Fear is a Liar

This morning, a friend texted me, shared some things she was struggling with, and then asked me to pray for her. Her text ended with – “I feel fearful to be honest (to share these struggles).” Have you been there? Have you ever thought, “I can’t share this (thought, behaviour, attitude) with anyone”? If we are honest, we aren’t afraid of the other person; we fear their reaction. What will they think of me? I assume every one of us has found ourselves fearful of what others might think or say at some point in our lives. We are human and want to be approved and applauded by others. We want to be chosen for the team, the promotion, the award, etc. To some level, this makes us feel safe. Satan (the “father of lies” – John 8:44) wants us to stay bound up in those fears. He wants us to believe we are without hope, alone, useless, and too far gone.

I assured my friend that I would pray for her and thanked her for sharing honestly with me and pushing past that fear. That is not easy! Staying stuck in our shame and brokenness and isolating ourselves is far easier. She wrote back to say she was searching Scripture for verses about fear and had titled the page in her journal where she was listing those verses Fear Is a Liar. That has been an anthem in my soul for several years now. There is a song with that title, and it is worth listening to (on repeat):

While listening to a song about fear is helpful, looking to Scripture is a better, more beneficial, transforming step. It really shouldn’t surprise us that God mentions fear so often in the Bible. (The word fear is found 443 times in the ESV.) God made us, and He knows everything about us. He is not surprised that we are prone to fear. Do you know what God says about fear? – FEAR NOT! This does not mean we won’t encounter fearful situations in life because we will. God doesn’t want us to suppress our fears or foolishly walk into dangerous situations. God instructs us to FEAR NOT because, as His children, we have the solid hope that the fearful scenario we are experiencing does not define us and will not last forever. What we see and encounter on this earth is temporary, but what is unseen (God’s ultimate power, protection, and love for us) is eternal (2 Cor. 4:18). God gave us His Word, and it is filled with hope we can cling to in moments (or seasons) of fear.

Here are two passages on fear that you could meditate on, memorize, or jot down on an index card. I challenge you to look up other passages on fear. God will speak to your heart as you come with a humble heart longing to be changed by the Truth of His Word. He will give us the strength and courage to respond differently.

Isaiah 43:1, 2 – “But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are Mine.

God not only instructs His people to say “no” to fear; He also equips us with the Truth about Himself that enables us to do so. Take a moment to reread those verses, focusing on who God is! He is our Creator; He formed us; He redeemed us; He knows each of our names; He claims us as His own!

1 John 4:18 – “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

This passage is about God’s love for His children. God loves us perfectly, forever, and unconditionally. His love is not dependent on our abilities or anything that we have done or not done. His love for us is based on what Jesus has done! “Fear has to do with punishment” – the Bible tells us Jesus took our punishment on the cross (Rom 3:21-31; Col. 2:13-14)! Ultimately, eternally, we have nothing to fear because NOTHING can separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8:31-39).

If you find yourself in moments or a season of fear, please know you are not alone. I would encourage you to cry out to God, express your fears, worries, and anxieties to Him and ask Him for His strength and courage (Josh. 1:9). Our ultimate hope in this battle against fear is found in clinging to the Truth of what we know to be true of God as revealed in Scripture. Study His Word; set your mind on things above. His Word is life; it brings light out of our darkness (Ps. 119:105, 130).