Praise the Lord! Today, I want to talk to you about something we all face—fear. Fear doesn’t care who you are—rich, poor, young, old, educated, uneducated—it touches every life in some form. We fear for our families, our health, our future, even for our own selves. Some fears are normal, some abnormal, but all of them affect our well-being, our joy, and our spiritual health.
Fear paralyzes us. It robs us of peace. But do you know what the Word of God tells us again and again?
“Fear not.”
It’s repeated in the Bible 365 times—one for every day of the year. That’s not a coincidence. That’s our Heavenly Father reminding us daily: “Fear not, I am with you. I love you. I will take care of you.”
2 Timothy 1:7 says,
“For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
So where does fear come from? It doesn’t come from God—it comes from our enemy, the devil. But God equips us with power, love, and a sound mind. Hallelujah!
How Can We Overcome Fear?
Let’s look at three ways to overcome fear, based on the life of Apostle Paul.
1. Have a Spiritual Partner
In 2 Timothy 4:9, Paul writes:
“Do your best to come to me quickly.”
Paul was in prison. He knew his time was coming to an end. He had fought the good fight, finished the race, and kept the faith. But in that difficult time, Paul longed for someone—his spiritual son, Timothy. He needed a spiritual partner.
When we face fear, pressure, and anxiety, we need someone to walk with us in Christ. A spiritual partner can comfort us, guide us, and pray with us. If we speak our fears to worldly people, they can make them worse. But a spiritual friend will point us back to the promises of God.
For example, if you find a lump in your body and tell a non-spiritual friend, they might panic and tell you a story about someone who died from cancer. But a spiritual friend will say, “Let’s pray. Trust in Jesus. It will be alright.” That’s the kind of partnership we all need.
So choose your spiritual friends wisely—those who will strengthen you in Christ, not those who increase your fear.
2. Let Go When People Leave You
In 2 Timothy 4:10, Paul says:
“Demas, because he loved this world, has deserted me…”
Yes, people may walk out of your life—even those you love the most. That can hurt. But don’t let it crush your spirit. Let them go.
Some friends who once said, “I’ll always be there for you,” may disappear once life changes—after college, after marriage, or when they move away. That’s okay. Life is not permanent. People change. But God never changes. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Amen!
When your children grow up and move away, don’t hold on to them with guilt or emotional pressure. Let them live the life God has for them. Genesis 2:24 says a man shall leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife. That’s God’s design. Let go in peace and trust God’s plan for them—and for you.
Look at David in 2 Samuel. When his child was sick, he prayed, fasted, and mourned. But once the child passed away, David got up, washed, worshipped, and ate. He understood—“I can go to him, but he cannot return to me.”
We too must rise from our grief and move forward, trusting God’s bigger plan.
3. Forgive, Forget, and Accept Others
In 2 Timothy 4:11, Paul writes:
“Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry.”
You see, John Mark once abandoned Paul and Barnabas on their missionary journey. Paul was upset and didn’t want to take him again. But now, he has had a change of heart. He sees that John Mark has grown and matured. So he asks Timothy to bring him back—because now, he is useful for the ministry.
That’s what it means to forgive, forget, and accept.
Some people say, “I can forgive, but I can’t forget.” But true forgiveness lets go of the past.
Look at Jesus—He forgave us while we were still sinners. If He forgave us, shouldn’t we forgive others?
This also applies in families—between husbands and wives. Let’s be honest. Who has better memory—men or women? (I say this with a smile!) Many times, wives can remember things from 20 years ago that their husbands have long forgotten. So I say lovingly: Let’s ask God to reduce our memory a little bit—just enough to forget the hurt and remember the love.
Instead of waiting for your spouse to remember your birthday or anniversary, why not remind them with a smile? “Hey honey, today’s our anniversary! Let’s celebrate together.” It’s not about testing their memory. It’s about building a joyful relationship.
And look at Paul again—despite being such a powerful man of God, he humbled himself. He forgave John Mark and welcomed him back for the sake of the Gospel. Let us also do the same.
Summary
So how do we overcome fear?
Have a spiritual partner to walk with you, pray with you, and point you to Christ.
Let go when people leave you. Don’t cling to the past. Trust God’s plan.
Forgive, forget, and accept others. Don’t let bitterness feed your fear.
Let’s walk in the freedom that Christ gives us—without fear, and with faith.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah! Amen.