Every morning we wake up and listen to the world shouting its troubles. We open our laptops, our front doors, and our newspapers, and the weight of tragedy and evil land heavily. How could anyone not be afraid?
But living afraid is limiting. Rather than reaching out, we pull our energy in to protect ourselves from every threat — real or perceived. With this mindset, it is impossible to show the selfless, generous love Jesus models for us.
When you feel overcome with fear, read these 10 scriptures — and remember the promises God makes — to help you live free from fear:
1. Psalm 118:6
The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
The promise: God is consistent. The most important part of you is something no person can ever threaten — your soul. In Christ, our souls are secure. Nothing can separate us from that love.
2. Hebrews 13:6
So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”
The promise: God helps his people. This refrain is repeated three times in the Psalms and then again in Hebrews. We are not afraid because God is consistent and promises His help. His powerful love far exceeds any evil we will face on this earth.
3. Deuteronomy 5:5
Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God himself will fight for you.
The promise: God is involved. From Genesis to Revelation, God makes it clear that He is not a far-off, distant deity, but an involved and personal God. This means we do not have to live like all of our decisions and disappointments are on our shoulders. God fights for us even (and especially) as we are still in His presence.
4. Romans 8:15
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.”
The promise: God sends us his indwelling Spirit. Our identity as sons and daughters of God is stronger than our former, fearful identity. We have access to a daily, devoted relationship to the living God because of this gift.
5. Proverbs 3:21, 23-24
My son, preserve sound judgment and discernment . . . Then you will go on your way in safety, and your foot will not stumble; when you lie down, you will not be afraid; when you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
The promise: God provides us with direction. He has not left us along in this world to figure it out on our own. He gives us His Word and His Son as the example and the instruction we need to live free of fear. When we know His Word, we know His peace.
6. Isaiah 12:2
“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
The promise: God is supremely strong. Because God has saved me from death, because He gives me strength, I can choose to trust. In times of fear, I can repeat these promises as a prayer and ask God to help me sing about salvation rather than ruminate on worries.
7. Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
The promise: God declares us worthy. Through His grace to us — in our daily provision and in the promise of His Son — God says we matter to Him. Jesus came and declared us worthy — so important to the Father that Jesus sacrificed His own life for our sins. The living God of the universe is on our side. How can we fear anything when we know this truth?
8. Isaiah 8:11-12
The Lord spoke to me with his strong hand upon me, warning me not to follow the way of this people. He said: “Do not call conspiracy everything that these people call conspiracy; do not fear what they fear, and do not dread it.”
The promise: God provides us a different way. Long before 24-hour news networks, God knew we would be drawn to live in fear like those who don’t know Him. We must acknowledge this temptation and pray that God would give us a spirit of boldness rather than dread.
9. Matthew 14:27
But Jesus immediately said to them, “Take courage! It is I. Do not be afraid.”
The promise: Jesus gives us courage. Our courage to face fear doesn’t come from inside of ourselves; it is something we have access to because of Jesus’ presence in our lives.
10. John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your heart be troubled and do not be afraid.
The promise: Jesus gives us His peace. As a result, we do not have to rely on our circumstances aligning just right before we are free from fear. Even in the most difficult of situations, Jesus promises to give us an otherworldly peace that allows us to stand strong no matter the trial.
Written by: Nicole Unice
