At one time or another, every one of us has had to deal with fear in some form. However it presents itself, fear has the ability to shut us down and paralyze us. Usually, it keeps us from moving forward and doing what we know is the right thing. Fortunately, we have God’s promises to protect and deliver us when we’re the most frightened.

Studying the Bible, we see hundreds of places in both the Old and New Testaments in which God tells His people not to be afraid, because He is with them. There are plenty of opportunities to be fearful in everyday life, but we can rely on Him to bring us through when we’re facing a crisis. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness…For I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee” (Isaiah 41:10, 13). The sheer number of times God says this in one way or another is significant.

Our old adversary, the devil, has used fear against us ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3:10). It took God sending His Son to earth to finally free us from fear once and for all. He did this out of His perfect love for us. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins…And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him…There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:9, 10, 16, 18, 19).

Letting fear define our lives isn’t living; it’s simply existing. God wants the best for us, and living in fear is against His will for us. The enemy wants to steal our peace, our joy, and everything that makes life worth living. Jesus died and was resurrected to defeat this evil emotion in our lives permanently. “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

Whatever the situation may look like, seem like, or feel like at the moment, we don’t have to respond to it in fear. When we let God influence our mind, we feel ourselves shifting gears mentally from the worldly realm to the spiritual. Just before Jesus went to the cross, He gave the disciples a promise linked to a commandment. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid” (John 14:27, NLT). In the battle against fear, the type of peace He gives us turns the tide in our favor.