Fear Not the Fear: A Biblical Perspective on Courage | Gary Wilkerson

Be Afraid—Be Very, Very Afraid: Harnessing Healthy Fear

What if the very thing you’re told never to feel—fear—could actually propel you into the life God has for you? In this candid message, Gary Wilkerson reframes fear from a paralyzing enemy into a healthy signal that you’re on the brink of something significant. Drawing on heroes like Nehemiah and David—men who admitted their fear yet pressed on—Gary shows how “good fear” prompts us to step out in faith and trust God for the extraordinary.

💬 “Be afraid—be very, very afraid. But let that fear move you where God would have you to be.”

💬 “David cried out to the Lord, and He delivered him from all his fears.”

💬 “Fear signals that something matters—so don’t run from it. Let it fuel your courage.”

🔑 Key Themes

• Healthy Fear vs. Paralyzing Fear

• Fear as a Signal: “If it doesn’t scare you, it might not be worth doing.”

• Biblical Heroes Who Felt Fear

• Stepping Into God-Sized Dreams

• Turning Fear into Faith in Action

📖 Scriptures Referenced

• Nehemiah 2:2 – “Then I was very much afraid, and I said to the king…”

• Psalm 34:4 – “I sought the Lord, and He delivered me from all my fears.”

• Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you…”

• Matthew 14:27 – “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”

• 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

🙏 A Call to Courage

1. Identify Your Fears: Write down the one or two things you’re most afraid to attempt.

2. Acknowledge Them Before God: Confess your fear, then ask Him to turn it into fuel.

3. Take One Faith-Step: Do the thing that scares you most—ask that person to forgive you, begin your dream project, share your testimony, or apply for that job.

4. Speak Scripture Over It: Use verses like Isaiah 41:10 or Psalm 34:4 to remind your heart that God is with you.

➡️ “When fear knocks, let faith open the door.”

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