Facing Fear? God is with You
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
and delivered me from all my fears.”
Psalm 34:4
Have you ever felt fear grip your heart so tightly that it seemed impossible to move forward? Whether it’s fear of the unknown, failure, or loss, we’ve all faced moments where fear threatens to overshadow our faith.
The good news is that we don’t face our fears alone. God’s Word reminds us that He is always with us, even in our most fearful moments.
Even Abraham had Fears to Face
Have you ever let fear guide your actions, only to look back and realize you didn’t trust God as you should have? You’re not alone.
Even Abraham, known as the ‘Father of Our Faith,’ struggled to fully trust God when fear crept in.
Abraham is called the "father of our faith" because his unwavering trust in God set the foundation for the covenantal relationship between God and His people. He exemplifies the kind of faith believers are called to have: faith that trusts in God’s promises even when the path ahead is unclear. Through Jesus Christ, the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham, all who believe are counted as children of Abraham and heirs of the promise (Galatians 3:29).
But even the father of our faith had fears. Today, we’ll look at two moments in Abraham’s life where fear took over and led to actions that could have jeopardized God’s promises—but also revealed His unchanging faithfulness.
Abraham’s Fearful Actions
In Genesis 12, we read that God calls on Abraham to leave everything behind and follow Him. He requires Abraham to pick up and leave his family and the land he’s known all His life, on the promise of a new life following God.
Now the Lord had said to Abram: “Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Genesis 12:1-3
We have to consider this was an act of great faith and obedience on Abraham’s behalf. He was leaving behind everything he knew, but His interaction with God was real and Abraham chose to go. We can see right here that Abraham was capable of great faith.
But not long into their journey toward the land that God promised him, Abraham runs into trouble. Or rather, creates trouble for himself with a heart postured in fear.
As Abraham and his wife, Sarah, neared Egypt, Abraham grew fearful that the Egyptians would kill him because of how beautiful his wife was and that they would take her for themselves. And so, in an act of pure fear he told her to pretend to be his sister.
“Please say you are my sister, that it may be well with me for your sake, and that I may live because of you.” Genesis 12:13
If that makes you cringe, well, same. And we can rightly assume that God wasn’t pleased either. Didn’t God just promise Abraham that he would be a father of many nations a few verses back? And wouldn’t Abraham needs his wife to complete that task?
Abraham’s fear led him right into a path of disobedience and distrust in God’s plan that ultimately led him into sin. Abraham lied to Pharoah and the Egyptians, claiming that his wife was actually his sister and Pharoah took her to be with him.
This deception led to trouble. Instead of trusting God to protect him, Abraham relied on deception out of fear. This reflected a lack of faith in God’s promises to protect and bless him.
Despite Abraham’s lack of trust, God revealed the truth to Pharaoh, who then rebuked Abraham and sent them away.
I’d like to tell you that this lack of faith and pretending his wife was his sister act was a one-time thing, but it wasn’t. Abraham returned to his interesting deception of choice a little later on when a similar circumstance stood before him.
This time, we meet King Abimelech, and fearing for his life, Abraham again told Sarah to say she was his sister. King Abimelech took Sarah into his household, not knowing she was married.
Seriously, Abraham?!
God intervened–again–by warning Abimelech in a dream not to touch Sarah. Abimelech returned Sarah and rebuked Abraham for misleading him.
Key Takeaways from Abraham’s Fearful Actions
Fear Can Lead to Sinful Decisions: In both cases, Abraham’s fear caused him to rely on deception rather than trusting God to protect him.
God’s Faithfulness Is Unchanging: Despite Abraham’s missteps, God remained faithful to His promises, protecting Sarah and preserving His covenant with Abraham.
Fear Can Harm Relationships: Abraham’s actions led to rebukes from both Pharaoh and Abimelech, damaging his testimony as a follower of God.
Faith Over Fear: These stories remind us of the importance of trusting God even in frightening situations. Fear can cause us to make decisions that compromise our integrity and harm others, but God’s grace is sufficient to redeem our mistakes.
When we operate in a state of fear, our reactions are often driven by a primal need for self-preservation. Fear heightens our senses, quickens our pulse, and narrows our focus to what feels like immediate threats.
This fight-or-flight response is a survival mechanism designed by God to protect us in moments of real danger. However, when fear becomes a constant mindset rather than a momentary reaction, it can distort our perspective. Instead of thinking clearly and relying on God’s guidance, we may act impulsively, retreat from challenges, or make decisions rooted in anxiety rather than faith.
Fear clouds our ability to see the bigger picture, keeping us trapped in a cycle of worry and self-reliance.
While fear has its rightful place in keeping us safe, it can also become a stumbling block when we allow it to take control. God designed us to depend on Him, not solely on our own instincts. When we rely on a fear-driven mindset, we can do more harm than good—pushing away opportunities, relationships, or even God’s calling on our lives.
Fear kept Abraham from fully trusting God’s protection and provision. In moments of fear, he chose deception instead of faith, asking Sarah to pretend to be his sister. Yet, despite Abraham's fear-driven actions, God remained faithful, protecting Sarah and ensuring His promises would be fulfilled.
When we shift from fear to trust, we open ourselves to God’s wisdom, peace, and purpose, finding the courage to act not from panic but from a place of assurance in His sovereignty.
Fear may warn us of danger, but faith leads us to victory.
We can choose to trust God, knowing that His faithfulness will always outweigh our fears.
The Good News is Faith Grows
Later in Abraham’s story, we see his faith triumph over fear, even when faced with unimaginable challenges, and we know that God has been at work in his heart.
Through Abraham’s acts of faithfulness, we see that Abraham has also been at work, walking with and trusting God, revealing a faith refined by years of walking with God—a faith that rests in the assurance that God is faithful, even when His ways seem mysterious.
Reflect
While we will undoubtedly face many fears in this life–the Bible assures us of God’s faithful presence in our lives, no matter what we face. Scripture also confirms that we can triumph over fear through God–just like Abraham did as his faith grew and he learned to trust in his Heavenly Father.
Read the following scriptures or look them up in your Bible and notice what we gain when we seek and follow God, even amid fear and uncertainty.
Isaiah 41:10
"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."
Psalm 23:4
"Yea, 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."
Joshua 1:9
"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."
Deuteronomy 31:8
"And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."
2 Timothy 1:7
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."
When we choose to follow God and seek His peace amid our fears, He gives us strength, comfort, courage, and the power of His presence and love, just to name a few! What else did you notice in these passages?
What an amazing, incredible blessing it is to grow in faithfulness and know that–with God–we can overcome any fears we face.
Pray
Dear Heavenly Father,
You know the fears that weigh on my heart and how my mind quickly jumps from one "what if" to another. You know which fears have a stronghold on me and how often I forget the promises of Your presence in my life.
Lord, help me to seek only You in times of fear and create in me a heart eager to pray over my fears instead of relying on my own ability to master them.
Lord, help me to grow in faithfulness to You so that when fears arise, I am immediately at peace, knowing that I am lovingly in Your hands–through any and every trial of this world.
Thank You for being my refuge and strength, my ever-present help in times of trouble. I place my fears in Your hands and trust Your perfect love to cast them out. May Your peace, which surpasses all understanding, guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus.
In the precious and holy name of Jesus, Amen.