Faith: The Only Solution to Our Most Persistent Fears

The Bible addresses two types of fear: the fear of the Lord as a positive and reverential awe, and the fear stemming from anxiety or dread, which God calls us to overcome. The fear of the Lord brings wisdom and protection. At the same time, we are to cast off our fears of life’s threats and trust in God’s love. 

The fear of the Lord expresses deep reverence and respect for God. The Hebrew word often used for godly fear is yirah, which means awe and worshipful fear. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Reverential fear leads to wisdom and aligns our hearts with God’s truth. It reflects respect for God’s power, holiness, and authority. Godly fear doesn’t cause us to run from God but to show him proper worship. 

The New Testament uses the word phobos to describe both reverence and fear. Acts 9:31 describes how “the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria … was strengthened; and, living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.” Here, phobos indicates a respectful submission to God, and it fostered spiritual growth and strength. This kind of fear acknowledges God’s majesty and encourages believers to walk in obedience. 

The Bible also addresses fear as an emotion that can overwhelm and hinder faith. God constantly calls us to trust in him rather than bowing to fear. The Hebrew word pachad, meaning dread or terror, represents the negative version. As an example, God comforts his people in Isaiah 41:10 with, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Here, God assures his people they need not fear life’s chaos when God is with them. 

In the New Testament, the Greek word deilia refers to timidity or cowardice, often used to denote fear from a lack of faith. This deilia fear doesn’t come from God but from doubt.

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Fear becomes a destructive force, especially when it comes from a lack of faith in God. Fear distorts reality, leading people to make poor decisions and fall into sin, bringing destruction into our lives, both spiritually and physically.

We find a clear example of this in Israelite history as they approached the Promised Land (Numbers 13-14). Moses sent out twelve spies to explore Canaan, and although they confirmed the land was good, ten reported back with accounts of the people’s strength and dangers. They surrendered to fear. “We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” (Numbers 13:33) Their fear spread throughout the rest of the people, leading Israel to doubt God’s promise and give them the Promised Land. From this rebellion, they refused to enter the land and were condemned to wander the wilderness for 40 years. Their fear led to their destruction, preventing them from receiving the blessing. On the other hand, a whole generation’s bodies littered the wilderness.

Fear also hinders a person’s relationship with God. “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe” (Proverbs 29:25). Fear of human opinion, failure, or danger can trap a person in a cycle of cowardice and passivity, preventing them from following God’s will. In this, we trust what we see with our eyes or in the current situation rather than God’s Word, leading to spiritual stagnation or destruction.

Additionally, fear is closely connected to lies, as it often grows from a distorted perception of truth, driving people away from God’s promises and into doubt, anxiety, and even rebellion. Fear distorts the truth and creates deluded perception. Satan, the enemy of God, is the “father of lies” (John 8:44) and uses fear to deceive people into doubting God’s character and promises. In the Garden of Eden, at the beginning of all things, the serpent sowed fear and doubt into Eve’s mind by twisting God’s words, saying she wouldn’t die from the tree but “be like God” (Genesis 3:4-5). Her fear of missing out and desire for wisdom apart from relationship with God led to her and Adam’s disobedience, bringing sin and death into the world. Fear, rooted in a lie, led to destruction for all of us.

In our lives, fear magnifies lies and distorts God’s truth. As an example, fear of inadequacy causes us to believe the lie we aren’t good enough to be used by God. Fear of failure makes some believe the lie God will abandon them if they fall short. Fear of rejection leads a person to compromise their morals, believing the lie they need the approval of others more than God’s.

Thankfully, God gives the gift of faith, the ultimate antidote to fear. 

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Faith is central to a right relationship with God and essential for salvation and spiritual growth. Scripture continually depicts faith as a living, active force which transforms lives and pleases God. And the Bible doesn’t have two kinds of faith. There’s only one. 

The Old Testament uses the Hebrew word emunah for faith, which means firmness, steadfastness, or fidelity. Emunah expresses faithfulness and trustworthiness, both in God’s nature and our response. Habakkuk 2:4 states, “The righteous shall live by faith [emunah].” Faith goes beyond intellectual belief to a steady and obedient reliance on God’s character and promises, regardless of circumstances. 

The common word for faith in the New Testament is pistis, meaning trust, belief, or conviction, conveying certainty and assurance in God’s truth, the opposite of lies. Hebrews 11:1 gives a popular definition of faith: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” God’s faith doesn’t rest on the visible or tangible but on a confident trust in God’s promises, even without immediate evidence. God’s Word and Spirit proves evident enough. Faith connects hope and reality. 

We are saved through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), a gift from God not earned by our ability or effort but by trusting the truth, the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross. Faith becomes the heart of the Gospel. “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Faith carries conviction in the Lordship of Christ and God’s promises, especially the resurrection, bringing us eternal life instead of death. 

Faith must be active. Right relationship responds and produces works through us that reflect God, the object of our faith. James 2:17 explains, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” True faith leads to obedience. This faith pleases God (Hebrews 11:6), trusting God’s existence, goodness, and promises. 

Along with eternal life, faith brings us peace instead of fear because it shifts our trust from our circumstances to God. Instead of being consumed by fear or anxiety, faith reminds us God remains in control and he loves us. Rooted in God’s promises, faith calms our fears. We realize he is faithful and works all things for our good, even in chaotic situations. Faith, hope, and love give us his peace.

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Faith trusts in the unseen reality of God’s love, power, and truth, which leads to life instead of destruction. Faith opens our hearts and minds to the truth of God the Person, reminding us he is greater than any challenge we face. 

God is spirit, and therefore unseen. His greatest gifts remain unseen (love, peace, hope, etc.). Faith allows us to see beyond our immediate and trust in the unseen reality of God’s heavenly perspective. In contrast, fear of this world often focuses on the visible — our problems or things we can’t control. Placing our faith in God, we acknowledge his heavenly reality, including his perfect and complete plan and love, instead of our fears. 

The Father’s love powerfully dispels fear. 1 John 4:18 says, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.” Here, perfect also means complete, holistic. When we embrace God’s love through faith, we know he is for us and not against us. Understanding the Father’s love changes our fear into trust because God actively works for our good, both now and eternally.

Faith calls us to trust in God’s power and truth. When we focus on our abilities and limitations, in sight of the chaos surrounding us, fear paralyzes us. However, God’s love calls us to look beyond our challenges and trust his power. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Through the Spirit, God has equipped us with the power and peace to overcome fear. His power is greater than anything we might face. God’s gift of faith allows us to live confidently in that truth.

God’s truth, revealed through his Spirit and the Bible, fights our fears. Facing chaos, fear and the Devil often whisper lies that tell us we’re alone or God doesn’t care or couldn’t help us even if he did. Faith turns our attention to God’s Word.

Not only does faith help us overcome present fears, it also enables us to trust our whole lives, both now and eternally. When we place our trust in God, we know he holds our future on this earth and in heaven. Romans 8:38-39 teaches nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, not in death or life. The eternal perspective frees us from fear, since we understand God’s love and power transcends the grave. Our faith reveals that God’s plan includes not just temporary relief from fear but eternal life in his presence.

Peace.

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