One of the most oft repeated commands in the Bible is “fear not” (right up there with, “remember,” which says a lot about us). Two things stand out about this.
First, the frequency of the command indicates our propensity for worry, anxiety, and fear. We are prone to be like Peter when he tried to walk on water (Matthew 14): we step out in faith and immediately take our eyes off Jesus and look instead at the storms around us. So we fear.
Second, what is nearly always paired with the command “fear not” is a statement of who God is and what He is doing.
Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Psalm 118:6 – “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you;
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
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 hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Despite our constant fearfulness and worry, God makes it so clear that he is our perfect loving Father. He gently, firmly reminds us over and over again that he is with us, he is stronger, he is able, he is victorious, and he will always be so for us.
I originally wrote this post for my church, Immanuel Nashville, in our Daily Pulse email. If you want encouragement from God’s word delivered Monday thru Friday to your inbox, I encourage you to subscribe.
