7 Calming Prayers Against Fear with Bible Verses

Fear can do so much damage in a person’s life so let us combat it with God’s help through prayers against fear.

This year, experts have listed more than 400 different kinds of phobias. A significant percentage of people in the world experience them. Fear can be good because it helped us survive for thousands of years but fear can also be bad. It can paralyze us and keep us from doing things that can be good for us. Fear can keep us from reaching our full potential. So, what can we do about it?

What are Prayers Against Fear?

One of the most powerful things a Christian can wield is prayer. God’s word is our most powerful weapon, but prayer is so important because it is our way of communicating with God.

On the other hand, one of the most powerful things that enslave people is fear. It can be triggered or created in so many ways. Anxiety can come so suddenly that it takes us a few moments to catch up to what is going on.

We can take a deep breath, and search the area for our dear sister, a family member, a friend, a special someone, or just anyone who can help. But one of the most effective ways is still, to go through God’s words for comfort, and say prayers against fear for help and protection.

What Does the Bible Say About Fear?

The Bible acknowledges that fear can do a lot of damage to a person’s life. We can find many accounts of angels and even Jesus Himself telling people not to fear. God encourages people to turn away from their fears and find courage in Him.

The fear of the Lord

If we are to find comfort and courage in God, what does the fear of the Lord mean? Does this mean that we should overcome all our fears but be fearful of God? One of the most common verses cited about the fear of the Lord is Deuteronomy 10:20. It says, “Fear the Lord your God and serve him. Hold fast to him and take your oaths in his name.“

But, if we read the next verse, Deuteronomy 10:21, we will read, “He is the one you praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” It brings a different meaning to the word “fear.” The fear of the Lord in the Bible talks about the reverential fear that God deserves.

When some royalty, for example, passes us by and we see all the carriages, the grandeur, the power, we feel some kind of reverential awe or fear. This is kind of the fear that the Bible is telling us to give to God.

The Greek word phobos that Luke used in Acts 9:31 is not the irrational fear of God. It talks about seeing God in a reverent light, respecting Him, acknowledging His power, and dreading displeasing Him. It talks about knowing that God loves us but that each of the choices we make, whether good or bad, will get a fitting consequence from God.

Best Prayers Against Fear

Prayer against anxiety and fear

Psalm 46:1

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.”

Lord Jesus Christ,

I am scared and I am at a loss as to what to do. I turn to you Jesus, holy God, to give me a sound mind and peace. I know that I cannot rely on my own understanding so I depend on your mighty power. Lord, bless me and help me overcome this fear. I want to be able to serve you and my neighbor in the best way I can and these fear and anxiety are getting in the way.

God bless me as I come to you now. Please give me the courage I need to get through each day. Remind me of your love, Christ Jesus, and let that be enough to drive out the fear in my heart. I know all my fears are nothing compared to Jesus’ holy name. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen.

Prayer to turn fear and anxiety into peace

John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”

Father God,

I desperately need your peace today. I need to feel your security and assurance because fear is consuming me. I want to serve and praise God but fear comes in the way. Abba Father I pray for true freedom from this fear.

I believe that we are God’s children and that your perfect love goes out to us when we experience fear. Fear can do nothing against your mighty name. I pray that you transform my fear into peace and let me experience the kind of peace that only you can give. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer to help trust God despite the fear

Psalm 56:3

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”

Dear Lord,

I come to you in all humility, asking that you give my heart enough peace so that I can hear the voice of comfort from the Holy Spirit. I know that you want what is best for me and I believe that living in fear is not your will for me.

I pray, Lord Jesus, to help me fight the fear and lead me to trust you even when I am scared. I do not know how to keep going without your help. Please speak to me, Holy Spirit, and teach me what to do. I want to trust you with all my heart. Please help me choose to trust despite the fear. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer for strength against fear

Isaiah 35:4

“Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come.”

Heavenly Father,

I feel my knees go weak and my hands shake. I find myself staring at nothing or pacing until my feet are sore. Father, this fear has invaded my life and has started consuming my daily life and my peace of mind. God, bless me with the courage and strength to fight this.

Please help me fight these anxious thoughts and spirits of fear. Strengthen my faith in your love and truth. Give me grace so I can hold on to hope despite being afraid. Help me see my worry as insignificant compared to you, Father God. In the name of Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Praying through the fear

Mark 5:36

“Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

Dear Father,

You know me and my heart. You know what I am going through right at this moment and I believe that you care about me and that you are working on me. I trust that you can save me from my fears and anxious thoughts. Please teach me self-control so that I may purge myself of this fear and you can fill my heart with peace and hope. I pray in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Prayer to break the spirit of fear

2 Timothy 1:7

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline.”

Dear Lord,

I know that your spirit lives in me but I feel the spirit of fear overpowering me sometimes. I know that you are stronger than this fear but most of the time, I am not. Please equip me and help me overcome this spirit of fear that I may live as a testimony to your might and love. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray, Amen.

Prayer for confronting fear

Psalm 27:1

“The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?”

Lord Jesus Christ,

I know fear all too well and I know that you understand me and still love me despite everything. I want to be able to confront my fear and overcome it but I know that I cannot do it alone, dear Lord. Please guide me and hold my hand as I go on this mission.

I know that you want me to be able to live life to the full and I need your help, Lord Jesus. I want to be able to testify to everyone that God hath taken my fear and exchanged it with courage and peace. In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.

Practical Ways of Dealing with Fear

Condition

You may be tired of people telling you to face your fears, but many studies suggest that this is how to deal with and even overcome fear and anxious thoughts. But, remember that you are not required to succeed right away.

This will take time and effort. Start small by exposing yourself to what you fear or the symbol of your fear for a few minutes each day. We should never underestimate our ability to get used to things. Gently and slowly increase your exposure, learn to take breaks, and pray.

Count

When we are faced with the things that bring us fear and anxiety, we get consumed. We forget about everything but our fear so we should distract ourselves from it. Counting and breathing are excellent ways to distract ourselves.

We can also count all the blessings in our lives to replace fear with gratefulness in our hearts. It develops self-control and self-discipline. When we focus on something other than our fear, we will be able to face it easier each time and we can give ourselves some leeway in our goal to overcome fear.

Contemplate

It is hard to live in constant fear and anxiety. Still, our fears are part of us and we can learn from them. We can discover what our fear teaches us about ourselves and maybe we can find answers on how to deal with our fear through this.

Also, no matter how scared we are, we should never stop looking for our purpose. God always has a plan for us and we must trust that even when fear grips us. Let us not let fear hinder our growth.

Cope

We, humans, are programmed to do everything we can to survive. We all have different ways to cope with fear, anxiety, and trauma. Find out what works best for you in these times and utilize it. If it is humor, pray to God to show you joy despite the fear.

If it is through rationalizing, ask God for wisdom. If you cope best by writing your experiences and feelings, ask God for clarity of thought. There is no single way of dealing with fear. We must strive to learn ourselves and know what will help us.

Communicate

It is hard to fight something that we cannot fully understand or express. That is why we need to practice doing it. We need to be able to understand as much as we can about our fear. We need to know what triggers it, how we respond to it, and so much more.

One of the most effective ways to do that is to practice expressing things to someone else. It is good to find someone you trust and have them help you figure things out and come up with solutions when you feel overwhelmed with fear. It can also be good to have them as prayer partners.

Commendation

Fears do not usually go away overnight like in the movies. Still, we can make progress. It is good practice to commend ourselves for every progress that we make on our journey of facing our fears. A small win is still a win and we deserve appreciation and praise, especially from ourselves.

In Summary

Fear can affect how we see things. We may see something small and innocent as something big and malicious through the lens of fear. We can take deep breaths, meditate, or try something else. The most important thing we can do when we experience fear is to pray. We can look for trustworthy people and send them a prayer request to help us with praying for ourselves. God cares and looks out for us. With God on our side, no fear is too big nor too difficult to overcome.