Introduction

Years ago, when I was navigating a painful separation that eventually led to divorce, I was overwhelmed with fear, worry, and anxiety. Would he come back? Would I survive on my own? I didn’t even have a steady job! How would I pay for the bills, the insurance, the kids’ schooling? The car repairs? The house that was still in the middle of a remodel? I was terrified. Perhaps you’ve been there too—those moments when the bills pile up and the bank account can’t keep up, or when the phone rings with news that shakes you to your core.

These are some of the questions I wrestled with, and I believe the Bible has clear answers.

During that time, I spent months crying out to God in prayer, barely able to find words. I was consumed by worry, but then something clicked. I realized I was living in constant fear and anxiety, despite knowing that God told us not to worry. I had heard that there were 365 verses in the Bible that say, “Do not fear.” That’s one for every day of the year! So, I decided to take a deeper look at what the Bible really says about fear—and I dove into every verse I could find on the topic.

This study became a part of my daily worship for several months. Instead of reading books by human authors, I decided to turn directly to the Bible. Using an online search tool, I looked up every verse containing the words “fear,” “worry,” “afraid,” and “anxiety.” What I found was nothing short of transformative. God spoke to me in ways I had never heard before. The answers I found were thorough, specific, and easy to understand—much more than I expected.

To keep these posts digestible, I’ve broken this series into several parts. The upcoming titles will include:

It’s worth noting many of the “do not fear” verses in the Bible actually refer to people or nations who “do not fear” the God of heaven. However, there are still plenty of verses which directly address the fear and anxiety of daily life. We will explore many of them in this series.

Now, let’s dive into Part 1!

Faith vs. Fear

Fear. Worry. Anxiety. These are emotions we all experience at times. While fear can be a natural response to danger and a gift from God to keep us safe, ongoing fear, worry, and anxiety tend to be more paralyzing, clouding our minds with uncertainty. The Bible is full of commands of “do not fear” and “do not worry,” so why does God warn us against these emotions? If fear can sometimes be a helpful, natural instinct, why does God tell us not to have fear and worry? Is fear a sin? How can we overcome it?

In Galatians 5:22-23 (KJV), we read about the fruits of the Spirit: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” Notice two of the fruits listed are faith and peace—both of which directly counter fear and anxiety.

Throughout Scripture, we find instances where God commands people to have faith and not to fear. For example, during a famine, the prophet Elijah was sent by God to a widow and her son, who were about to make their last meal. When Elijah arrived, he told her, “Do not fear; go and do as you have said, but make me a small cake from it first, and bring it to me; and afterward make some for yourself and your son.” (1 Kings 17:13 NKJV). Despite her fear and dire circumstances, she chose faith and obeyed. Miraculously, they had enough flour and oil every day until the famine ended. Her act of faith resulted in provision.

In Mark 4:40, Jesus rebuked His disciples for their fear during a storm: “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (NKJV). Jesus directly links fear with a lack of faith. It seems faith has the power to push out fear.

The Bible also makes it clear fear does not come from God. Romans 8:15 says, “For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” And in 2 Timothy 1:7, it says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” These verses are incredibly clear: fear does not originate with God.

Instead, Jesus offers us His peace: “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27 NKJV). If God gives us peace, but not fear, then where does fear come from?

To answer this, we go back to the beginning—the Garden of Eden. Fear first entered the world after Adam and Eve sinned. When God called out to Adam, he responded, “I was afraid.” (Genesis 3:10). Fear, then, is a result of sin—and sin, ultimately, comes from Satan. Therefore, fear is rooted in the enemy’s work, not in God’s will for our lives.

If fear doesn’t come from God, and God commands us not to fear, it’s clear that fear is not good for us. So, what are the results of fear? And how can we overcome it?

(Click here for Part 2)

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