You’ll fail.
You’re a fraud.
You’re weak.
You don’t belong here.
These thoughts are classic markers of fear. We’re not talking about phobias – fear of things like snakes, spiders, or heights – but the fears that sneak into our hearts and roar like lions. What do you do when your fears make you want to freeze or freak out?
You need to start by asking yourself three questions: Is this thought true? Is it helpful? Is it kind? If you can’t say yes to all three of these questions, it’s time to recognize your harmful fears, remove them from your mind, and replace them with God’s truth. Here are 25 Bible verses to overcome fear and help you replace your fearful thoughts:
Bible verses about fear
“This is my command – be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9
“For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13
“But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary.” Isaiah 40:31
“Be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord!” Psalm 31:24
“But the time is coming – indeed it’s here now – when you will be scattered, each one going his own way, leaving me alone. Yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:32-33
“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” John 10:27-30
“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
“For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith.” 1 John 5:4
“I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.” Ephesians 1:18-21
“We put our hope in the LORD. He is our help and our shield. In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.” Psalm 33:20-21
“Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. Remember, O LORD, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past.” Psalm 25:4-6
“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10
“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.” Psalm 139:13-15
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17
“My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
“When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.” Romans 5:6-11
“For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory!” Deuteronomy 20:4
“But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57
“The LORD is king! He is robed in majesty. Indeed, the LORD is robed in majesty and armed with strength.” Psalm 93:1
“So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
“No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39
“For I hold you by your right hand— I, the LORD your God. And I say to you, ‘Don’t be afraid. I am here to help you.” Isaiah 41:13
“Think about what I am saying. The Lord will help you understand all these things.” 2 Timothy 2:7
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7
“God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:8-10
When the lies of fear get loud, come back to these Bible verses about fear to remind yourself where your help and peace come from. These verses serve as powerful reminders that even though we will have plenty to be afraid of in life, God is bigger than every single one of those fears. Your fears may roar loud, but with God, you can roar back!
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Looking for more help in your fight against fear? Here are some additional resources to help you quiet the roar of fear and recognize God's truth:
Message: Quit Fear
Article: How to Help Your Kids Overcome Fear
Article: 3 Ways We Can Hear God's Voice
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