How You Can Defeat the Giant of FearSample

Your Fear-Defeating Promise

So far, we’ve looked at two things that fear does to you: it steals from you, and it lies to you.

But there is a powerful antidote to fear, and that’s what we’ll explore today. First, I want to encourage you with another truth.

Many people don’t want to tell you they struggle with fear, but they do.

So if you have fear in your life, know this, you’re not alone. You’re not the only person facing fear.

More importantly, you are also not without help or hope. You can defeat fear – and that’s the third truth about fear I want you to understand.

Fear is defeated by faith.

What is faith? Faith is simply believing God.

It’s believing what God says. God says something, and you say in response, “Yes, Lord. I believe what you have said, what you have promised. I chose to step out on the rock-solid foundation of your word.”

I often tell people that truth is not what you think, truth is not what you feel, and truth is not what you see. Truth is what God says.

Faith says, “God, I believe what you have said.”

And what has God said? Today’s reading from Hebrews gives us that answer.

God promises He will never leave you or forsake you. He won’t leave you hanging, and he won’t leave you to go it alone.

When the Lord comes in, he comes in forever. He is always going to be with us. Faith believes what God says, and faith knows that God has promised never to bail out on us. For every dark and scary valley, we travel in life, he is with us every step of the way.

The reading in Hebrews tells us repeatedly that God will not fail you or leave you. It’s repeated again and again. Why?

Because at the very heart of fear is the feeling of being alone. That is truly man’s greatest fear.

The question is not “Are you afraid of the dark?” The question is, “Are you afraid of being alone in the dark?” All of us are afraid of being alone.

That is why my daughters came to my bedside when they had nightmares. When they were sick, they went to my wife’s side. When they were scared, they came to me. I was cool with that arrangement. I would much rather deal with fear than vomit!

And when they came to my side of the bed and whispered, “Daddy, I’m scared,” I would say, “Come in bed with me.” I would put my strong arms around my daughters when they were shaking with fear. As soon as they felt my presence and protection, their fear melted into peace and safety.

What happened? What made the difference? I mean, it was still dark. They still had a bad dream. But now dad was in the mix, and they were no longer alone.

The Lord is with you always. What does God say to us when we are afraid? As you read in the scripture, the Lord always reminds us,“Do not fear, I am with you.”

That is what he told Joshua. Joshua was getting ready to fill some pretty big shoes because Moses, the Israelite leader for 40 years, was now dead.

Joshua was afraid.

And in today’s reading from the book of Joshua, we hear God’s comforting response to him. He tells him to be strong and courageous because the Lord will be with him wherever he goes.

God is saying, “No need to be shaking in your boots (or sandals, in Joshua’s case); I’ve got you.”

He says the same thing to you and me.

And when you believe what God says, when you have faith in that promise, your fear is no match for your God.

Questions:

1. How does believing that God will never leave you or let you down encourage you in the face of fear? Ask God to help you believe his words today.

2. What is something you would do if you truly had no fear of failure? Is God calling you to step out in faith and do that right now?