10 Best Bible Verses For Fear or Anxiety

If you are reading this, it’s likely you’re standing in a cloud of fear or anxiety. Something you’re facing right now seems larger than life. You don’t know how you got to this point and you’re looking for help trusting God when you are afraid.

Or perhaps it’s that creeping, slow-moving type of fear. The one that is slowly, yet consistently nagging at you and increasing in power by the minute. Maybe you’re a Christian and you are wondering how you are still dealing with fear or anxiety despite being a believer. It has prompted you to search for that “do not be afraid bible verse” or  “Best Bible Verses For Fear or Anxiety” as a place to start and here you are.

Friend, no matter what you are facing, I don’t believe you’ve landed here by chance. Please know my heart goes out to you. What I do believe is that God both knows, and cares, what you are going through. How do I know that? Let’s take a look!

10 Best Bible Verses For Fear or Anxiety

What did Jesus say about fear?

In the middle of fear and anxiety, it’s easy to forget these facts. It’s tempting to believe that God is distant, but He’s never been closer to you. He loves you, and He loves those who love you.

I get it. Your emotions are on a roller coaster and you are gripped with anxiety. The “what if’s” are flooding your mind at an impressive rate. These are natural and normal human reactions to stress and chaotic moments. But just because fear and anxiety are a tempting reaction doesn’t make it your only choice. There’s another option that you may be tempted to dismiss—peace.

how can you overcome your fears?

First, let’s look to God’s word for help. He tells us in Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”

What we think about matters. Our focus and what we are putting into our mind matters. If we focus on things described in the verse above as a practice, the result will be peace. Do you notice what the list above doesn’t include? You’ve got it – fear, anxiety or worry. Focusing on those things does not help us during these times of struggle!

But the thoughts of fear, anxiety and worry still come, so what do we do with them?

I believe our answer lies in 2 Corinthians 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ. But what does that mean? Let’s look at how to actually take every thought captive!

5 Steps to Take Every Thought Captive and overcome fear or anxiety

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Take it to God in Prayer

vs 5 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.

We must make prayer a number one priority in this battle. We are to use our spiritual weapons to fight against these thoughts or strongholds. God’s divine power is available to all believers through the Holy Spirit. Don’t underestimate the power of prayer!

And yes, you can pray and ask God’s help for fear or anxiety or any type of negative or unwholesome thought. Please don’t be ashamed. Your thoughts don’t surprise God. He already knows. He is not there to condemn you but to help you to turn away from it.

Take Captive Every Thought

For me, this is a two-step process. First I need to pinpoint the lie. What about the statement that I am telling myself is a lie? Is it a lie about God? For example, He could never love me, or is it a lie about me? I could never be loveable.

Use Bible Verses For Fear or Anxiety to Help

Once you can pinpoint the lie you are believing I find it helps to write it down. You can keep a simple notebook, or for fun, a beautiful journal for this and it will help in the rest of the process as well. Once it’s written down, you need to find a verse to combat it. If you don’t know one, a simple google search for “bible verses about fear and worry” will bring up many results.

Pick one that will be your weapon for that lie. Write that verse out next to the lie. Pray a prayer when you are scared and acknowledge the lie followed up with the truth.

For example:

Lord thank you for being able to come to you today with my fear and anxiety. Please forgive me for believing the lie that you are not really in control and that by worrying I am somehow controlling the situation. Instead, I acknowledge your word as truth. In 2 Timothy 1:7 you tell me that you have not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. Fear is not from you and you want to equip me to grab hold of the the power love and sound mind that is available to me as your child. Please help this to sink into my heart and my mind. Amen.

Always Bring it to the Light.

This may not be for every fear, worry or negative thought we battle, but at least for those that consistently come up.

James 5:16 says, Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

The older I get, the more I realize the importance of having another Godly accountability person in your life. One that you can come openly to and bring your fears and struggles into the light. Believing condemnation and lies don’t mesh well with light.

I confess my thought pattern and ask for prayer or pray with her. This doesn’t have to be something formal. I have done it many times even by text. But to have the person to go to is important.

If you don’t have someone pray and ask that God would make a connection. It could be through your church, neighborhood or even online ministries. Please don’t sit in darkness with your negative thoughts. Come and join us in the private Imperfect Moms Facebook Group where we love to lift up one another in prayer!

Be Observant

Pay attention to where your weak points are – because the enemy is. One easy place to start I heard quite some time ago. Think H.A.L.T. Ask yourself am I Hungry, Angry, Lonely or Tired? These are often times where fear, worry or negative thoughts run free. Be a student of yourself and note your tendencies (another good reason to write it down). You will be better equipped when you know the battle is coming.

Put it on Repeat

Friend, we can’t stop there. This is where you have to “battle”. It’s not likely that this is a one and done situation. You will have times when you don’t follow thru in these steps and instead succumb to your fear and anxiety. Please give yourself grace, but don’t give up!

If you follow these 5 steps consistently it will get easier to overcome fear or anxiety. Your hunger for scripture and desire to seek out bible verses about fear or anxiety will grow. Those lapses between will become fewer and farther apart.

What does God say about fear and anxiety?

Isaiah 41:10 

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am you God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

Psalm 27:1

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 56:3

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You.

Luke 12:22-26

Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about you like, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap, which have neither storehouse nor barn; and God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds? And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?”

Philippians 4:6-7

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

More Bible Verses For Fear or Anxiety

Isaiah 35:4

Say to those who are fearful-hearted, “Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, With the recompense of God; He will come and save you.”

John 14:27

Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

1 Peter 5:6-7

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

Matthew 6:34

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

I find one of the best reminders for how to handle fear or anxiety to be in Romans 12:2. It says “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

So let’s renew our minds by taking our thoughts captive. Let’s focus on what the Bible says about fear and anxiety and let’s pray! This is an essential weapon that we need to have in our spiritual arsenal!

So friend, what do you think? What would you say is a good Bible verse for anxiety?

Let me know in the comments below!