Question 1

What can I do when I am overcome with fear?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 46:1-2God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.We should know and remember that God is greater than the most severe threats in life. We will not be overcome by trouble if we recognize sin’s influence and ask God to stay close to our side. He promises to be ready to help us when we ask.John 14:27“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.”We should know and remember that God promises to comfort us and give us the confident assurance that he is with us in any circumstance.Deuteronomy 31:6“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”Romans 8:38-39I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.We should know and remember that God is always with us. A situation may be genuinely threatening, but God has not abandoned us, and he promises to stay with us. Even if the situation is so bad that it causes death, God has not left us but has, instead, ushered us into his very presence.Ephesians 1:3All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ.We should know and remember that no enemy or adversity can take away our most important blessings: the forgiveness God gave us for our sins, our relationship with him, and our eternal salvation. These remain secure even when our world falls apart.Revelation 22:5There will be no night there—no need for lamps or sun—for the Lord God will shine on them. And they will reign forever and ever.We should know and remember that as Christians our destiny is eternal victory! Present hardships and heartaches are temporary. We can go forward with the confidence that we are on the winning side.Matthew 6:26-27“Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?”Philippians 4:6-7Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.Worry can never change the outcome in a situation—but prayer can. We should pray with a thankful heart, asking God to give us what we need to deal with our fears. Peace is not the absence of fear but the conquest of fear. Peace is not running away but overcoming.2 Timothy 1:7God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.We should realize that our fears are opportunities for us to develop greater faith as we call upon the power of God to help us.Genesis 26:7When the men who lived there asked Isaac about his wife, Rebekah, he said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “They will kill me to get her, because she is so beautiful.”Joshua 17:16The descendants of Joseph responded, “It’s true that the hill country is not large enough for us. But all the Canaanites in the lowlands have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shan and its surrounding settlements and those in the valley of Jezreel. They are too strong for us.”We should know and remember that we are not meant to live in fear. If we know we are acting in accordance with God’s will, we can move forward with confidence.

Question 2

What does it mean to fear God?

Accepted Answer

Job 13:11“Doesn’t his majesty terrify you? Doesn’t your fear of him overwhelm you?”Psalm 33:8Let the whole world fear the Lord, and let everyone stand in awe of him.Psalm 128:1How joyful are those who fear the Lord—all who follow his ways!How can fearing God make us joyful? Fearing God is not the same as being afraid of God. Being afraid of someone drives us away from that person. Fearing God means being awed by his power and goodness. This draws us closer to him and to the blessings he gives. Fear of God is like the respect we have for a beloved teacher, coach, parent, or mentor who motivates us to do our best and avoid doing anything that would offend them or provoke their displeasure. We fear God because of his awesome power; we love God for the way he blesses us with it. This brings great joy!Psalm 2:11Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling.Because God is so great and mighty and because he holds the power of life and death in his hands, we should have a healthy, reverent fear of him. A healthy fear of God recognizes his holiness and how far we are from it. We should rejoice that instead of the judgment we deserve, he gives us mercy and forgiveness! A healthy fear should inspire humility and repentance, driving us to God for forgiveness.2 Corinthians 7:1Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.A healthy fear of God motivates us to strive for holiness.

Question 3

What can I learn from fear?

Accepted Answer

Proverbs 9:10Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.A healthy fear of God leads us to respect his Word and his way—the foundation of all wisdom.Deuteronomy 31:7-8Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, “Be strong and courageous! . . Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”Joshua 1:9“This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”Fear can be good if it teaches us about courage. Joshua couldn’t have truly understood courage if he hadn’t experienced fear. Fear grew his courageous character and taught him to rely on and trust in God.

Question 4

When does fear control me?

Accepted Answer

Genesis 26:7When the men who lived there asked Isaac about his wife, Rebekah, he said, “She is my sister.” He was afraid to say, “She is my wife.” He thought, “They will kill me to get her, because she is so beautiful.”Joshua 17:16-18The descendants of Joseph responded, “It’s true that the hill country is not large enough for us. But all the Canaanites in the lowlands have iron chariots, both those in Beth-shan and its surrounding settlements and those in the valley of Jezreel. They are too strong for us.” Then Joshua said to the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, the descendants of Joseph, “Since you are so large and strong, you will be given more than one portion. The forests of the hill country will be yours as well. Clear as much of the land as you wish, and take possession of its farthest corners. And you will drive out the Canaanites from the valleys, too, even though they are strong and have iron chariots.”Fear is controlling us if it keeps us from doing what we should do. We are not meant to live in fear.

Question 5

How can I confront the sources of my fear?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 27:1-3The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble? When evil people come to devour me, when my enemies and foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though a mighty army surrounds me, my heart will not be afraid. Even if I am attacked, I will remain confident.Romans 8:31-32If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else?Fear can come from those who try to intimidate us. The Scriptures constantly remind us not to focus on the mortal creatures who threaten us but rather on our Creator who loves us. God is for us. Instead of fearing others, we can face them with courage and confidence because we know their limitations are no match for God’s power.Matthew 14:25-31About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here!” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”Because of his faith in Jesus, Peter was brave enough to step out into a stormy lake. But then he began to sink. Why? Peter turned his eyes to the wind and the storm rather than to Jesus standing tall above the waves. When we fix our eyes on God, we can be confident despite the raging of life’s storms.

Question 6

How does God deal with threats against me?

Accepted Answer

Psalm 91:1-7, 11Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. . . . For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.This passage of Scripture has been a constant source of encouragement throughout the centuries. It reminds us that, while the threats in this world seem endless, the promise of God’s eternal protection is infinitely greater.Luke 12:11-12“And when you are brought to trial in the synagogues and before rulers and authorities, don’t worry about how to defend yourself or what to say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what needs to be said.”John 16:33“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”Even though we are faithful—perhaps because we are faithful—we will face tough situations. We should take heart because God is with us. As always, we can call on God for courage to speak the truth confidently, and he will give us the words to speak.Isaiah 41:10“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.”God’s presence calms our panic. God’s care is the antidote to our despair. God’s power confronts our problems.

Question 7

How can I heal from a fear-based relationship with God?

Accepted Answer

1 John 4:18Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.Our past experiences with authority figures can shape how we relate to God. If we’ve seen a parent, teacher, or pastor as someone to fear, we may unknowingly project that fear onto God.  However, Scripture assures us that God’s love is perfect. While fear pushes us away, love always invites us closer.1 John 4:8But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.The more we know God through his Word, the more we see how much he truly loves us.Psalm 23:6Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.Psalm 139:17How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!Romans 5:8But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.The gift of God’s Son, Jesus Christ, is the ultimate expression of God’s love for us. And the gift of the Holy Spirit assures our hearts of that love.Romans 12:2Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.Building trust in God’s love takes time. Just as forming deep trust with a friend requires time and connection, so does growing in faith. Be open with God about your fears, immerse yourself in His Word, and invite the Holy Spirit to reveal His perfect love to your heart.