What is something you have been afraid of in your life? Not just worried about or fretful over, but downright fearful. Most of us haven’t experienced fear like David did…
Psalm 54:3a: “For strangers have risen against me; ruthless men seek my life;”
Psalm 55:4-5: “My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen upon me. Fear and trembling come upon me, and horror overwhelms me. “
Psalm 59:2b-a, “ save me from bloodthirsty men. For behold, they lie in wait for my life; fierce men stir up strife against me.” …but we’ve all felt afraid in our lives.
In case you haven’t realized it, each day of these devotions is from a line in the song “Raise a Hallelujah”. There is a link at the end of this devotion to the story behind the song. Today’s message is about fear. For fear to lose it’s hold on us, we have to acknowledge that fear can be real, valid, and strong. We have always been told fear ignites a fight or flight response in us. However, there is another response that often gets overlooked – paralysis. This paralyzing fear causes us to be unable to make a decision to take action, whether to fight or to flee. This kind of fear has you in its grip.
Looking at the lyrics to the song, we see a pattern.
I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies
I’m gonna sing, in the middle of the storm
I raise a hallelujah, in the middle of the mystery
The praise happens when we are surrounded by enemies, not after they are gone. The praise happens during the storm, not after it’s passed and everyone is safe. The praise happens when the outcome is a mystery, not when we know how things will work out.
Making the praise happen is our choice. We choose to praise God. We choose to trust that God loves us, cares for us, and is in control.
“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28).
God has a job and we have a job. God’s job is to love us despite our imperfections.
Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Our job is to choose Him. To choose His son as our savior.
To choose obedience to what we read in His Word. To choose to praise and to trust Him, regardless of our circumstances, because we know He is praiseworthy and trustworthy.
In doing that, fear can’t control us any longer – it loses its hold on us. 1 John 4:16-18 says, “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us…By this (knowing God’s love) is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment…There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (italics added)
We can, even need, to praise (raise a hallelujah) in the middle of our storms because death is defeated and Jesus is alive. Hebrews 13 has a lot of good advice and ideas to offer, part of which is that Jesus suffered in order to sanctify (to set apart or declare holy) us and that through him we can offer a sacrifice of praise to God. It reminds us that God is the God of peace.
In the middle of your storms, while you are afraid, it will feel like a sacrifice to choose to trust and praise God. But it is a choice you get to make. “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” – Psalm 56:3
Spoiler alert…God wins in the end. And you can be on the winning team!
©Todd & Amy Blanchard, 2026
Worship Together:
Fear is a Liar - Zach Williams
No Longer Slaves - Zach Williams
Extra for kids:
Who is the biggest, strongest person you know? Do you think they have ever been afraid? Of course, they have. Everyone gets scared sometimes. But there is someone who is even bigger and stronger than them – do you know who that is? Yep, it’s God!
There are three really big words that describe God.
● Omniscient (om-NISH-uhnt) – God is all-knowing
● Omnipotent (om-NIP-uh-tuhnt) – God is all-powerful
● Omnipresent (om-nuh-PREZ-uhnt ) – God is everywhere, all the time
Do you think someone like that can protect you? Take good care of you? You’re right, God can do that!
Here’s a verse you can say when you get afraid, “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you”
– Psalm 56:3.
In the Bible, David wrote that about God. The same David who God helped defeat Goliath. Even he was afraid sometimes. But he knew the secret to feeling peace was to trust in God.
Optional Activities:
● Have your kids draw or write down some things they are afraid of on separate pieces of paper and tape them to a wall. You make some as well. Roll up a pair of socks for each person. Say, “I will not be afraid of _______ because I can trust God” and throw the socks, trying to hit the piece of paper.
● You can have them crumple up those same pieces of paper and toss them into a basket saying the same thing.