“See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 1:21

We all encounter circumstances in our life which cause us to experience fear. These could be mental, physical, or spiritual struggles. The men and women in the Bible were no exception. They, too, experienced fear. Think of the disciples rowing on the Sea of Galilee or David battling against Goliath. Fear and the courage to conquer it are mentioned often in God’s Word. But it’s important to remember the role of faith in conquering fear.

Joshua and Caleb were men of faith. When they and the other spies left Kadesh Barnea to enter the land of Canaan and inspect the land that God had given them, their fellow spies were afraid. But not Joshua and Caleb. They didn’t let fear keep them from God’s plan for the people to enter the Promised Land. Nor did they let fear convince them to disobey His commands. While others rebelled against God, Joshua and Caleb remained steadfast in their faith in God and His promises, and they were eventually blessed because of it.

Deuteronomy 1:21 says, “Do not fear or be discouraged…”. Then, verse 30 goes on to tell us why. “The Lord your God…He will fight for you.”

“Yeah, but that’s easier said than done where you’re in the middle of a fearful situation.”  That’s true, but that’s why it’s so important in be in God’s word and building our relationship with Him regularly.  That builds understanding and trust.

Psalm 27:1 is a wonderful promise 

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” – Psalm 27:1

This confidence in the Lord comes from investing in our relationship with the Lord. When we spend time with our Heavenly Father, the fears in our life subside. When we study His Word, we see how He protected His children from their enemies and worked miracles on their behalf. We become confident in His unchanging love and care for us.

Our God is all-powerful. He is with us no matter where we are or what we are experiencing. He alone makes the unfamiliar familiar and transforms our fear into peace. Let’s allow these truths to settle into our hearts and minds so that when fear comes, we can be confident knowing who our God is.

The only known antidote to fear is faith.
            – Woodrow Kroll