Today we see and hear of recessions, pandemics, and natural disasters along with daily anxieties, making us prone to fear. Fear can turn to panic in a matter of minutes or even seconds.

How should a grace believer respond when fear comes? What does Scripture advise us to do in turbulent times?

Our Apostle Paul gives us a very practical and comforting command in Philippians 4:6–7 that ought to govern how we approach our fears. Our objective is to return to and abide in “the peace of God.”

“Be careful [Grk. merimnao, anxious] for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 (KJV)

The Bible does not deny that we will face adversity in this life—in fact, the Bible guarantees we will face troubles. Jesus said;

“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation [Grk. thlipsis, pressure]: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Neither does God’s written Word of God deny that our initial response to calamity or adversity is often feelings of fear. But the Apostle Paul, as “the Apostle to the Gentiles” (Rom. 11:13) of this age tells us that even in the direst of situations, we have the ability to act in faith.

How? Not by pretending the fear isn’t real, and not by mustering up all the courage we can, but by acknowledging our fears and honestly making them known to the Lord in prayer. For even in the most-dire of situations, we have the ability to act in faith.

The Philippians 4:6–7 (above) passage doesn’t preclude our acting with prudence and caution when circumstances warrant it. Nothing in this passage says we can’t prepare for the worst. But there should be a distinct difference between the way the world handles fear and the way followers of Jesus handle fear. The world panics; but we pray in accord with what “we know” of the Lord and how He work in our lives.

The mind persistently set upon the truth of God’s word is the key to peace and rest in our soul, and that is why Satan attacks our minds to provoke fearful thoughts.

“… they that are after the Spirit [mind] the things of the Spirit. ⁶ For to be carnally [fleshly] minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8:5-6 (KJV)

We pray knowing the Lord makes intercession for us.

“Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. ²⁷ And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.” (Romans 8:26-27 (KJV)

We know that every experience, be it good or bad, is spiritually profitable as it works for our eternal good.

“And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. ²⁹ For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:28-29 (KJV)

We know that our fear is often the work of “the accuser of the brethren (the Devil)” who tempt us with unreasonable thoughts to provoke fear, thinking He can thereby stop us from sharing the good news of Christ and His Cross-work. We must learn to “cast down” these Satan inspired thoughts that Paul calls “imaginations.”

“For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) ⁵ Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” (2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (KJV)

But there is another casting that we need to note as it applies also to us for our good.

  “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” (1 Peter 5:7 (KJV)  

An excerpt from Rick Renner concerning Casting all your care upon him.

“We as humans are not designed to carry the burden of worry, fretting, and anxiety. This load is simply too much for the human body and the central nervous system to tolerate. We may be able to manage it for a while, but eventually the physical body and mind will begin to break under this type of perpetual pressure. In fact, the medical world has confirmed that the major source of sickness in the Western Hemisphere is stress and pressure. Man was simply not fashioned to carry pressures, stresses, anxieties, and worries; this is the reason his body breaks down when it undergoes these negative influences for too long.

If you are struggling with sickness or depression, your condition very possibly could be related to stress and pressure. In 1 Peter 5:7, it is almost as if Jesus is calling out to you and saying;

“Your shoulders are not big enough to carry the burdens you’re trying to bear by yourself. This load will eventually break you — so please let ME be your beast of burden! Take that load and heave it with all your might. Fling it over onto MY back, and let ME carry it for you!”

Just as Luke 19:35 says they cast their garments upon the back of the donkey, now you need to cast your burdens over on the Lord and let Him carry those burdens for you!

But exactly what problems and cares are we to throw over onto the shoulders of the Lord?

The Apostle Peter says we are to cast all of “our cares” upon Jesus. The word “cares” is the Greek word merimna, which means anxiety. However, in principle it describes any affliction, difficulty, hardship, misfortune, trouble, or complicated circumstance that arises as a result of problems that develop in our lives. It could refer to problems that are financial, marital, job-related, family-related, business-oriented, or anything else that concerns us.”