Do Not Fear
It’s been said that the phrase do not fear appears 365 times in Scripture. Paul writes in Romans 8 that that we did not receive a spirit of fear, and that nothing can separate us from God’s love. Nearly every time an angel from God shows up with a new assignment for one of the biblical characters, they come with a message: “Do not fear.” Still, whether there are enough utterances of “do not be afraid” in Scripture to give us a unique reminder every day, the idea remains that the command to put away fear is comprehensive—whatever trials befall us, we can remember that we are created for faith, not fear.
In this unit, participants will learn that the command to “do not fear” does not mean that there is nothing to be afraid of—it means that God will walk with us through whatever fears we have. We will not eradicate fear, but we can move through it, and through studying this practice we can see how we must not let fear paralyze us from holy actions. The four dimensions of the practice that are discussed include: tuning into God’s presence, trusting God’s promises, taking one step at a time, and persevering.
Adult Leader's Guide
This leader’s guide uses the Adult Reflection Guide to lead a small group study on the practice. This guide contains a summary of the practice and the four (or six) sessions, background information on the Bible study for the session, and any preparation the leader may need to do ahead of the session. There are different options of activities and discussions to choose from throughout the session. Participants are asked to read through the Adult Reflection Guide, if possible, before each session. There are other great resources for adults in the Congregational Guide.
Featured in the Adult Leader’s Guide:
Tune In to God’s Presence (1 Kings 19; Luke 1:26–38)
Trust God’s Promises (Isaiah 43:1b–4a; Matthew 28:16–20; Romans 8:38–39; Revelation 1:17b–18a)
Take One Step at a Time (Exodus 14:10–30; Judges 6:1–40; Matthew 14:22–29)
Persevere (Exodus 1:15–22; Psalm 90:1–4; Hebrews 11:1–12:2)
Series Description
Follow Me: Biblical Practices for Faithful Living is a twenty-seven-unit curriculum based on practices Jesus did and taught us to do as faithful followers. Written for people of all ages who wish to live out their faith, this new curriculum examines where these practices are found in the Bible and how they have been used in Christian faith then and now.
