Fear can cripple or disable anyone from trusting in God. God loves us dearly and desires that we put our full trust in Him even in the midst of circumstances that can cause us to be afraid.
But not all fears are dangerous. Some fears can be extremely helpful, such as the fear of God or the fear of hurting people, causing us to act faithfully and courageously. But when fear results in a difficulty or inability to trust God and in a heavy bondage of anxiety and worry, then we know that this fear can be destructive.
In Joshua 1:6, God spoke to Joshua, saying, "Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them." When we know the promises of God, His promises cause us to act not in fear, but rather in faith. God's promises will always point to His faithfulness, and His faithfulness will point to His unfailing love for us.
Here are three promises that God gives us in Isaiah 43:1 that can cause us to act in faith rather than in fear.
'I have redeemed you'
The most powerful basis of our faith is the promise of full redemption in Christ Jesus. If God, in His lavish love for us, made a way to set us free from the bondage of sin for all eternity, then how much more will He deliver us from the things we are afraid and anxious of today? If Jesus has set us free from sin and death, then there is no stopping Him from freeing us from financial lack, sickness, uncertainty and difficulty.
'I have called you by name'
God has a purpose for all of us and calls us to pursue that purpose for our lives. As He calls us, He is also the one that empowers us, enables us, protects us and even funds us. Many times, our fears are based on a wrong notion that we are on our own. But God has set us on a mission, and as He sends us, He allows His provision to follow the purposes that He sets before us.
'You are mine'
Because we belong to God, we can put our trust in knowing that He will never let harm and failure overtake us. In the midst of great trials and fears, we can put our faith in knowing that we are God's and because we are His, His hand will be upon us. God's ownership over us does not limit us, but rather empowers us to move in His power and His ability if we allow Him to.
