What can I do to overcome my fears?
You have to tell it to Jesus. Tell the Lord your fears. When you acknowledge the reliability of the One who is in charge of your life and then admit your fear, you need to appropriate the power that He has promised to give you. “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their cry.… And the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles” (Psalm 34:15, 17).
When you tell it to Jesus, you then have His great resources coming to your aid. “The angel of the Lord [Jesus Christ] encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them” (v. 7). Jesus is close to you during the most fearful moments of your life. It doesn’t say He removes the fearful situation, but it promises that He will be encamped around you to fortify you, build a hedge around you, and protect you in the midst of every fearful experience.
Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart, and saves such as have a contrite spirit.” Do you have a broken heart? Are you filled with fear? Let me comfort you with something about the Lord, my friend. He is near you. Worship Him, tell Him your fears, receive His strength, and trust Him to filter everything that touches you through His fingers of love.
To obtain additional information on the subject of courage, see the Slaying the Giants in Your Life book, and God, I Need Some Answers study guides, and Courage to Conquer by Dr. Jeremiah.
Can courage be learned? How do we prepare to be courageous?
David had learned courage when nobody was around to see it. It was his consistent integrity and commitment that prepared him to meet Goliath when that moment came. Long before his dramatic showdown with Goliath in the Valley of Elah, David had defended sheep on the hillsides of Bethlehem. He explained to Saul that watching sheep had involved facing the occasional lion or bear; when some predator attacked the sheep, he simply killed it. You prepare for courageous battle by practicing consistency in your spiritual disciplines. You must spend time faithfully and privately before God, pouring over His instruction manual for spiritual battle—the Word of God. You must humble yourself in prayer before your "Commander in Chief," just as Joshua did prior to the battle of Jericho (see Joshua 5:13–15). Don't skip any of these routine steps, hoping to jump ahead of God's schedule. God desires to train you in private through consistent personal discipline.
How can I have courage in the face of death?
The greatest fear anyone could have is the fear of death (Hebrews 2:14–15). It only stands to reason that if the greatest fear is conquered, all lesser fears could be conquered as well. There is only one sure way to conquer the fear of death, and that is by accepting the gift of eternal life offered by Jesus Christ. If you are a Christian, certain of your eternal life, you have already conquered the greatest fear. If you are not a Christian, and live not only in fear of death but of other things as well, I invite you to accept God’s gift of love for you, Jesus Christ. Remember: His perfect love casts out all fear. “And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect…. If we are afraid, it is for fear of judgment, and this shows that His love has not been perfected in us” (1 John 4:17-18 NLT).
What was the difference between the two courageous spies and the ten fearful ones?
What was it about the two of the twelve spies who weren't fearful, the two who believed God would help them take the land? We get a clear picture of them from three passages of Scripture: Deuteronomy 1:36 and Numbers 14:24 and 32:12. To summarize, all three of these passages say that Joshua and Caleb "wholly followed the Lord." This was the difference between the two who were courageous and the ten who were fearful. They had a relationship with God that was the dominant force in their lives. As a result, there was no room for fear. When they saw giants and walled cities, they said, "Our God can handle this. What's to fear?" Where the others saw obstacles, Joshua and Caleb saw God. God's perfect love casts out fear (I John 4:18). Just as a parent showers a fearful child with love and protection when he or she is frightened, so God enfolds us in His loving arms and casts out fear.