Overcoming Fear – Scriptural Ammunition

One of the key ways to overcome sin is to meditate on the Scripture. Jesus overcame Satan in the wilderness by speaking the Word of God from Scripture, and we can too.

Fear is one spiritual power that many Christians are bound by. So we need to know all the keys to overcoming fear. There is good ammunition against fear in the Old Testament Scriptures as well as the New Testament. I would like to mention some of them. I hope you will use them in your battle against fear, if that is a problem for you.

SAY:

“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)

It makes sense to me that if the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY is my light and salvation there is no one I need to fear. Not even the devil himself. if God stands between me and Satan, then I have nothing to fear.

If the Lord is the strength of my life, then I have enough strength to defeat any demon, any circumstance, any sin, any threat. Praise the LORD!

A lot of our troubles with fear come because we are out of touch with the reality that God is with us. If we will only go after the Spirit of God enough, and get filled with Him, we will be conscious of God’s comfort and strength much more than any tormenting spirit like fear.

When you type “fear not” into Bible Gateway, you get 150 references with the New King James version, not 366, as the popular quote suggests. But God really only has to say it once. We ought to take it seriously if He just says it once.

Isaiah 41:10 says:

“Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Again, take time to quote this Scripture many times if fear is a problem you have. Get it into you. Sing this word to a catchy tune if you can.

The whole point is that if GOD is with you, there is no good reason to be afraid. God is more than a match for anything in the created Universe. If He strengthens you and empowers you, and upholds you, things are going to turn out well for you. So don’t be afraid.

I think its important to consecrate yourself to God fully if you want these promises to work for you. After all, if you are willfully holding onto darkness, there might always be that lingering doubt about God’s help. Why should God be with you if you are not wanting to be with Him all the way?

God will deliver you from your enemies, but not if you make them your friends. If you make friends with your demons, you can’t expect God to free you from them until you change your attitude about them.

For example, if you prefer to be a fearful person because you think it will make you more secure by listening to the spirit of fear, then you are in a form of idolatry. Instead of deriving your security from God, and putting your trust in Him, you are trusting in a false spirit. Well, you cannot expect deliverance and victory if this is the place you are happy to camp out in.

There is a serious warning in the Bible about holding onto the spirit of fear. The Bible says,

“But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” (Revelation 21:8)

Cowardice is the choice to be controlled by the spirit of fear. Or, if you don’t know its a spirit, let us just say that it is the choice to be controlled by fear. This is where God calls you to be brave and do something, but you refuse to, because you are afraid.

Fear also has some cute forms. Some people call it being “shy”. Others say they are “timid” or “embarrassed”. That is why they won’t speak up for Jesus, testify or publicly identify with the Lord. Its a dangerous place to be actually. I’m calling it out here, because I want all my beloved friends in Christ to be courageous and live boldly for God.

Here are more promises to overcome fear:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Anything God commands us to do can be interpreted by God as a promise to enable us to do it, if we are willing to be willing.

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will  have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Peace (shalom) is a condition of well-being in which everything is in right order. It won’t be when we are in fear. Jesus told us to be of good cheer. He has already overcome the world, and He is with us by His Spirit.

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)

It is this Spirit of power, love and a sound mind – the Holy Spirit, who delivers us from every spirit of fear when we give place to Him.

Just because God has not given something does not mean it impossible to receive it from Satan. In the same way, just because God HAS given every spiritual blessing does not mean that we have automatically received it – only that it is available if we will follow the Spirit of God and believe.

“Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. ” (Exodus 14:13)

There comes a moment in which deliverance seems impossible, yet God will deliver you.

“Then I said to you, ‘Do not be terrified, or afraid of them [giants].” (Deuteronomy 1:29)

When God is with you, even giants will fall.

So it shall be, when you are on the verge of battle, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. ³ And he shall say to them, ‘Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of battle with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; ⁴ for the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.’ (Deuteronomy 20:2-4)

Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you. (Deuteronomy 31:6)

We are to be strong in God. Its a command in the New Testament as well – see 2 Timothy 2:1 and Ephesians 6:10 for example. We need not be afraid of being abandoned, even if we have experienced that in our natural life before coming to Christ. God will not forsake us.

Be strong and courageous; do not be afraid nor dismayed before the king of Assyria, nor before all the multitude that is with him; forthere are more with us than with him. (2 Chronicles 32:7)

God can even deliver us from great and powerful military leaders.

“I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around.” (Psalm 3:6)

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. (Psalm 56:3)

Trusting God is a choice we can make even in the presence of fear, and it will be a good choice for us.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, (Psalm 91:5). Read the whole of Psalm 91 for ammunition against fear. It says:

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
² I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”

³ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler^[a]
And from the perilous pestilence.
⁴ He shall cover you with His feathers,
And under His wings you shall take refuge;
His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
⁵ You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
⁶ Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

⁷ A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
⁸ Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

⁹ Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
¹⁰ No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
¹¹ For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
¹² In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
¹³ You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

¹⁴ “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.
¹⁵ He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will deliver him and honor him.
¹⁶ With long life I will satisfy him,
And show him My salvation.”

Do not be afraid of sudden terror,
Nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes;
²⁶ For the Lord will be your confidence,
And will keep your foot from being caught.

Here is a great confession from Isaiah 12:2 that you can quote:

Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’”

We should not be afraid of the conspiracies of worldly powers and rulers:

“Do not say, ‘A conspiracy,’ Concerning all that this people call a conspiracy, Nor be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled. (Isaiah 8:12)

God is the one who sees the future – and that is another reason not to be afraid.

Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.’ (Isaiah 44:8)

We should not be afraid of people, even powerful people:

“I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid Of a man who will die, And of the son of a man who will be made like grass?” (Isaiah 51:12)

It is God who comforts us. And the reality of that comfort is what enables us to overcome fear. We need what is referred to as “the comfort of the Holy Spirit”. This comes when we have the right kind of fear towards God, and not the fear of man.

“And walking in the fear ofthe Lord and in thecomfortofthe HolySpirit, they were multiplied.” (Acts 9:31)

There are many more Scriptures in the Bible that can be used in the warfare against fear. I suggest you continue your own study as well as meditating on the Scriptures above. Remember that sometimes we need deliverance from an actual spirit of fear. Do not be afraid to cry out to God for this deliverance if you need it. Remember though that it is ultimately the presence and love of God that drives out fear.

“There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:18)