“So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Do you have a habit of being fearful?

Unfortunately, it can be easy to give into fear in today’s world. Oftentimes, we are so used to living in fear that it becomes our new normal. However, it is important to realize that this can negatively impact our relationship with Christ.

It is natural to feel fear, but when we let it consume us, we can be held back from doing the things God has called us to do.

When it comes to overcoming fear, a lot can be learned from the story of David and Goliath in the Bible. Goliath was a Philistine giant who was over nine feet tall. He would mock the Israelites and challenge them to fight, knowing they were terrified of him. However, a young teenager named David was not afraid to stand up to Goliath.

You probably know how the story goes, but David was able to conquer Goliath by using only a rock, a sling and most importantly, God’s strength. Before going into battle, David asked the Lord to be with him and give him the strength to complete the task.

What set David apart from the rest of the Israelites was that he was confident in Christ. Despite being one of the smallest and youngest members, he had the greatest amount of confidence in what could be done with Christ on his side.

So, how can we apply this story to our own lives? While we may not face a giant in our lifetime, we can do exactly what David did when we face trials that cause us to be filled with fear.

2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and a sound mind.” With God on our side, we are unstoppable. We do not have to live our lives in fear, but rather, we can rest in knowing that God has a plan for us. As His people, He will allow us to prosper.

I encourage you to apply this lesson to your daily life. Pay attention to the way you go about your days. Do you find yourself feeling stressed, anxious and fearful most of the time? If so, ask God to give you peace and strength. When we learn to rely on His strength rather than our own, we can do great things.

Grand Canyon University is committed to carrying out a mission that centers on following Jesus Christ in word and deed. To learn more about GCU’s Christian identity and heritage, visit our website or use the Request More Information button at the top of the page.