How to Handle Fear {Part 1}

Hello Living Free in Him friends!  I am so thankful you have come here today to see what the Lord has laid on my heart.  I have been working on a Bible study on the subject of fear.

Fear and I go way back.  We were pretty cozy for about thirty years!!  Then I finally had enough of him! Fear of rejection consumed me and he is not a good companion.   He was a bad friend and it was time to kick him to the curb!  He reared his ugly head back into my life about 6 months ago when I was faced with much rejection at one time.  However, I decided he could not stay.  He is not welcome in my life and he had no choice but to go!  So, when I found out the Proverbs 31 In the Gap Bible Study needed writers for a study of fear, I jumped at the chance-- the chance to study on something I needed to overcome and hopefully help others do the same in the process.

I looked at three heroes of the Bible to see how they handled fear.

This week, I thought I'd share with you a little of what I found in God's Word. We will look at one hero today and then the other two later in the week to see how they were victorious over fear and how we can apply the truths that helped them overcome into our own lives to help us beat our fears.  

The first hero is David.

Keep this train of thought in mind: belief-faith-courage-action-success.

In 1 Samuel 17, we find David about to face the giant Goliath. Now, Goliath was huge. He was nine and a half feet tall, and you can bet he worked out! When David heard about this giant who threatened the Israelite army, he asked, "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine, that he should defy the armies of the living God?" David showed no fear. He knew God was on his side. He had seen how God had helped in the past and knew He would help him in this situation ( 1 Sam 17:35-36). David faced the giant and spoke to the giant, "The battle is the Lord's, and He will give you into our hands." (Can't you just hear the faith in his voice!)  

We too have giants we need to face. They may not be physically nine feet tall, but they can seem just as insurmountable.  Like David, we need to know some things before we are ready to face our giants. What did David know? What was it that made him so ready and EAGER even to face this giant with certainty that he would come out victorious?

1. David knew His God. He spent many hours in the presence of the Lord. Before David was a giant slayer, he was a harp player. He spent many hours singing and praising the Lord in the middle of the meadow. David had a strong relationship with the Lord, which fed his confidence.

2. David knew his God was with him and would help him. He drew confidence from past victories. "Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, seeing he has defied the armies of the living God." (1 Samuel 17:36).

3. David knew who he was. He knew God was on His side and that he was in the army of the Living God.

We see the train of thought--belief-faith-courage-action-success—as David beat Goliath.  He believed God was with him, he had faith that God would help him, he courageously faced the giant and spoke to the giant, threw a stone and won the battle!

We don't have a stone to throw but we have the Sword of the Spirit, God's Word, as our weapon!  When we come up against a giant or fear, we can speak the Word of God to overcome and fight the battle.  God will fight our battle.  David knew God was with him.  God is with you and He is for you. When you think about it, we have the Living God and His armies fighting for us!  In comparison, all giants are tiny!

We don't need to get cozy with fear, we need to throw a stone at it and toss it to the curb!  It has been a bad friend, the kind we don't need hanging around.

Power Verses: 

 1. “Then all this assembly shall know that the LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you into our hands.” 1 Samuel 17:47

2.  "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."  Romans 8:37

3. “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

What is a giant in your life?  Do knowing any of the truths above help you believe God will help you overcome that giant?  Or is there another truth in scripture that you could use to overcome your fear?  When you see how David was able to stand confidently against his giant, which are do you need to grow stronger in (Knowing God, Believing God is for you, or Knowing who you are in Christ?) and how can you do that following David's example?  Please share in the comments.  I'd love to hear from you.

On Wednesday, we are going to look at another hero, Joshua, and how he handled fear.