Be Strong and Courageous

In the face of fear, be strong and courageous. Yes, be brave! You say, “What? How? You don’t know what I’m going through!” Let’s look first at our foe, then the solution.

The online Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines FEAR as: “an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger.” Fear can present itself in varying degrees of intensity and in differing types of situations. Synonyms – alternative words – for fear, help express the depth of what is being felt. Merriam-Webster describes fear, in its most basic form, as “anxiety and usually loss of courage,” such as in “fear of the unknown.”

DREAD steps up the level of fear by adding “the idea of intense reluctance to face or meet a person or situation and suggests . . . anxiety.” An example may be facing surgery with dread.

FRIGHT “implies the shock of sudden, startling fear,” whereas ALARM “suggests a sudden and intense awareness of immediate danger. PANIC is “unreasoning and overmastering fear causing hysterical activity.”

TERROR speaks of “the most extreme degree of fear.” Often, a person is frozen with terror. TREPIDATION “adds to dread the implications of timidity, trembling, and hesitation.”

God knew the far-reaching effects of fear and that every person would experience fear in some degree. Therefore He says in scripture 365 times: “DO NOT FEAR!”

God goes one step further by telling us to “be strong and courageous” in the face of fear. He decrees in scripture that His presence is with us and He will not abandon us. Therefore, when we feel fear prowling around or even roaring, we can declare what is written:

Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.

Deuteronomy 31:7b-8 Be strong and courageous . . . It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.

Joshua 1:6-7, 9 and 18 Be strong and courageous . . . only, be strong and very courageous . . . Be strong and courageous. . . .  only be strong and courageous.

1 Chronicles 22:13b Be strong and courageous. Fear not; do not be dismayed.

Daniel 10:19a And he (Gabriel) said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.”

2 Chronicles 32:7-8 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or dismayed before the king of Assyria (our enemy) and all the horde that is with him, for there are more with us than with him. With him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God, to help us and to fight our battles.

Psalm 27:14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage . . .

1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

Ephesians 6:10 Finally . . . be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

God is by our side, encouraging us to rise up in the face of fear and fight back! His Word* is powerful and becomes an effective faith builder that puts fear to flight. In the face of fear, let’s be strong and courageous. Yes, be brave!

*Scriptures are taken from the English Standard Version, except for the last two, which are from the King James Version.