Over three hundred times it says in the Bible “do not fear”. The Lord knows how fearful we tend to be and He does not want us to be afraid of anything. If we will learn to fear Him, which means to have an awesome respect for and obedience to, since all power belongs to Him and He is worthy to be feared by all of creation then we will not fear anything else. If you do not have that healthy fear of God then you need to for He is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:28 Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
If you do fear Him then you have no need to fear anyone or anything for He is with you.
Isaiah 41:10 ‘Do not fear, for I am with you;
Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you, surely I will help you,
Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
How do you know if you fear Him or fear man? If you confess Jesus Christ as Lord before others then you fear the Lord but if you are ashamed of Him and His name then you fear man. If you obey Him and take a stand for what is in the Bible then you fear Him. If you lead a double life then you do not fear God, rather you fear man.
Matthew 10:32,33 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
If you fear man then not only will the Lord deny ever knowing you but you will have a snare in your life and will have allowed man to control you. Man will control your thoughts, for you will be anxious as to what man thinks of you and/or whether you have their approval, or man will control your actions and you will compromise what you know is the right thing to do for the approval of man. What a horrible life!
Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare,
But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.
Do not ever fear what people say about you or be discouraged if you are doing what the Lord wants you to do.
Isaiah 51:7,8 “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness,
A people in whose heart is My law;
Do not fear the reproach of man,
Nor be dismayed at their revilings.
“For the moth will eat them like a garment,
And the grub will eat them like wool.
But My righteousness will be forever,
And My salvation to all generations.”
In fact, it may be a confirmation that you are doing and saying the right thing. You are in good company if you are insulted, reviled or persecuted for righteousness for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Matthew 5:11,12 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
There is a list of many things the Lord says not to fear but to sum it up, some of His last words to His disciples and these words are to us as well, are not to be fearful. Fear and peace can not be in someone at the same time. You will either have His peace or you will fear.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.
He gave us His peace and He wants His peace to rule in our hearts.
Colossians 3:15a Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
The Lord wants us to be faithful to the end. We do not have to fear suffering for He came and suffered for us leaving us an example to follow in His footsteps.
I Peter 2:21 For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps,
We do not have to fear death for He conquered death through the cross.
Revelation 2:10 Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to cast some of you into prison, so that you will be tested, and you will have tribulation for ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Don’t shrink away in shame or fear. Those who are faithful to the end will have a great reward and He will give them the crown of life. Those who shrink away in shame will have more shame when He comes and He will have no delight in them. Be faithful until death!
Hebrews 10:35-39 Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while,
He who is coming will come, and will not delay.
But My righteous one shall live by faith;
And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul.
The only way that we can be faithful until death is if we abide in Him.
I John 2:28 Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.
Instructions To A Young Life 