Ten Bible Verses to Help Battle Fear

The very first Bible verse I remember my mom having us memorize was 2 Timothy 1:7, which says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind” (NKJV). I couldn’t tell you why she wanted us to memorize this one before anything else, other than the fact that she knew then what I now know for myself: fear is one of the biggest weapons Satan uses to try and pull us away from the promises of God. When we feel afraid, we are pulled away from God and prevented from stepping into the exact place He has prepared for us. It torments us to the point of being crippled, and once we are enveloped by our fear, it can seem impossible to get free of it.

I have struggled with fear in many different ways over the years. Fear of loss has been a big one for me, a continuous fear that I have been battling for as long as I can remember. I am grateful to be slowly moving past it, with the help of the Lord, but it has not been an easy fight! Fear brings on so many side effects: stress, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, loss of identity, and the list goes on. It’s like cancer: you can’t just fight the cancer cells, you have to fight the pain, exhaustion, low immunity, weakness, and other symptoms as well. Side effects make the fight that much harder.

As I have had my own battle with fear over the years, I have come to really appreciate my mom for teaching us 2 Timothy 1:7 so early on. The great thing about the Bible is that it is more than just a book. It is a guide to life and a weapon for battle. In Ephesians 6, Paul calls the Bible the “sword of the spirit,” and we are called to be equipped with it at all times. The battle against fear is a difficult one, but we can win any fight with the right equipment. This is why studying the Word of God is so crucial. Without it, we are leaving ourselves vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy.

If you are in the midst of a battle with fear, take up your sword and prepare to fight! The Bible actually uses the phrase “do not be afraid” (or some variation of it) over 100 times. It is one of the most repeated phrases in the word of God, so obviously He knew we would need a good reminder. If you need that reminder today but you’re not sure where to start, here are ten verses to give you a foundation to stand on when you are feeling beaten down by fear.

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV)

Of course, I had to start with this one. It is a great reminder of the fact that God has given us the spirit not to create fear, but to give us a newfound power in Him. Reminding ourselves of who it is that dwells within us is crucial to conquering fear!

Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)

Fear of man will get you every time if you’re not careful. That is the fear that, in my opinion, holds us back the most. It truly is what puts us in our own, self-made snare. It’s one of the hardest fears for me to get over, if I’m being honest! There’s a TikTok sound trending right now (I know, I’m showing my age right here lol), and it says something like, “your fear of looking stupid is holding you back.” Have you ever decided not to do something out of fear for others might think? I know I have. We have to remember that if we just trust in the Lord and follow his lead, we will always be safe from whatever might be thrown at us.

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Psalm 34:4 (NIV)

You can find an answer to just about any problem in the book of Psalms. David is a great example of conquering fear. He does it at every stage in his life, and this is no exception. The important thing to note in this verse is that David’s deliverance from fear came as a result of him seeking the Lord. It really is that simple (though maybe not that easy).

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 (NIV)

It can be easy to forget that we have a God who is always ready to support us at any given moment. Sometimes we feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders and we have to deal with everything on our own, but the good news is, we don’t! We have a God who genuinely wants to help us when we are afraid, overwhelmed, uncertain, etc. Sometimes conquering our fear is just a matter of allowing God to do what He is best at: loving us.

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 4:18 (NIV)

Again, it’s all about letting God love us. If fear does not exist in perfect love, and God loves us perfectly, then why are we still afraid? I’m no theologian, but think that it’s simply because we are imperfect; as imperfect beings, it is hard to accept and live in perfect love, even when it is freely given to us. As we learn to better accept the love of Christ, we will also learn to better defend ourselves against fear.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 23:4 (NIV)

The 23rd Psalm is another one that my mom had us memorize very early on. It truly is the ultimate comfort passage for me. The entire passage is a great declaration over your life, and just reading it out loud brings so much peace in the midst of difficult or fearful situations. It’s like having your mom’s homemade chicken noodle soup when you’re sick—it just hits the spot, you know?

David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.“

1 Samuel 17:45-47 (NIV)

The story of David and Goliath is impactful for many reasons, but it is an especially impactful lesson on fear. An entire army was quivering in fear of this one—albeit giant—man, and yet, David approached him with no armor, no experience, armed with a simple sling and some stones. Where was his fear? Where was his timidity? I like to believe that he actually was quite nervous (I mean, who wouldn’t be?), but he trusted in the Lord to deliver him from his enemies, and that made all the difference. His trust in God’s promises superseded any fear he had.

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:38-39 (NIV)

In my experience, a lot of fear stems from feeling alone and left to fend for yourself. It’s a lot easier to be brave when you aren’t doing it on your own! This verse, though not directly about fear, is a great reminder of why we never have to be afraid. Nothing, literally not a single thing you could possibly imagine, will ever separate us from Christ. That is a truth you can rest in.

If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you.

Matthew 10:13 (NIV)

Jesus tells his disciples this when he commissions them to go out and perform miracles and wonders. He is speaking of literal homes, but I am a firm believer that everything Jesus said was not meant to be taken solely for its literal meaning (he was a lover of parables, after all). This is a great lesson for life in general, a reminder to never let something take your peace that is not deserving of it. Fear takes the place of peace, and if we give our peace to something undeserving, we are allowing fear to take its place. In other words, don’t stress out over the things that are undeserving of your attention. That peace belongs to you, so don’t give it away.

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?

Psalm 27: 1 (NIV)

Maybe this is getting repetitive, but repeating these truths is the key to winning against fear. We have a God who desperately wants to defend us, and when He does, we have nothing to fear. He has already won every battle, defeated every enemy, and conquered every fear. When we trust in this, in HIM, our fear will not stand a chance.

I know it might be cheesy and cliché, but remember, faith over fear! If we let God do His job, then we have nothing to fear. Let me know in the comments if there are any other verses you use to battle against your fear! And if there are other topics related to fear you’d like me to cover, leave those in the comments too:)

Until next week!