



By Julia Sexil
Nightfall would set in soon, and my mountain hiking adventure was far from complete.
I needed another two hours to reach my destination on the other side of the lake.
The more darkness crept in, the more my imagination gripped me. The trail had once appeared straight and clear, but now seemed crooked, obscure, and endless.
Every sound made me jump, from the whisper of rustling bushes to the crunch of twigs beneath my feet.
I panicked.
Fearing the possibility of getting lost or worse—getting mauled by a bear—I cut my hike short and turned around.
I was so disappointed with myself.
Has fear ever stopped you from pursuing a path God wanted you to walk?
In my own relationship with the Lord, I’ve experienced the negative impacts fear brings. Fear can blind us to God’s promises for our lives, paralyze us from moving forward, and distract our focus.
Surrendering to our fears, rather than God’s Word, is a big problem. When we’re blind, paralyzed, or distracted, we’re unlikely to reach our destination.
Fear causes us to stray from the path God laid out for us. But we can find hope in taking another path.

3 Ways God’s Word Helps Us Overcome Fear
The Word of God is the only solution to fear’s negative impacts. The Bible keeps us on the right path in three ways.
1 – God’s Word Shows Us the Way
“Your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” – Psalm 119:105 NLT
If we walk in the woods at night, we need light to see the path. Similarly, we need God’s Word to show us His blueprint for our lives and clarify the next step.
Without the Lord’s guidance, fears can blind our perception of His truth and convince us we’re inadequate for God’s plan.
This mentality makes it difficult to move forward.
While on my hike, I became so overwhelmed by my fears that I was oblivious to the stones marking the path. The stones distinguished the trail I was supposed to stay on versus the off-trail course.
God’s Word serves the same purpose as those stones.
The Bible illuminates the right path—the straight, clear, and enjoyable way.
Although God may not reveal all the details of His plan for our lives at once, His Word gives us sufficient clarity and courage to inspire our next step.

2 – God’s Word Empowers Us
“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it.” – Isaiah 43:19 NLT
As I hiked, a compelling force within me attacked every negative thought threatening to paralyze me. This conviction was so strong it was impossible to shake, even if I tried.
God’s Word is this compelling force within us.
He continuously works in us, empowering us to endure—even when we can’t feel it, lose sight of His truth, or fail.
As we establish a daily routine of reading and meditating on Scripture, we become aware of His transformative presence at work within us.
Our faith and courage grow.
Even in fearful moments, we can experience indescribable joy bursting forth in our hearts.

3 – God’s Word Centers Our Focus on Him
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” – Proverbs 3:5–6 NLT
Our fears shift our gaze from God to ourselves. With a self-focused lens, we lose sight of God’s intended direction for our lives.
When distracted, we steer off course and lose sight of our beautiful journey with God. While in self-focused mode, we hurry to arrive somewhere instead of enjoying God’s presence.
God’s Word counteracts this.
Our focus shifts as we read, study, and use Scripture to speak against our fears.
The Bible focuses us upward rather than inward. God’s Word supersedes our limited human understanding.

Overcome Fear in God’s Presence
“This is my command– be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord, your God is with you everywhere you go.” – Joshua 1:9 NLT
God commands us to not fear.
He does not promise we won’t be confronted with fear on our journey with Him. However, the Lord promises we are never alone.
We don’t overcome fear with our own strength—that’s impossible. But when fear comes, God’s Word and His presence help us overcome its grip and lead us back in the right direction.
I crumbled before my fears and turned around that day.
I was startled by the presence of a friend a couple of minutes later. I hadn’t realized another person was lagging behind me on the same trail.
My friend pulled out her map and pointed out I was closer to my destination than I thought.
When I least expected it, God reminded me of His presence. He never left, even when my fears convinced me otherwise.
After help appeared, my destination was no longer a focus. Joy filled my heart because I wasn’t alone on the trail.
The scenery appeared more beautiful. Before I knew it, I had reached my destination.
Our journey with the Lord is more than arriving somewhere.
With His Word guiding us, we arrive where we need to be and right on time.
God’s presence is our primary destination; everything else is secondary. Fear can’t say or do anything about that.
Has fear blinded, paralyzed, or distracted you today? What are some practical ways to remind yourself of God’s Word and His presence to overcome fear?
Julia Sexil

With a stethoscope in one hand and pen and Bible in the other, Julia possesses a deep passion to inspire others to take God as Father and friend. She is a registered nurse, holding a specialty in Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation, homeschool educator, and mother of three. Her recent children’s book release, Tit for Tat, Jesus is Not About That! is now available. Julia lives in Washington with her husband and childhood sweetheart, Mike.
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