How does the Bible address fear?

Quick answer

. The Bible distinguishes between the healthy fear of the Lord and the harmful "spirit of fear." Trusting in God’s perfect love and living in His spirit of power, love, and self-control frees us from fear’s grip.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

There are at least two kinds of fear mentioned in the Bible. The first kind of fear is the fear of the Lord, which is healthy and to be encouraged. The second kind of fear the Bible talks about is a "spirit of fear" (see 2 Timothy 1:7), which is a hindrance to our life and walk with God. As we fear the Lord in the way He calls us to, we can live out of love for Him rather than the spirit of fear that the Bible warns us against. God grants us a spirit of power, love, and self-control, not a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7). Remembering that perfect love, as noted in 1 John 4:18, casts out fear, makes fear lose its grip on us. Ultimately, overcoming the spirit of fear involves trusting in God and His love (Philippians 4:7).

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

Everyone has or will experience fear in their lives. Sometimes it's subtle and we don't realize that's what it is. We make other excuses for why we're not moving forward in areas of our life when the root is really fear. This is not what God wants for us. Overcoming fear is rooted in trusting God and receiving His love. Satan will do all he can to get us to doubt the love of God, often by using fear. Fear of the future, what people think of us, failure, you name it—when we believe lies of fear, it gets in the way of experiencing and living out of the freedom of God's perfect love. Confessing our fears to God takes the power out of its control over us and allows God to cleanse us from it (see 1 John 1:9). This is simply an active way we can trust God completely. The more we learn to trust Him and His love for us, the more we experience His peace (Philippians 4:7), and the less fear has any place in our lives.

UNDERSTAND

REFLECT

ENGAGE