Courage in the Face of Fear

And when they had prayed, the place where they had gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak the word of God with boldness. 
Acts 4:31

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and self-discipline (sound mind). 
2 Timothy 1:7

Unbelief and lack of trust are at the root of fear.  Lack of faith leads to the growth of sin (Read Isiah 43:1-3, Prov. 29:25; Psalms 56:3-4).  When we allow fear to control us, we are actually forgetting the character of God (Read Isaiah 51:7-8; 12-13; Compare how men are described to how God is described).  Sinful fear is an absence of a fear of God (Read Psalms 112:1-8).  Finally, sinful fear is the absence of the love of God maturing in us (Read 1 John 4:17-18).

Some important things to remember about fear:

• The focus of fear is me.  The focus of love is others.  Worry is always thinking about self: “How can I get out unscathed?”
• Fear is self-protecting while love is self-giving.
• Fear moves one to seclusion while love moves to risk.

(Taken from the online Biblical Counseling training course, Association of Certified Biblical Counselors)

Pray that we will not allow fear to control us, but instead we will seek God in prayer and take steps of faith in sharing the gospel in word and deed in our community where we live, work, and play.
 
Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous; be careful to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may have success wherever you go. This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” 
Joshua 1:6-9