he knew what God had said, held onto that, and it enabled him to remain steady when things got scary.

Faith is what will hold you steady when things get scary in your life. You might fear tests at school. Perhaps your parents are splitting up and the idea of that scares you more than you’d like to admit.

Scary situations hit us all at different points in our lives. However, it’s how we deal with these situations that show our character. Who do you become when fear hits?

Faith Holds You Steady In The Midst of Fear

When fear hits, faith is the thing that will hold you steady. Your faith and trust in God, in His goodness and His faithfulness to bring you out, is what will keep you going.

So even if you’re in the midst of something that seems so big and so scary, know this. God is with you. He is for you. He will never leave you. You can hold on to your faith that God will bring you out.

Today don’t give in to fear. Don’t let fear bully you. Instead, choose to put your faith in God. Let your faith be what holds you steady even if things seem really scary.

Here’s a recap of this week’s lessons on fear

“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this.” – 1 Samuel 23:17

David is still in this crazy situation where the king wants him dead. Fear is coming at him from all sides and David is struggling with what to do.

In the middle of his struggle, his good friend Jonathan encourages him. Jonathan reminds him of what God had said about David’s life. God has promised David that he would be the next king. So even if things look bad at the moment, the truth remains that David is going to be the next king.

Now it was up to David to believe that truth and begin to use that to combat his fear.

Fear stops at the Word

The truth is that when God speaks, it has to come to pass. God had told David he would be king. That means that David had to live. What God speaks has to happen.

The same is true in your life. God has given each of us words from Him. We have promises in the Bible or things that He has spoken to our hearts. Those words have to come true because God can’t lie.

That means that your fear has to stop at God’s word. It doesn’t matter what it looks like or what you see. Fear stops when you begin to believe what God says. God speaks the truth. So if He said it, it has to happen.

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Your fear has to stop at God’s word. So find promises in the Bible that speak to your fear. Speak God’s word to combat fear and see God come through in your life!

If you’re a youth group leader looking for resources to share with your youth group this fall, check out our lesson on fear. It’s yours totally FREE in our youth leader resource center.

Here’s a recap of this week’s devotions on fear

Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the lord means safety. – Proverbs 29:25

How many times have you been guilty of fearing people? Maybe you don’t talk to certain people during lunch because you’re afraid of what others might think. Maybe you wear certain types of clothes so that people like you better. These are just two simple examples of fearing people.

Fearing people is something that we all do from time to time. However, if we give into the fear of what others think it will trap us. We can become afraid to take a risk, or afraid to do the right thing because we don’t know what someone else might think of us.

Instead of fearing others, we should be focused on trusting in God. Trusting in God will keep us safe and keep us doing the right thing. Choose today, regardless of how hard it might seem, to set fear aside and trust in God.

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Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety. – Proverbs 29:25 (NLT)

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of fearing others. You might choose to be quiet when your history teacher makes fun of Christians. You might look the other way when someone is being bullied in the hallway. Or perhaps you act a certain way that goes against what you believe because it makes you feel more popular.

Today’s Bible verse tells us that fearing others is a dangerous trap. If you live your life to only please others, you’ll never be truly happy. You’ll always have regret or guilt because you’re not living the way you know you need to live.

It is hard to stand up for what is right. It’s hard to face those who might make fun of you or bully you for what you believe. Taking a stand takes courage, but taking a stand is what is right. When you take a stand, you’re putting your trust in God. When you take a stand for God, its never easy, but it will be what is right in the long run.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand. – Isaiah 41:10

What do you need? Do you need encouragement? Do you wish you had more friends? Is there something that is causing you to be afraid? If there is, you’re in luck. This verse is an encouragement for anyone who puts their trust in God.

God is telling us in today’s Bible verse that He will be what we need when we face hard times. God is the answer to our fear. He’s the answer to your discouragement. He’s the answer if you’re tired and need strength. Whatever you’re facing right now, God is your answer!

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That’s great news for us. If we make God our Lord, He will take care of everything we need. So today, whatever your need is, take some time to remind yourself of how good God is. Focus on how much He loves you and wants to take care of you. God will hold you up when you need help.