Turning Fear to Faith in God!

For many, the confusion and chaos of our world is adding to their level of fear and anxiety. They are concerned about their safety as well as the safety and welfare of their loved ones. In His Word, our Heavenly Father makes it clear that He knows what we’re up against, but He doesn’t want us to let fear or worry rule our hearts. Instead, He wants us to trust in His provision, protection, and care completely. Jesus Christ comforts us by affirming in John 14:27(NKJV), “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

It is impossible to have faith and fear at the same time, and as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we must choose which one guide our decisions in life. When faith guides us, we acknowledge our trust in God. When fear guides us, it is evident that we don’t know God as well as we should. Our Heavenly Father has all power in His hands. He is the Creator of everything, and nothing, not one detail slips by Him. Jesus Christ teaches us in Matthew 6:8 that God knows what we need even before we ask Him. He never abandons us, and He will not forsake us.

Luke 12:32 tells us that God loves blessing us, but when we’re on the fence and not fully trusting in Him, our lack of confidence detracts from the closeness that He desires with us. Faith is the way that God has provided to engage a level of intimacy in our relationship with Him that He desires. Hebrews 11:6(NLT) tells us, “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.” Our Heavenly Father is a Rewarder! This is Good News! So, instead of going further into doubt, He wants us to be even more revved up in our conviction to have faith in Him.

It is also important we recognize that fear doesn’t belong to God and His Kingdom. 2Timothy 1:7(NLT) tells us, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” God has given us His Holy Spirit as a gift. When we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior, we are no longer in the leadership role of our lives, Christ is. From this moment on, our protection, provision, and care are in his extremely capable hands. Sure, lots of things are happening all around us, and some of them can be unnerving, but our trust in God through Christ is a powerful shield. We are covered under His hedge, and we can have unshakeable confidence in this.

2Timothy 1:7 sheds light on the person of the Holy Spirit and informs us his empowerment. Because of the Holy Spirit, we don’t have to cower in a corner, but we can depend on God with boldness! Said another way, fear is the absence of the presence of the Holy Spirit, but faith is confidence in his power! Because of verses like this, we can discern when our thoughts, feelings, actions, and words are rooted in faith or fear. When they are, we are continually changing the way we think by renewing our minds to the truth of God’s Word. When they aren’t, we’re often consumed with anxiety and worry, and this keeps us from drawing as close to our Heavenly Father as we should.

Faith and fear are both very potent realities, because operating by either of them is going to yield results, but only faith in God will yield the kind of results we desire for our lives. Of course, a healthy fear instinct can help us preserve our lives by warning us of danger. It informs us to stay away from things that might hurt or harm us. But an unhealthy fear is anxiety and worry about situations and circumstances that haven’t taken place, yet we’re fearful that in the future they will. Fear can be thought of as believing something or someone above what God has said in His Word.

Turning fear to faith in God is a privilege—a gift that we give to ourselves. It places our hearts and minds at peace, but most importantly, it conveys our honor and reverence towards God. He is our Maker, Provider, and Protector, and He has empowered us through Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit to be more than overcomers. We are not defeated because we belong to God. These are no doubt perilous times, but this is not new to our Heavenly Father, and it’s nothing new with life on earth. So, let’s not make fear and anxiety a habit, but instead, let’s be diligent in prayer and make faith in God our constant state of mind and heart.■

Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

"Turning Fear to Faith in God!", written for victoryinjesuschrist.life. Copyright© 2024. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.