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Fear in the Bible Is Way Weirder Than You Think
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Me back when I was in first grade.
“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Fear in the Bible Is Way Weirder Than You Think
Ever notice how fear always seems to show up right before something goes wrong? It’s like a warning signal from the enemy, whispering doubt just before a breakthrough moment. The Bible is full of stories where fear didn’t just happen—it hijacked someone’s faith and led to failure. This is why, Why Fear in the Bible Is Way Weirder Than You Think
But here’s the thing: fear doesn’t have to win. Once we recognize the pattern, we can fight back with truth. Let’s dive into one powerful example that shows exactly how fear works—and how faith can shut it down.
Fear Before Failure: A Pattern in Scripture
Weird doesn’t even begin to describe fear in the Bible. Time and time again, fear pops up right before failure. It’s like the enemy’s secret weapon—a strategy to shake our confidence and stop us from walking in faith.
Take Peter, for example. You might be familiar with the story of him walking on water toward Jesus. It’s one of the coolest “faith moments” in Scripture. But if you zoom in, you’ll see something that should stop us in our tracks. When Peter took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the storm, fear took over. That’s when he started to sink.
Matthew 14:28-31 – “Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’”
Just like that, fear showed up and pulled him under. Not because of the wind, not because of the water, but because of his focus on fear. The enemy had a shot at derailing Peter’s faith with one tiny distraction.
The Fear That Followed Me
I’d like to say I’ve never fallen into that same trap, but if I’m being honest, fear has been a constant companion at different points in my life.
Back when I was a kid, I had ongoing health issues that led me to believe I might have lupus. I was in and out of the children’s hospital for tests and procedures, but the doctors gave me a diagnosis of, “undiagnosed”. I just kept dealing with the mystery of it all, especially the kidney and bladder problems that continued until the end of 5th grade.
And then came a moment in first grade that started my struggle with fear.
The Fear That Shaped My Childhood
In my first-grade class, we had a system: every time someone went to the bathroom, they had to flip the bathroom sign from green to red to indicate the restroom was occupied. Simple, right? But for me, this system became a constant reminder of my fear—the fear of peeing my pants.
Because of my ongoing health issues, I had been told repeatedly that if I didn’t get to the bathroom in time, I’d likely wet myself. So, I began obsessively checking myself—constant trips to the bathroom, even when I didn’t have to go, just to make sure I wasn’t wet. I became paralyzed by the idea of failure—of having an accident.
Then came the day that changed everything.
I felt that all-too-familiar pressure, THIS TIME, I really had to go! I rushed to the bathroom sign-and to my horror, it was red. SO I stood there, waiting, trying to convince myself I could hold it. But I couldn’t.
I went back to my seat, hoping maybe if I sat still enough, the pressure would pass. But it didn’t. Despite everything in me, my worst fear came true. I peed my pants. At school. In front of everyone.
And then came the weirdest part. My teacher, ever so patient, came up to me and said, “Are you okay? Someone forgot to flip the sign back to green.”
Fast forward to a couple of years ago
Fast forward to a couple of years ago, I found myself battling a familiar fear again—not of peeing my pants, but of being sick.
(If you haven’t read my dream series, check it out for the full backstory.)
on the tail of the pandemic there were talks of many young adults coming down with terminal illnesses, I too began to experience strange symptoms. This time I was sure I was sick. My doctor called and left a voicemail saying she wanted to go over my test results—on the phone. That alone felt like a red flag. My mind went straight to the worst-case scenario.
After a full day of phone tag and spiraling, my husband (bless him) drove me to the office to get the results in person—me, kicking and screaming the whole way.
The verdict?
“Undiagnosed.”
Again.
How Fear Shows Up Before Failure
Looking back, I can see how fear crept in before failure. It wasn’t just about a bathroom accident— or even the fear of sickness, it was the spiritual battle of fear causing me to lose control of my actions, thoughts, and trust in God.
Fear can show up before failure. That’s the weird part: it’s not just a feeling that happens in the moment; it’s an open door for the enemy to distract, deceive, and discourage us from moving forward in faith. When fear shows up, it’s usually a sign that something great is on the horizon and the enemy wants to stop it.
Just like Peter, the fear I let in paralyzed me, keeping me from experiencing peace and confidence in the Lord’s provision. It wasn’t the situation itself that was the problem—it was my focus on fear instead of trusting God.
Why Fear is Weirder Than We Think
Fear is more than an emotional response—it’s a spiritual force. The Bible often talks about fear as a weapon that can sabotage our faith if we don’t actively reject it and choose faith instead.
In fact, God’s Word commands us over 300 times not to be afraid. It’s not just advice—it’s a spiritual instruction for how to fight the enemy’s attacks.
Overcoming Fear with Truth
The cool thing is, when we start seeing fear for what it is—a tool of the enemy, we can choose to resist it. 2 Timothy 1:7 says:
“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”
Fear doesn’t belong to us. Faith and trust in God should be our default, not fear. The next time fear tries to creep in—whether it’s about something big like health or something smaller like a bad day—remember that God is with you and He has already provided you with everything you need to overcome.
Takeaway: Fear is way weirder than we think, but when we recognize it as a spiritual battle, we can actively choose faith over fear—and watch God show up in ways that are far greater than our worries.