Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:6-9

            Fear has become an epidemic in our world today, and since our world has many dangers, people have legitimate reasons to be afraid.  Christians, however, shouldn’t live in fear as a way of life, because God’s amazing and awesome promises allow us to be at peace in every circumstance.

            For our protection, it’s true that God has instilled some natural apprehensions in us – like fear of snakes (my big issue) or deep or murky water. He also gave us a warning system so we could react quickly to danger.  Our bodies can be infused with adrenalin to escape a particular danger and to save our life.

            But a constant, all-consuming dread is unhealthy.  Most of our fears relate to dangers that might happen, perhaps threatening the welfare of loved ones, financial stability, or future security, or even our health.  Our attention is then centered on those concerns rather than on the One who promises to hold us in His hand (Isaiah 41:10).  As anxiety grows, trust in the Lord weakens, and we become consumed with worry.

            Instead of going down that route, we need to ground ourselves in Scripture and not allow apprehension and fear to blind us to God’s promises. We need to believe what He said in 2 Thessalonians 3:16, and ask the Lord of peace to give you peace at all times and in every way. 

            It’s amazing to know that we have a heavenly Father who has promised to care for us and work all things for our good.  Jesus said if we continue in His Word, we will know the truth, and it will set us free (John 8:31-32). But practically speaking…how do we live in that kind of freedom?

            Identify the Basic Root of Your Fears.  It’s fairly easy to recognize surface causes, but if we dig deeper, the root of our fear and apprehension is a distrust in God.  Yet the truth of His constant loving protection and His sovereignty over every situation in our life can chase away all our anxiety.

            Focus on the Lord Instead of Your Fear. Every time fear enters our heart, we must remember that we are in the hand of our almighty, all-knowing, loving Father.

            Meditate on the Word of God. This is a powerful step in overcoming anxiety because God’s Word is an immovable anchor for our life.  I will never leave you nor forsake you.  What a promise!  Do we believe it?

            In times of trouble, we must hold tight to Scripture because fear is shattered on the foundational truth of God’s Word – which never changes. I believe that when we learn to respond to our uneasiness in these three ways, we will live freely as our Father intended.