In the biblical context, we are told to “fear the Lord,” that is, have a respectful dread, awe, and reverence for God.

To fear the Lord is healthy. It causes us to live our lives in view of our creator and master. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life” (Proverbs 14:27).

Bible verse after Bible verse speaks to the positives of having a fear of the Lord, but conversely, when God spoke to a person, often the first words were, “Do not be afraid” (Luke 1:30). One must conclude that there must be a healthy respect (fear) for God. But, our natural fears of the unknown, of pain, of failure, etc., must be overcome if we are to live a life pleasing to God.

There are varying degrees of fear. Some people are paralyzed by the prospect of the simplest activity, while others seem to have no fear and plunge into daring exploits with hardly a thought as to the potential consequences. The fact is everybody is afraid of something.

Courage is pushing through our fear.

We honor courage. In times of war, people are put in very difficult circumstances, and when some push through the fear and do amazing conquests, we honor them with medals, respect, and adulation. When people face dread disease with courage and maintain a good spirit, we are all lifted by their courage.

The Bible honors courage. David, the young shepherd boy, stood up against Goliath the giant. David was confident of the presence and power of God and therefore pushed through the fear of death, ridicule, and potential failure to run out and face the giant with the scarcest of means (1 Samuel 17:1-50). We are encouraged to face the giants in our life, push through our fear, and realize victory.

There was another man in the Bible who pushed through fear. His name was Benaiah. He was one of David’s mighty men. We are told in 2 Samuel 23:20, “He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.” This pit or cave was possibly the lair of the lion. The lion was not attacking Benaiah, but Benaiah decided to pursue the lion into the pit and kill it.

The lion represents fear. We can attempt to coexist with fear, that is, just refrain from any activity that threatens us, but Benaiah was not content with that. He chased his fear down and conquered it. Everybody knows you should not corner a wild animal, but Benaiah did just that. He cornered and killed.

It was a snowy day, the worst conditions. It was a pit, the lion’s stronghold, yet Benaiah prevailed.

Courage is pushing through fear. It is confronting it, chasing it down, cornering it, and defeating it.

“The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life.” Fear of living life to the full is a fate worse than death. Be brave, be strong!

The Rev. Dan Puckett is a minister with Life Action Ministries.