Trusting God can be difficult, especially when we face challenges and uncertainties in life. However, having faith in God and trusting in His plan can bring peace, comfort, and guidance. Here are five ways to trust God and punch fear in the throat:
1. Fight the Battle by Surrendering…wait…what?
- It may seem counterintuitive, but you are not able to just overcome your fear in your own strength. If you could, you would have already done it by now. It’s really hard if not impossible just to muster up bravery in every situation in life. The key that I have found in scripture and in my own life is- surrendering those fears to God and letting him beat them for me. I am powerless, he is powerful. He is my victory! His strength is my deliverer!
Ephesians 6:10 NLT
10 …Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
- When we come to the end of ourselves and surrender our fears to God- we open our spiritual eyes and see him defeat our enemies and do things we never dreamed possible.
- Surrounding all of your greatest fears is a greater God.
2. Surrender your Fears through Prayer to God
Pray a simple prayer similar to this: God I am facing this Huge mountain of fear. I can’t beat this huge obstacle, but you can. I surrender it to you. Please be my strength. I have faith in you. Amen.
Every fearful incident, every encounter, every trial- one moment at a time. Surrender it to him.
3. Surrender your Fears to God by Sharing them with Another Person
There is a unique connection between loving God and loving others throughout scripture and in life. I believe it’s by God’s design. Jesus says in Matthew 22:37 that the most important commandments are to love God and love others. The interesting thing is that we often do love God by loving others. We serve Jesus through serving others. We honor God by honoring others. We see the same principle at work with surrender. When we share our fears with someone we trust, it loses its power. As we get it out of our heads, we surrender I to God by surrendering it to others.
4. Surrender your Fears by Meditating on God’s promises in Scripture
God’s word is supernatural and alive. When you read it it interacts with you and engages you on a spiritual level with whatever you’re facing. when I am afraid- it gives me courage. When I am depressed, it lifts my spirits. When I am hurting, it comforts me. When I am lost, it guides me. The Bible truly is the living, breathing word of God. Marinate on its promises like the one below and watch your fear fade away.
Isaiah 41:10 ESV
Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.
Surrounding all of your greatest fears is a greater God.
5. Use the Furtick Theorem
I like to read and listen to Steven Furtick sometimes. I don’t agree with everything he says, (or any other preacher for that matter), but he does have some very good stuff. Below is one of the gems I have gleaned from him that has helped me and others deal with fear.
As long as our fears and what-ifs are all in a cloud above our heads it seems overwhelming and smothering. But if we will pull on single fear down out of the cloud and run it through what I call the “Furtick Theorem,” then it really releases its hold over us and reminds us that God is bigger than any fear we face. Here are the questions to run it through:
What if? That Would? But God will.
- First, we take this fear and honestly ask ourselves “What if that actually happened?” We don’t hide or run, we face it.
- Then we realistically spell out what would happen if that “what if” came to pass.
- Then we follow it up by reminding ourselves, no matter how hard or terribly that would be; God is bigger, faithful, and will get us through.
Here is an example. What if my spouse left me? That would be terrible, life-changing, and depressing. It would crush me and my kids, and I would be depressed. But God would- get me through. He would help me love my kids through the pain. He would be everything I need during that dark season. He may even provide another love in the future. God will get me through.
As a pastor, I have seen so many experience the worst day of their life but they live to tell of God’s faithfulness. One great thing about experiencing your greatest fear is that even after the devil has done his worst to you, you find you still have a faithful God who will uphold you in ways you didn’t know.
Surrounding all of your greatest fears is a greater God.