When I was a child, I used to be afraid of many things. One of my biggest fears was thunderstorms. Due to the loud cracking noise of thunder and the flashes of lightning, I would jump out of my bed at night and run to my mother. It took many years before I became accustomed to the scary thunderstorms that would roam our city.
Flash forward to now, I’m an adult. I am no longer afraid of thunderstorms—I actually love them. I am fascinated by them and I always love to watch the lightning flashes from the window. While my family have been mystified by my radical change of approach to thunderstorms, I am glad I am no longer afraid of them. I know that they are part of God’s creation and He is in control of every storm.
Rather than having a heart of fear when a clap of thunder comes, I am amazed by the beauty of the Lord. Thunderstorms are fascinating and beautiful—only if you are not afraid of them. This is why we have to start living lives free from fear. Once we leave fear behind, we will be able to live abundantly. No longer will we be held back by our fears.
Through this 3-day Bible study, we will be able to learn how to trust the Lord with our fear, give our fears over to Him, and live in the freedom that He died in order for us to have. Fear is difficult to navigate; however, we can overcome it with the help of the Lord. He is always with us and He will be walking with us every step of the way. Try to take this Bible study slowly and complete each day as you digest it. There is no reason to rush as the main idea is to truly allow the Word of God to change our lives.
Day One: Trusting the Lord & Talking Back to Fear
The Bible tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). As the Bible tells us, we need to trust the Lord and lean not on our own understanding. Instead of giving way to fear, we need to trust Him. No matter what fear you are facing today, trust God with it. Rest in the beauty that God is more powerful than any fear.
Think about whatever fear you are facing today. Maybe this is seeing your loved one in a nursing home or signing the final divorce papers. Anything that you are afraid of today, trust the Lord with the fear. He cares about you, and He will give you comfort (1 Peter 5:7). Trusting the Lord is often overlooked, yet the more we trust in Him, the less fear will reign in our hearts. Trusting the Lord and feeding into fear cannot coexist.
By choosing to trust God instead of feeding into your fears, you will truly experience freedom. No longer will your life be controlled by fear. Instead, it will be safe and secure in the hands of God. You can be confident because of the Lord. Fear wants to ruin our lives and make us ineffective for Christ, but we don’t have to give it the satisfaction of watching us fall.
Stand up and talk back to the fear. The best way to talk back to fear is by reflecting on passages of the Bible. Whenever you are afraid, turn to the Bible. God says “fear not” 365 times in the Bible—this is one time per day. Remember this truth when you are afraid. God is constantly telling us to fear not because He is in control. He sees even the smallest of sparrows fall to the ground (Matthew 6:25-34).
God cares about even the smallest of sparrows, therefore, we do not need to doubt His love for us. Instead of worrying and allowing fears to rise in our hearts, we need to reflect on what God has told us in His Word. Remind yourself of His protection and His faithfulness, “Whoever goes to the Lord for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, can say to him, ‘You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust.’ He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers and from all deadly diseases. He will cover you with his wings; you will be safe in his care; his faithfulness will protect and defend you” (Psalm 91:1-4).
Challenge Questions:
- What fears are you struggling with today?
- What would it look like to trust these fears in the hands of Jesus?
- Does fear dictate your life in a way that you are unable to do activities of daily living?
Day Two: Giving All Fears Over to God
Fears will consume us if we allow them to. They will keep us isolated from the world and from many new experiences. Rather than living in freedom, we will be living in a prison to fear. God does not want us to live as a slave to anything. He has set us free through the death, burial, and resurrection of His Son (Ephesians 1:7).
Stop allowing fear to control your life. God is your only God—not fear. If we keep giving fear so much power in our life, it will become our god. We have one God and He is the God of the Bible. The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit is God. We can trust in Him and rest in the promise that our fears will be carried.
You don’t need to hold onto your fears anymore. Give them over to Jesus and trust Him to help you heal from this fear. Keep your heart focused on Him rather than the fear. Fears have no part in our lives as Christians because they cause us to doubt God. No longer do we need to allow our hearts to be troubled by fears. The Lord died in order for us to truly live, serve others, and follow Him.
A life of slavery to fear will not accomplish this. Turn to God, give your fears to Him, and start living in confidence. God is with you and He won’t ever leave you. Rely on God's goodness, support, and faithfulness.
Challenge Questions:
- Fear can quickly turn into a prison. What would it look like to be set free from this prison?
- What has fear taken away from your life? How can you regain this through the power of the Lord?
- How can you give Jesus your fears today?
Day Three: Living in the Freedom of Jesus
We can stop allowing fear to ruin our lives by living in the freedom of Jesus. Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” As the Apostle Paul tells us, Jesus has set us freed. We do not need to be burdened by the yoke of slavery to fear anymore. Fear does not have to control us any longer nor do we have to allow it to ruin our lives.
Through Jesus, we have true freedom. Live in the freedom of His love today. He will be your refuge, protect you, and keep you safe (Psalm 121:7-8). Fear has no place in our lives because fear is the opposite of faith. Cultivate your relationship with Jesus and grow closer to Him. The more you grow closer to Him, the less likely you will be given to fear. Instead, you will have a trusting bond with the Lord and you will be confident because of Him.
We can face the scary things of life because God is with us (Hebrews 13:5-6). The fear that is gnawing at your bones today can be relieved by turning to Jesus. Truly trust Him with your fears and trust that He will protect you. Jesus will never fail you nor will He abandon you. Fears will continue throughout our lives, but we are not without armor.
Put on the full armor of God when fears come your way and fight back against the attacks of the enemy (Ephesians 6:10-18). Satan is often the source of our fear and we don’t need to allow him control over our lives. God is more powerful and stronger than the devil. He will keep us protected from the evil one. Focus on the goodness and strength of God. Never doubt His power.
Fear no longer has to control you. Choose to live in the freedom of the Lord today by trusting Him, talking back to the fear, giving your fears to Him, and ensuring He is the God of your life—not fear.
Challenge Questions:
- What does true freedom look like to you? Are you currently experiencing this freedom?
- How can you put on the full armor of God today?
- Fear no longer controls you. By knowing this, does it change your outlook for the future?
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Vivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate: https://cultivatechristianity.wordpress.com/.