Bible Verses About Fear to Help You Stand Amidst Storms

Everyone has fears, and no two people have the exact same fears. We react in interestingly unique ways to the things that cause us fear. Some people steer clear of their fears altogether, while others confront them head-on, by watching scary movies, going on roller coasters, jumping out of airplanes, or reading Bible verses about fear. Fear is a natural emotion that we all feel, and it can exist on a scale from mild all the way to debilitating.

Depending on the types of fears you have and how severe they are, your fears might hold you back from performing daily tasks or advancing in important areas of your life. The Bible provides us with much wisdom regarding fear, and that wisdom can help us as we try to overcome our fears and live boldly in the freedom that only Jesus Christ can give us.

What causes our fear?

We have all felt fear at some point in our lives, and in most situations we are able to isolate the cause of our fears. In general, fear is a complex emotion that may not always have a single primary cause.

Experiences such as trauma may become the source of future fears, while other fears arise due to the physical symptoms they cause. For instance, heights might make you feel dizzy and nauseous, which can lead to a fear of high places. In other situations, fear may represent fear of an entirely different experience altogether, such as a fear of losing control.

In addition, fear can be triggered by many different things. For instance, it can be triggered by specific things or objects, such as dogs, spiders, snakes, flying, or high places. Or it can be triggered by specific situations, like meeting new people or being in public. Or it can be triggered by more abstract situations, such as fear of the unknown, fear of the future, or fear of failure.

How fear works in our bodies

However our fears arise, fear itself plays a key role in our survival, helping us to beware of danger and deal quickly and efficiently with hostile situations. Whether the danger is physical or psychological, the sequence of events within our bodies goes something like this:

The amygdala, an almond-shaped bundle of neurons in the center of the brain plays an important role in the processing of emotions, including fear, and begins our fight-or-flight response toward danger. The amygdala signals another brain structure called the hypothalamus, which in turn activates the pituitary gland.

The pituitary gland, which is where the endocrine and hormone systems meet, triggers the body’s release of cortisol and adrenaline, and as a result, your blood pressure and heart rate increase, as does your breathing rate.

Additionally, blood vessels such as those in your skin constrict, while more central blood vessels dilate to send oxygen and nutrients to vital organs. At a metabolic level, the levels of calcium and white blood cells in the bloodstream increase, and there is also a spike in the levels of glucose in the blood, which provides the body with energy should it be needed.

Your muscles receive blood to prepare them to react to the situation. Your muscles tense, including the muscles at the base of each hair, causing goosebumps.

When we feel afraid, we experience both emotional and physical symptoms. Some of the more common emotional signs of fear include:

• Feeling overwhelmed.
• Feeling like things are out of control.
• A sense of dread or impending doom.

Other, physical symptoms of fear include:

• Trembling.
• Upset stomach and gastrointestinal distress.
• Dry mouth.
• Chest pain.
• Chills.
• Nausea.
• Shortness of breath.
• Rapid heartbeat.
• Sweating and clammy hands.

Bible verses about fear

The Bible has so much to say about fear, and one of the most common things that God says to people is “Do not be afraid.” The world can be a scary place, and it’s not as though the dangers one faces there aren’t real.

However, despite these realities, God still says “Do not be afraid.” No matter how big the problems before us are, God is bigger. No matter how powerful our foes, God is sovereign. Even death, which swallows everyone up, has been conquered by God through Jesus Christ.

As a result, fear is dwarfed in comparison, and its power over us is stripped away as we grow in the freedom of Christ. Danger still exists, but it cannot take away what matters most about who we are.

There are many stories and Bible verses about fear, but this article will focus on one particular story. This story took place not long after God’s people had been miraculously rescued from slavery in Egypt and delivered into the land God had promised them.

His power and presence were with them, and He had shown them His care for their needs by providing them with water and food. God then instructs them to explore the land, and He calls them to enter it. This is where the problem began.

They entered the land to scout it out and saw that it was a bountiful land. However, they quaked at the inhabitants of the land, saying their cities were fortified and large. This is how the ten scouts described themselves and their situation:

But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are…We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”‘ (Numbers 13:31, 33 NIV).

Interestingly, there were two other scouts that also gave a report – they too had seen that the land was good, but they didn’t arrive at similar conclusions to the other ten scouts. We read,

“Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, ‘We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.’” (Numbers 13:30, NIV).

However, the ten scouts and their fearful report won the crowd. We’re told in the next chapter that the people began grumbling. What’s fascinating is that the people then go on to ascribe evil motives to God. They said,

“If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:2-3, NIV).

God had just rescued them from slavery in a loving and just response to their groaning under their harsh Egyptian taskmasters. And now, they seemed to think God was only bringing them into this good land to kill them. What’s going on?

We find out what’s really going on in the next few verses. The issue is fear! They saw the obstacle before them, and it seemed insurmountable. The two other scouts who had also gone into the land tore their clothes with grief, and they said this to the people:

“The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” (Numbers 14:7-9, NIV)

The issue was the people were afraid of the inhabitants of the land, and they did not trust in God’s ability to help them succeed. They feared man more than they feared God. Unfortunately, their fear of man won the day, and God’s people decided to rebel against Him.

It resulted in disaster as all the people that decided to rebel against God died during the 40-year wanderings in the desert and they never entered the promised land. Of that generation, only Caleb and Joshua, the two scouts who trusted the Lord to help His people, entered the land.

What fear does to you

Just from this story in Numbers, we can learn a few things about what fear does to us.

Fear can magnify a problem

Fear can warp your perception of the problem. The ten scouts said they saw giants in the land. But 40 years later, when another generation was tasked to enter the land, they encountered no giants. The reason for that is that there were no actual giants in the first place.

Fear minimizes your resources

The Israelites saw the problem, but they didn’t see the resources they had on their side because of fear. They discounted the fact that they had God on their side, and they even began to ascribe evil motives to God.

Fear derails you from your purpose

Instead of moving forward with the task they’d been given, the people turned aside from it and failed to fulfill their mandate because of their fear. They perished in the desert in which they sought to find refuge.

Learning to cope with fear

So what do we do when we feel afraid? It’s possible to cope with fear in daily life, bringing the emotional, physical, and emotional symptoms of fear under control. Some of the ways you can cope with your fear include the following:

Use your social networks

Build a support network of friends and loved ones. These are people you can talk to about your fears, and they can help you manage your fear.

Get healthy

This includes getting good sleep, eating well, and getting regular exercise to elevate your mood.

Be mindful and grateful

It helps to know how to be present and mindful. Instead of dwelling in the past or worrying about the future, being more aware of where you are now, and being thankful for the gifts in your life can help you manage your fears and replace negative thoughts with more positive ones.

Relax

Using techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and visualization, as well as getting some exercise, you can reduce your levels of cortisol.

When fear becomes too much – treatment for fear

Fear is a common, natural response to events or particular situations. There are times when fear becomes excessive, such as when it begins to interfere with your daily functioning. When this happens, it is called a phobia.

Depending on your symptoms, as well as their intensity and duration, your doctor can diagnose you and specify whether you have a phobia such as a generalized or other anxiety disorder. Phobias are often irrational, and they often require treatment from a mental health professional. But there is hope!

Treatment for fear may include therapies such as exposure therapy, systematic desensitization, and flooding. These therapies help one to reduce the fear response by encouraging one to become familiar with their fear.

Cognitive behavioral therapy can also help people understand their own fears and counteract unhelpful thought patterns. If fear is preventing you from enjoying everyday life and fulfilling your purpose, consider making an appointment with a Christian counselor to begin overcoming your fear.