A Verse to Help You Fight Your Fear! 

Are you lacking confidence or feeling insecure? Are you stalled in taking that next step to go forward in something the Lord is leading you to do? Is fear getting the best of you?

You and me both. We’ve all been there – probably in many different situations throughout our lives. The fear is real, friends, and it takes many forms in our lives. Because of this, we’ve talked recently on the blog about finding confidence and overcoming insecurities. (You can read a post about overcoming insecurity HERE. You can find an article full of verses to pray when you lack confidence HERE. You can read a post about being battle ready HERE.)

Overcoming fear and being bold is hard, but it is something within our grasp because of the truth of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit within us.

Overcoming fear and being bold is hard, but it is something within our grasp because of the truth of God’s Word and the Holy Spirit within us. #journeytoimperfect Click To Tweet

Let’s take a look at this verse from 2 Timothy.

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)

This verse starts out by giving us the setting, and it’s all found in that one little word, “fear.” In this verse, our English word “fear” is coming from a Greek root word deilos. This word essentially means fearful of losses, specifically the dread or excessive fear of losing. It paints a picture of a person who is overly timid and gets emotionally stalled by fear. As a result, this person avoids the necessary risks.

Does this describe where you might be right now? If so, you are not alone. That kind of fear is very real and can find us in any season of life.

One Tiny Word That Packs a Big Punch

There’s a little tiny word in this verse, though, that packs a big punch. It’s a turning point in the verse and can be a turning point in our thinking if we decide to let it do its work. That tiny little three letter word is the word “but.” The sentence structure looks like this:

God did not give us______, BUT He did give us ______.

In this case, God did not give us a spirit of fear, BUT He did give us power, love, and a sound mind.

God did not give us a spirit of fear, BUT He did give us power, love, and a sound mind. (See 2 Timothy 1:7) #fightfear #confidence #journeytoimperfect Click To Tweet

Power

The English word “power” in this verse comes from the Greek root dýnamis which refers to the ability to perform. This word paints the picture of being enabled and empowered by God’s ability to do as He directs. Think about it – in this verse we hear the truth that God gives us the ability to perform based on being enabled by HIM. This takes the pressure off of me and you, doesn’t it!

We carry so much of the burden that shouldn’t be ours in the first place. We place unrealistic expectations on ourselves based on what we can do and not on what God can do through us. Can you see how changing your perspective could make such a difference in the amount of pressure you put on yourself?

Here are some other verses using the same Greek root word:

1 Corinthians 2:4-5, NASB
And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

2 Peter 1:2-3, NASB
Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

It’s God’s power at work within us. It’s something He gives us to defeat timidity and fears. It comes from Him. It’s HIS ability, not ours that allows us to what He is calling us to do. We need to grab hold of that!!

It’s HIS ability, not ours that allows us to what He is calling us to do. We need to grab hold of that!! #confidence #fightfear #journeytoimperfect Click To Tweet

Love

The kind of love in this verse is “agape” or divine love. It’s more full and rich than we could ever understand. God’s agape love works in a way that we hardly consider in most situations because our idea of love is so much shallower than the depth of the love He freely offers.

First of all, God’s agape love is always God-defined. His love is based on who He is, His nature, and His character. It’s not defined by others. It’s not defined by ourselves. Our human nature boxes Him in and keeps us from comprehending the depth of His love. It’s beyond human understanding, but it works like this:

God’s agape love is always seeking our highest good. He instills faith in us to helps us think and act according to His desires. This is for our good, and then it reflects out of us and into the lives of others. It’s how we make a difference, but it all comes from Him.

We can move forward as we pray and seek His will in our lives because He is going to instill His thoughts inside us. We will begin to desire what He desires, and we can move away from the world’s way of thinking. That takes the work off of us, doesn’t it? The inner working is His, but that first step of obedience is ours. He will not take that step for us because He doesn’t force our love. He’s a God of freedom, and He gives us the choice.

A Sound Mind

The words “sound mind” in this verse are referring to sensible behavior that correctly fits a situation. It is regulated by God’s perspective which He reveals to us as we spend time with Him. When we pray or repeat that God has given us a sound mind we are opening ourselves and our minds to the revelation of HIS perspectives. This kind of perspective changes things, friends!

The Right Perspective

I have this verse on repeat. How about you? It’s a simple one to memorize. Try it! When we fill our minds with this verse, we are focusing on what God does, not what we can do. And that’s the right perspective, friends!

 

 

 

Perfectionism in Focus
Perfectionism can be wrapped up in one word. Fear. Fear of:

What others will think
Failure
Making mistakes
Rejection
Not measuring up
Disapproval

And many more…

Moving past these fears requires a lot of help from Jesus and the word of God. A thing as simple as repeating and memorizing a short Bible verse can make such a difference in your life, especially when you understand the depth of what it means and says! Repeat 2 Timothy 1:7 every day for one week and see if it makes a difference! The Word of the Lord never fails to help us!

Helps for You
We do a lot of Bible study here at Journey to Imperfect, and you’ll find many articles here that discuss the topics listed above. Use the list above in the search bar on the home page and see what comes up for you! The word “fear” brings up some of our best articles. And don’t forget about prayer! It’s where you find the answers. Try searching the word “prayer” to find our most popular articles. You can sign up for our newsletter or prayer book in the sidebar and get free access to a resource library full of prayer helps for you!

Prayer for You 
Lord, we come before you today confessing our many fears. Help us to remember Your truth and open our minds to the work of Your Holy Spirit. It’s not about what we can do. It’s about what You can do. And that is far more than we could ever imagine. Use us Lord, and take away our fear and insecurity. Help us to trust You in all things. In Jesus name, Amen.

What’s Next?
There’s more to share so join me here next time for part two of this post. We’ll look at some practical applications based on the truths of this verse (2 Timothy 1:7).

*Sources: The definitions in this articles are sourced from The Discovery Bible, HELPS Word-studies by Gary Hill, 2017. You can find out more about The Discovery Bible HELPS Word-studies right HERE. I highly recommend it!

The post This One Simple Verse Will Help You Fight Your Fear first appeared at www.journeytoimperfect.com.

*This post may be linked in the following places. Click through to find more hope and encouragement!  Tea And Word Tuesdays / Cheerleaders of Faith /  Coffee for Your Heart / Sitting Among Friends / Moments of Hope / Salt and Light / Heart Encouragement Thursday / Tune in Thursdays / Counting My Blessings / Grace and Truth