For years I suffered from anxiety. But not anymore! By submitting my life to Christ and his kingdom – through his Word – I have found freedom. By learning to live my whole life as an apprentice to Jesus, devoted to him alone, I have learned not to worry about the outcomes of events, what people think about me, or whether or not I succeed.
365 “Fear Nots”
It’s been said that there are 365 “Fear Nots” in the Bible, one for each day of the year!
There are actually more than 365 verses in the Bible guiding us in how we deal with “fear” (or “afraid”, “frightened”, “terrified”) and other verses on “worry,” “anxiety”, and related issues. We can be sure that 365 days a year the Lord says to us: “Fear not!”
Again and again in the Bible his promise to us is: “You will not fear… by day” (Psalm 91:5). I selected 31 of my favorite “Fear Not” Bible passages (from the NIV) and identified the “fearless truth” God is teaching us.
“31 Days to Freedom from Fear” is designed as a daily training program with Jesus to help us overcome fear and anxiety. If we train with Jesus in this way then we will grow in his peace.
How the “Fear Not” Training Works
Read, meditate on, and pray on one “Fear Not” passage per day for 31 days. You need to approach this like you’re taking your daily dose of medicine – because you are!
Each day write the “Fear Not” Scripture down on an index card so you can carry it with you all day. Re-read it and turn it over and over in your mind and let it lead you into personal prayers. Try to memorize the passages that especially speak to your struggles.
Talk to a friend about what you’re learning and the struggles you’re having. Pray together. Be “Christ’s Ambassadors” to one another (2 Corinthians 5:20).
If each day for one month you train with Jesus in this way – relying on his Word to help you submit yourself to his kingdom rule in your daily life – then you will make progress in learning to “Fear Not!” You will form new, godly habits of being ruled by the peace of Christ in all that you think, desire, say, and do (Colossians 3:15). You’ll learn to “let go” of trying to control things as you relax in the “easy yoke” of Jesus that brings rest to your soul (Matthew 11:28-30).
“If you do something every day for twenty days it will become a habit”
Anonymous
Start Making New Habits
"Fear Not's" for 31 Days" (click here.pdf)
Day 1 Fear Not: the Lord, Creator and Savior, calls you by name to say, “You’re mine!”
“But now, this is what the LORD says – he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine’” (Isaiah 43:1).
Day 2 Fear Not: Come to Jesus with tiresome burdens to rest in his care as you work with him
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).
Day 3 Fear Not: the Shepherd is with you to train you to find comfort in him
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4).
Day 4 Fear Not: Don’t be anxious – instead pray, ask, give thanks, be guarded by God’s peace
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
Day 5 Fear Not: Jesus’ way is to simplify: Don’t worry. Be like the birds and flowers. Seek God.
“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important…? Look at the birds… your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow…. Will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?… But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matthew 6:25-34).
Day 6 Fear Not: The fear of the Lord alone is the beginning of wisdom, not the end
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding” (Psalm 111:10a).
Day 7 Fear Not: God’s perfect love (which often comes through people) removes fear
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another… There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love” (1 John 4:11, 18).
Day 8 Fear Not: the Lord wants to hold your hand and help you
“For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, ‘Do not fear; I will help you’” (Isaiah 41:13).
Day 9 Fear Not: God wants to set you free from fear by being a Daddy to your inner child
“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption and by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father’” (Romans 8:15).
Day 10 Fear Not: If we live in the Lord’s light and salvation we need not fear any threat
“The LORD is my light and my salvation – whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life – of whom shall I be afraid?… Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident” (Psalm 27:1, 3).
Day 11 Fear Not: When you fear the Lord you discover that he is a compassionate Father
“As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him” (Psalm 103:13).
Day 12 Fear Not: Fearful hearts need encouragement to put hope in God’s help and justice
“Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you’” (Isaiah 35:4).
Day 13 Fear Not: Give up all your worries to God who cares for you
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
Day 14 Fear Not: The Lord’s ministering angels bring peace to those who trust Christ
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people’” (Luke 2:10).
Day 15 Fear Not: God is with you, strengthening you and upholding you
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).
Day 16 Fear Not: God doesn’t want you to suffer shame
“Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated” (Isaiah 54:4a).
Day 17 Fear Not: Practice being quiet before God; learn to be still in his presence
“Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).
Day 18 Fear Not: Jesus taught us not to fear people, but the God who cares for little sparrows
“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him. Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (Luke 12:4-7).
Day 19 Fear Not: Trust God – he won’t frighten you! He gives you power, love, self-control
“For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).
Day 20 Fear Not: Trust God who delights in you and bad news won’t scare you – you’ll overcome!
“Praise the LORD. Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands… He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes” (Psalm 112:1, 7-8).
Day 21 Fear Not: Call the Lord and he comes close and comforts your fears
“You came near when I called you, and you said, ‘Do not fear’” (Lamentations 3:57).
Day 22 Fear Not: The risen Christ brings peace to those who are hiding behind locked doors
“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’” (John 20:19).
Day 23 Fear Not: Rely on God to “work in” you and then “work out” of you
“Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:12b-13).
Day 24 Fear Not: To “fear God” is to worship him as glorious and holy
“Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed” (Revelation 15:4).
Day 25 Fear Not: Even in suffering you are blessed if you do what’s right and look to God
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. ‘Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened’” (1 Peter 3:14).
Day 26 Fear Not: Like Paul, accept your weakness, rely on God’s grace, be made strong in Christ
“Three times I [Paul] pleaded with the Lord to take [the thorn in my flesh] away from me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ …That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10).
Day 27 Fear Not: trust God to give you the words to say and you won’t fear public speaking
“Do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit” (Mark 13:11b).
Day 28 Fear Not: Step into God’s light – be true and honest – and he’ll empower you
“Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (John 3:20-21).
Day 29 Fear Not: Look to Jesus for the gift of the Father: the Spirit as your indwelling Comforter
“I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor [“Paraclete”: Comforter, Encourager, Advocate] to be with you forever – the Spirit of truth… You know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you (John 14:16-18).
Day 30 Fear Not: The Lord sets us free from fear by removing our punishment and our enemy
“The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy… Never again will you fear any harm… The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3:15, 17).
Day 31 Fear Not: Prayer helps us to overcome our fears of sharing the good news of Jesus
“Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel” (Ephesians 6:19)
