Overcoming Fear

By: Keefe Wilson

Saturday, March 1, 2025

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

Fear is a natural human emotion that can strike when we least expect it. As a child, I was terrified of the dark, convinced someone was watching me from the shadows. This fear slowly faded over time—or at least I thought it had.

Years later, my grandmother passed, and we were staying at her house in the country. Her house was isolated and had no streetlights, so the nights at her house were pitch black. The night before her funeral I slept in her room. When the lights went out, the darkness seemed suffocating, and my old fear returned. I struggled, but I eventually drifted off to sleep—until I felt something heavy sit on the foot of my bed! Frightened, I reached out and felt an indentation on the bed like someone was sitting there. I yelled loudly, but no one else heard me... In the midst of that moment, the Holy Spirit reminded me of 2 Timothy 1:7, "God has not given us a spirit of fear." I repeated that verse over and over until I felt God's peace come over me. The moment my fear left; the weight lifted off the bed. To this day, I'm convinced God helped me overcome the Spirit of Fear that night.

Fear is one of Satan's greatest weapons. He uses it to distract, discourage, and paralyze us, hoping our fears will hinder God's plans. Like most people, Timothy occasionally struggled to face his fears. He was probably fearful due to some of the same reasons we have today. For example, the fear of losing our job, our home, or our health can keep us from trusting in God's promises. As Christ followers, we must learn how to overcome all our fears. Regardless of the reason, God's Holy Spirit gives us power, love, and sound judgment—and all of them are necessary spiritual resources to overcome our fear.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear... Psalm 46:1-2

Satan wants us to be consumed by our fear; God wants us to surrender that fear to Him. When we're afraid, God promises to be our protection and strength. Don't just read Psalm 46:1-2, stand firm on the promises in those verses. Do you have any fears you want to let go of today? The next time that fear arises, know that God is right there with you. His presence will overcome your biggest fear.

Don't let fear dictate your actions! Instead of fear, choose faith! Trust God, He has everything under control.