Fear is everywhere.

It shows up in the notifications you hesitate to open. It sits in the future you are not sure you can afford. It hides in the pressure to keep up, stay relevant, and not fall behind. For our generation fear is not an occasional emotion. It is the background noise of everyday life.

We are told fear is normal. Anxiety is expected. Stress is just part of being human now. But the Bible pushes back on that idea, not by pretending fear does not exist, but by asking a deeper question. What are you afraid of?

You have probably heard the claim that the Bible says “do not fear” 365 times, one for every day of the year. Whether that number is exact is not the point. Scripture repeats the command often because fear is powerful. It shapes decisions, distorts truth, and slowly replaces trust. But the Bible does not just say “do not fear.” It also tells us who to fear.

There are two kinds of fear woven throughout Scripture. One is warned against. The other is commanded.

The first is fear of the world. This kind of fear is rooted in circumstances, people, outcomes, rejection, loss, and uncertainty. Jesus addresses this directly when He says, 

“Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul”(Matthew 10:28). 

In other words, do not let temporary things have eternal control over you.

Fear of the world shows up today in very real ways. It looks like fear of being canceled or misunderstood. Fear of failing or not being enough. Fear of missing out, being alone, or choosing the wrong path. Proverbs 29:25 says, 

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare”. 

Tim Keller captures this reality clearly when he says, “If you live for people’s approval, you will die from their rejection.” When fear of people takes over, we begin to live small. We compromise convictions, chase approval, and avoid obedience if it costs too much.

This kind of fear makes God feel distant and weak. 

But the Bible also talks about another kind of fear, the fear of the Lord. This is not terror or panic. It is awe, reverence, and a deep awareness of who God is and who we are not. Proverbs 1:7 says, 

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”. 

Ecclesiastes 12:13 sums up all of life with this command, 

“Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind”.

Fear of God does not push you away from Him. It draws you closer. It is the recognition that God is holy, powerful, and sovereign, and that His authority outweighs every other voice competing for your attention. Jesus Himself said, 

“Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell” (Luke 12:5).

He was not trying to scare people into obedience. He was clarifying who truly holds authority.

John Bevere puts it this way, “When we lose the fear of God, we lose the power of God in our lives.” When awe disappears, obedience weakens. When reverence fades, compromise grows. Fear of God realigns our hearts and restores spiritual clarity.

Here is the truth we often miss. You cannot eliminate fear. You can only redirect it. Everyone fears something. Fear is like a compass, pointing to what we value most. If you fear losing approval, approval will control you. If you fear failure, failure will define you. But when you fear God, everything else finds its proper place.

Psalm 34:9 says, 

“Fear the Lord, you his holy people, for those who fear him lack nothing”. 

Proverbs 14:26 says,

“Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge”.

Fear of the Lord does not create anxiety. It dismantles it. It shrinks the power of people’s opinions and loosens the grip of uncertainty.

So what does this mean for us?

It means asking hard questions. What do you fear losing the most? Whose opinion shapes your decisions? Where have you compromised because fear felt safer than faith?

Fearing God means you stop letting fear sit on the throne of your life. It means choosing obedience when it is uncomfortable, trusting God when the future feels unclear, and believing that His authority is greater than your circumstances.

The Bible never promises a fear free life. But it does promise freedom from fear’s control.

When you fear God, you do not stop feeling fear. You stop being ruled by it.