Regardless of what you’re facing right now, it’s a matter of fear or faith. You get to choose. Fear is not from God. God gave us the truth in His word that we can use to fight back against fear and any other attack from the enemy. In this post, we learn how to talk back to fear using our faith.

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“Mom? I’m really nervous about this exam.”

“A little nervousness is okay…it prompts you to prepare, to study, to do your due diligence.”

He went on to explain, “I just found out about this exam today. This is more than a little nervous, Mom. I’m jittery, jumping out of my skin, nauseous, and I can’t think clearly. It’s almost like I’m panicking. I’m just overwhelmed by it all.”

“You’re right Hon, that’s more than just a little nervousness. That’s a spirit of fear yelling at you.”

“So what do I do about it?”

Fear cripples but God’s truth sets us free

“Fear cripples but God’s truth sets us free. Talk back to it! That is not consistent with what your Heavenly Father says. He has told you that He has not given you a spirit of fear, but instead of power, love, and a sound mind. You have the mind of Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwells within you. The Holy Spirit’s job is to remind you of all truth, and you have studied truth.”

“Okay…” told me he was following along.

“When you start to panic in fear, tell it ‘No!’ Then thank God that He hasn’t given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind. Thank Him that He promises in His word to keep you in perfect peace when your mind is kept on Him. Then keep your mind on Him, not on all the possible outcomes. He will take care of the outcome.”

“But I’m concerned about what it will mean if I don’t pass.”

“That’s when you need to tell those fears the truth, which is that God knows the plans He has for you and those plans are to prosper you and not to harm you and include a future and a hope. God’s not up in heaven wringing His hands wondering how you’re going to make it through, and what will He do if you don’t pass that exam! He already knows the outcome. And He promises to work ALL things together for our good and for His glory.

“I know it’s hard Hon, but you have a choice to make. You cannot serve two kingdoms at once. Either you trust God and His word, or you trust the enemy of your soul who is inflicting fearful thoughts into your mind. If we trust God, then we have to believe that He will work this out and He will keep you at peace while He is doing so.”

We chatted a few minutes and he relayed the specifics of the circumstances and the exam on the next day’s schedule.

Faith vs. Fear – what does the Bible say?

“Sweetheart, you need to find a scripture or two to cling to when those fearful thoughts come so you can tell that fear to go away because you are choosing to believe the truth in that Scripture instead. Something like Psalm 34:4, “I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.” Or “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you” (Isaiah 41:10). When you recognize fear assaulting you, refuse to entertain it, but instead quote applicable Scripture to refute it.

“Instead of focusing on the problem, keep your attention focused on the Problem-Solver. We become fearful, worried, and anxious when we take our attention off God and instead focus on our circumstances. The key to maintaining or regaining our peace is to keep our thoughts focused on God, just as we are told in Isaiah 26:3 (NLT) which says, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!”

I reminded him of the promise in 1 Peter 3:14 (NLT), “But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats.” We ended our conversation in prayer, refuting the spirit of fear and thanking God for His faithfulness in all things.

I knew the importance of the next day’s exam for my son’s future, yet I could rest my head on the pillow and go to sleep in perfect peace knowing that God held my son’s future in His hands, and He wanted only the best for him. God reminded me of the passage in Proverbs 3:21-26 (Living) to comfort this mother’s heart, “Have two goals: wisdom—that is, knowing and doing right—and common sense. Don’t let them slip away, for they fill you with living energy, and are a feather in your cap. They will keep you safe from defeat and disaster and from stumbling off the trail. With them on guard you can sleep without fear; you need not be afraid of disaster or the plots of wicked men, for the Lord is with you; he protects you.”

Trusting God in the midst of uncertainty

We raised our son to know and do right, and he had a good head on his shoulders. Wisdom and common sense would serve him well not only on this exam but in many life circumstances to come. God promised that as a result, God would protect him from defeat and disaster because the Lord Himself would accompany him and protect him.

Ambrose Redmoon said, “Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.” My son had to come to a place where he trusted his wisdom, common sense, and ability to recall all he had learned, but more importantly, trust his Heavenly Father for the outcome. I knew my son knew the material for his exam. This really wasn’t about that. It had everything to do with him learning that he could trust a faithful God and grow deeper in his relationship with Him. It was an opportunity for him to trust God in the midst of uncertainty.

The next morning, I received a text from my son, “Alright! I’ve got the right amount of nerves, but I’ve got confidence in God and His willingness to help me recall!”

I knew then that my son had put on his armor to fight against the spirit of fear and intended to win knowing that truly, “But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world” (1 John 4:4 NLT).

Regardless of what you are facing right now, it’s a matter of fear or faith, you choose. What will your choice be?

Because of Him, #PeacePrevails!

A prayer to fight fear with the truth of God’s word

May I pray for you?
Father, you know that in our limited scope, we become tempted to look at the circumstances that surround us, weigh heavy on us, and threaten to pull us under. I pray for the one reading these words right now, that you will help them fight back with the truth of your word. You have not given a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. Help them to hold tight to your hand, and stay focused on you, refusing to give in to the lying spirit of fear. You are our ever present help in times of trouble. Help them to be still and know you are God.
In Jesus’s name, Amen.

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