Controlling Emotions Lesson 3:
Fear Bible Study Part 2:
Do you Choose Faith or Fear


Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm. Then He asked them, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"  ~ Mark 4:37-40 (NLT)


Fear Bible Study - Man Looking Off Into DistanceOn a daily basis, every child of God makes a very important choice - will they live in faith or fear?

Your fear Bible study is here to help you understand the major significance of this one decision, and give you the tools you need to choose wisely.

Fear is something that does not discriminate.  Man, woman, child, or adult.  At some point in our lives, we all have to come face to face with it, and Christians are no exceptions.

Franklin D. Roosevelt once proclaimed, "The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself!"  

But why should we fear fear?  Because, as I've said before Fear is a thief!

It starts out by stealing God's  peace from our hearts.  And, if we let it paralyze us from action, it can rob us of our true destinies in Christ.

As a Christian, fear should be your enemy.

In this lesson, we will look at Christian fear from God's perspective.



How Jesus Responded to Fear in the Bible

One of the amazing things about Jesus coming to earth is that He reveals the exact will of the Father to us.  We are able to look at how He responded to His disciples while He was here on earth, and understand how God probably reacts to us in similar situations.

Fear Bible Study: Jesus calming the stromOne of the best examples of Jesus responding to the fear of the disciples is in Mark 4.

 
But soon a fierce storm came up.
High waves were breaking into the boat, and it began to fill with water.
Jesus was sleeping at the back of the boat with His head on a cushion.
The disciples woke him up, shouting,
"Teacher, don’t you care
that we’re going to drown?"
When Jesus woke up, He rebuked the wind and said to the waves,
"Silence! Be still!"
Suddenly the wind stopped, and there was a great calm.
Then He asked them,
"Why are you afraid?
Do you still have no faith?"
-Mark 4:37-40 (NLT)



This is such an interesting passage of scripture.  When you read through it, you can really see it all unfolding in your mind's eye.  But, let's look at it as a metaphor for a second.  

Meet Suzie:

Suzie loves the Lord, and she believes that the Lord loves her.  She is going along,  living her life as normal, when, suddenly, a huge storm hits.  

Just as the disciples watched as their boat began to fill with water, Suzie watches as her life seems to begin falling apart.  Her finances are getting shaky and causing huge blow-ups between her and her husband.  

She waits on God to come to the rescue, trusting that the storm will be over quickly, but things continue to get worse.  

Finally, Suzie goes to God.

 "God, don't you see what's Going on?  Don't you even care?"

Does He see? Does He care?  

Many times Satan brings these same questions to our minds as believers. But, we know that, when a person serves God, our Heavenly Father "busies Himself with his every step." (Psalm 37:23b AMP).

God says "the very hairs on your head are all numbered.  So don’t be afraid..." (Matthew 10:30-31 NLT).   

But, has Suzie gone to God with a prayer of faith or fear?  

She has gone to God in fear.  And, to God, "whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23).


What Exactly is Faith?


We often hear the word discussed and tossed around, but what is faith?

Hebrews says that it is "the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]" (Hebrews 11:1b AMP).

Just like fear, faith is our conviction, or belief, in a reality that we can't yet see.  The only difference is that faith assumes God will come through for you, and fear assumes that He wont.

Is there any wonder why fear is so displeasing in the eyes of your Heavenly Father.  

Without faith it is impossible to please him:
for he that cometh to God must believe that He is,
and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.
-Hebrews 11:6

Many Christians have mastered the first half of that verse - We believe that God is.  But, it is the second half where we fall short - We must believe that He rewards those that seek Him with their whole heart.  That is a part of faith and, without it, we are not fully pleasing our Lord.



Choosing Faith or Fear Means Choosing Who You Will Believe


Choosing Faith or Fear - Cross at DuskAs Christians, when we realize we are afraid, we must stop and ask ourselves an important question.  At that very moment, are we believing God, or are we believing Satan?  

God says He will reward you for your desire to seek and obey Him.  He says He's counted the very hairs on your head, and that He alone is your Provider and Protector.

But, Satan says, you are unworthy of God's rewards.  He says that God must be using His wrath to teach and train you.  In our onine Bible class, Who's Controlling Your Thoughts, these little whispers are what I call "Lies of Destruction."  They are little whispers from the enemy that seem harmless.  The big danger of these lies - They feel true.  When the devil whispers to you that the details of your life are too trivial for God to be bothered with, and that you must ultimately fend for yourself, it feels true.  

That's when you have to make a conscious choice to believe God's Word over your own feelings and emotions.  If you don't, these little lies of destruction will slowly erode your faith and fill your mind with fear.  

When you choose faith or fear, in all reality, you are ultimately choosing who you will believe.

Of course, the choice between faith or fear is an easy one to make, but can be a hard one to keep!


Controlling Emotions Lesson 3:
Fear Bible Study: Do You Choose Faith or Fear

Bible Study Reflection Questions


  1. Why do you think fear can be so harmful to Christians?

  2. Think back to the disciples' reaction to the storm, and the story about Suzie.  Have you ever wondered if God cared about a specific storm that hit your life?  Why or why not?

  3. God says that without faith it is impossible to please Him.  What areas do you need to choose faith over fear in your life?  Pray and ask God to help you to develop more faith.

  4. How are fear and faith similar?  Have you ever thought about their similarities before?

Renewing Your Mind and Emotions Online Bible Class



Christian Fear Bible Study
Lesson 1: What is Fear
Lesson 2: Do You Choose Faith or Fear?
Lesson 3: Freedom From Fear


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