In these end times, fear is running rampant. We see it all around us. One of the biggest challenges to anyone living in a world dominated by this emotion is preventing it from becoming a debilitating influence. If we aren’t grounded in biblical truths on this issue, we could easily panic; however, God’s Word gives us an eternal perspective that’s overwhelmingly peaceful and good.

God loves us, and it isn’t His will for us to be tormented by terror. For those who don’t know this, the future can look scary, but God’s perfect love is much stronger than fear. “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 4:18, 19). Believing how He feels about us is the first step in facing our fears and conquering them.

Turning on the television floods us with bad news that disturbs our spirits. The underlying message is that evil is advancing onward and will overtake us. This may be true for the world, but not for those who trust in God and His promises of protection. “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you” (Psalm 91:5-7, NKJV). He won’t let evil touch His children.

God has a plan for each of our lives, and it’s always good. When we study His Word, we see strong encouragement in the midst of whatever situation we’re in. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV). God said this to His people during a time when they were exiled and fearful about their future. This promise was true then, and it’s just as true now.

Fear isn’t from God, but from the devil. Our enemy uses it to destroy our faith in God’s love and make us doubt that what He promised will come to pass for us. If we’ve been born again, what we received from God is more powerful than what the devil tries to give us. “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). A sound mind is one that thinks in line with God’s thoughts, and isn’t paralyzed with fear.

We aren’t helpless against whatever comes our way. When Jesus received all authority from the Father, He in turn gave it to us. We now have authority over fear, sickness, and everything else that threatens the world. “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19). We mustn’t be afraid to use this tremendous power.

What we constantly think about will manifest itself in our lives, for good or bad. Our thoughts are an open door to reality; we can’t allow fear to take over and limit the full, satisfying lives God wants us to have. Focusing on His promises—not on what’s going on around us—empowers us to banish fear in whatever form it presents itself.

For more on how trusting in God’s Word frees us from the grip of fear, click on the link below for the MP3, Eliminating the Bondage of Fear.