Why Does Hebrews 13:6 Say "The Lord Is My Helper, I Will Not Fear"?
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“So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:6).
Fear and confidence are two emotions we toggle between. However, we are not alone. Throughout Scripture, we find stories of people who, in one moment, showed great confidence in God, and the next moment they were filled with fear. I am sure we can all relate, at least I can. Since we face this challenge, how do we overcome it? Thankfully, the writer of Hebrews highlights a truth that should create a confidence in you that overcomes any fear.
What Does Hebrews 13:6 Mean?
To help you understand what Hebrews 13:6 means, I want to highlight three elements in this verse. There is a cause, an effect, and a reality. Let’s consider each one.
The Cause - The Lord Is My Helper
This is the cause that everything else in this verse hinges on. Without this truth, nothing else in this verse works. The first thing you need to do is allow this truth to sink into your heart.
The Lord is my helper.
That is a personal statement, and I would encourage you to spend some time meditating on it. The word “helper” means to bring the right aid in the time you need it. This means whenever you put your trust in the Lord as your helper, you can be confident he will bring the aid you need at just the right time. This truth sets up the effect in the next phrase.
The Effect - I Will Not Be Afraid
Because you know the Lord is the one helping you, then you don’t need to worry or be afraid. Sometimes this is where we struggle the most because there are many things in life that can create fear in you. I could list them, but I think you have a pretty good idea of what can cause fear in your life.
However, in the face of fear, you must remind yourself the Lord is your helper. So often, the reason we become afraid is that we focus on the problem and forget the Lord is our helper. In my life, every time I have taken my eyes off this truth that the Lord is my helper, it has always caused my anxiety and worry to go up.
When we magnify the problem, God seems small. But when we magnify God, the problem seems small. This creates confidence and helps you overcome fear. You know that not only will God bring the right aid at the right time, but he won’t leave you or forsake you.
That’s why the key to not being afraid in life is shifting your focus. You don’t overcome fear by telling yourself “I will not be afraid.” You overcome fear by reminding yourself “the Lord is my helper.” Because he is your helper, he will bring peace, provision, protection, or whatever you need. And he will bring it at the right time. It is only when this truth comes alive in your heart that you can honestly say I will not be afraid.
The Reality - What Can Mere Mortals Do to Me?
To understand this reality completely, we must consider it from both a temporary and eternal perspective. This verse is not saying that people can’t affect your life, because we know that is not true. The decisions and choices people make can cause tremendous pain in your life. That’s why you must also view this verse from an eternal perspective. When you strip life down to the things that really matter, what can a man really do to you? They can’t take away your salvation. They cannot rob you of your joy. While they may affect things of temporary value, they cannot take away anything in your life of eternal value.
- A man may take away your job, but they cannot take away the fact that God is your provider.
- A man may take away your earthly possessions, but they cannot take away your treasures in heaven.
- A man may even take away your life, but they cannot take away the fact that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.
When you view life from this perspective, you are grasping the truth of Hebrews 13:6. That’s why the writer can make this statement with boldness. The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid, for what can man do to me.
How Do We Reconcile This Verse with John 16:33?
In case you are not familiar with John 16:33, here it is:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
When you read John 16:33, it reinforces the truth that we find in Hebrews 13:6. Jesus is talking to his disciples, and he promises them they will have trouble in this world. But notice the reason he told them this – so they will have peace. This is another cause, effect, reality verse. The cause is Jesus has overcome the world. This leads to the effect of giving us peace in the face of the reality that we will have trouble in this world.
Hebrews 13:6 does not mean you won’t have trouble in this life. It means, just like this verse in John, that when you have trouble, you don’t have to be afraid. You can have peace amid life’s most difficult circumstances. Because Jesus has overcome the world, then you can say “what can man do to me?”
How Does This Verse Encourage Us in Our Daily Walk?
One thing Scripture should do in our lives is bring encouragement. So how are we encouraged by Hebrews 13:6 means? This verse is all about perspective. Sometimes, to get through the storm, we must look beyond the storm.
What challenging and fearful situation are you facing right now? Take a moment and think about it and maybe even write it down. As you look at that situation, you have two choices. You can put all your thoughts into worrying about how you are going to make it through, or you can put all your thoughts into remembering the Lord is my helper. One of these choices will amplify your fear and the other will build your faith.
The encouragement in this verse, as it is with all of life, is where is your confidence? Our confidence is often placed in temporary things, and we crumble when they are gone. That’s why your confidence should be in the eternal truth that no matter what happens in life, the Lord is your helper.
So, what does Hebrews 13:6 mean? It means since God is with you and will help you, there is nothing in life you must ever be afraid of. You may lose things. People may hurt and disappoint you. You may even suffer in this life. Yet despite all that, there is a God with you helping you through it all. No matter what you are facing today, put your confidence in him. The situation may not change immediately or may never change in this life, but know God will walk with you through it all. He will never leave you or forsake you. After all, the Lord is your helper and when you think about it, that is really all you need.
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