Tag: Fear

Fear – Joshua 10:1–15

Joshua 10:8 (NIV)
“The Lord said to Joshua, ‘Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.’”

Joshua 10 places us in the middle of Israel’s entrance into the land God promised them—a moment that often feels uncomfortable to modern readers. Yet the text itself makes something clear: this is not portrayed as a story of raw military conquest or strategic superiority. Joshua is badly outnumbered. The kings of the region recognize the threat not because Israel is powerful, but that they are punching far above their weight. The victories that follow are not credited to strategy, strength, or even courage, but to God’s direct intervention.

Verse 8 is the hinge point of the passage. Before swords clash or tactics unfold, God speaks. His command is not first about action, but about fear: “Do not be afraid.” That instruction is grounded in a promise already settled—“I have given them into your hand.” The outcome is spoken of as accomplished before the battle is fought. Joshua is asked to move forward in trust, not because the odds favor him, but because God has already gone ahead.

It is easy to keep this kind of passage at a distance by labeling it “ancient history.” Meanwhile, we face our own battles—smaller in scale, but no less intimidating. We often see only our limitations, our lack of leverage, or the complexity of the situation. What this passage challenges is the instinct to assume that difficulty means abandonment or defeat.

Now, not every promise given to Israel is a direct promise to us, but the pattern is unmistakable. God repeatedly calls His people to act without fear when obedience places them in impossible situations. Victory, in biblical terms, is not the absence of struggle; it is the presence of God’s faithfulness in the middle of it.

This passage invites a deliberate choice. Fear or trust. Paralysis or obedience. When God says, “Do not be afraid,” He is not minimizing the danger—He is asserting His authority over it. For us, that means learning to face overwhelming situations with confidence not in outcomes we can control, but in a God who already sees the end.

Fear – Psalm 27:1

Psalm 27:1 NIV
“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”


David opens this psalm by asking a question that almost answers itself. If the Lord truly is his light, his salvation, and his stronghold, then fear no longer has a rightful place at the center of his life. This is not a denial that enemies exist or that danger is real. Other psalms make clear that David was well aware of threats, betrayal, and suffering. The difference here is perspective. Fear is no longer the controlling force; trust is.

The fear of the Lord that Scripture commends is not dread or panic. It is reverent trust—an acknowledgment that God alone has ultimate authority, power, and wisdom. That kind of fear actually displaces other fears. When God is seen rightly, enemies shrink to their proper size. Problems remain serious, but they are no longer ultimate.

David does not move immediately to strategy or solutions. His deeper desire is closeness with God—dwelling in His presence, worshiping Him, and finding joy there. That priority reframes everything else. Security is not found in frantic action or clever plans, but in communion with God.

For me, the temptation is often not fear itself, but self-reliance. When problems arise, it is easy to rush toward control, activity, and fixing. Yet this psalm calls for stillness before action. Trust precedes effort. Confidence flows from knowing who God is, not from how capable we believe ourselves to be.

Sometimes the most faithful response is not to grasp for answers, but to stop, re-center, and remember: the Lord is the strength of my life. Fear does not get the final word.

Fear & Courage – Psalm 31:19–24

Psalm 31:24 (NIV)
“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD.”

David writes this psalm from a place of having come through distress. This passage is about fearing God, not man, and then taking courage because God will protect and provide. God saw, protected, and provided—even when it felt impossible. What begins as a cry of need resolves into confidence and praise.

This is not a shallow optimism. David does not deny danger or suffering. Instead, he testifies that God’s faithfulness extends even into moments where rescue seems unlikely. Because of that experience, he turns outward at the end of the psalm and calls others to be strong and courageous—not because life is easy, but because the Lord is trustworthy.

For me, this passage is a reminder that strength is not found in self-reliance or clever plans. It is found in trusting God’s character. Fearing the Lord does not mean living in anxiety or dread. It means recognizing who He is—and who I am not. God does not ask me to outmaneuver my problems. He asks me to place my hope in Him, knowing that He sees more, knows more, and can act where I cannot.