As Christians, we sometimes encounter situations that bring us fear. There is nothing wrong with feeling fear when you encounter an unexpected situation. However, what are you going to do with the fear that you feel? Are you going to trust God and rely on His grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, or will you remain fearful? The wrong choice is to remain afraid. Even though cowardice is not directly addressed in the Bible, we can relate it to what the Bible says about being afraid. Cowardice means being consumed with fear. For example, suppose you are a Christian preaching the Gospel in your workplace. In that case, you may be consumed with the fear of being persecuted, mocked, or made fun of in your workplace by your superior or co-workers when they discover that you are a Christian. Because of that, you may end up being a coward and not preaching the Gospel to them. Cowardice or fear in itself is not a sin. However, it could and often leads to sin. For example, suppose you are on a bus and see a person being discriminated against because of their race; the cowardice of not standing up for that person because you are afraid of what others could do to you is a sin, as you are failing to stand up for what is right. You are more concerned about your own well-being or safety. Likewise, when it comes to Christ, it is a sin to be a coward when it comes to preaching Christ, even if a person is in a nation where it is dangerous to be Christian.
Even if it means execution, suffering, or imprisonment, we should be brave, bold, and courageous enough to preach Christ to those who haven’t heard of Him, knowing that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation to anyone who believes. Genuine Christians whose hearts have been regenerated and have decided to follow Christ will do everything for Christ, even if it means death, just like the early church followers, because they knew the truth of the Gospel. If we truly know and understand what Christ has done for us, then we will be zealous for Him. We will die for the Gospel. If we are asked to deny Christ by those who don’t believe in Him, we should not be cowards and seek to save ourselves in exchange for denying Christ. Instead, we must be brave and have the fortitude to never deny Him, by the grace of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says that we are to fear God more than men. If there is only one fear that we should have, that is fear of the LORD, which is a reverential kind of fear towards God, knowing that He is holy.
Matthew 10:28
And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Matthew 10:33
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Father in heaven, give me the grace to be bold, brave, and courageous when it comes to preaching Christ wherever I am. I pray that no fear or repercussion shall keep me from preaching Christ, in whom people could have eternal life and be reconciled with You. I thank You, Holy Spirit, because You are the one who empowers me to be bold, brave, and courageous as I zealously proclaim the good news to those who haven’t heard it. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
A Coward’s Prayer
How do you overcome cowardice?
We overcome fear when we know that God is with us. In the Old Testament, there have been numerous occasions where they were afraid because of the circumstances they were in. For example, when Israel conquered the promised land by conquering the armies inhabiting it, they were faced with overwhelming odds. The numbers of their enemies were far greater than their forces. However, God told them to be strong and courageous and that there was nothing to fear because He was with them.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Knowing that God is with us in the moments where we feel fear is a truth that brings us comfort. The God that is with us is not just God, but “the” almighty God. The all-powerful, all-knowing, everlasting God. Knowing that this is the God who is with us drives out the fear we feel.
Psalm 23:4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Psalm 34:4
I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.
Psalm 56:3
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.
King David is no stranger to such situations. There were many times where he was afraid. One of these occasions is when King Saul chased him and wanted his life. However, he didn’t dwell in fear or cowardice, but he trusted God, who is his refuge, his fortress, his rock, and his dwelling place.
Psalm 91:1-2
He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
Whenever you feel fear, here is a prayer that you can pray knowing that God is with you:
Father in heaven, I thank You because You are my dwelling place. Whenever I feel fear, I run to You, Lord. You who are my fortress, my rock, and my refuge. Thank You, Father, because no matter what circumstance I face, there is no reason to fear because You are with me. In Christ, I can have joy instead of fear in whatever circumstances I face. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.
A Coward’s Prayer
Another thing to keep in mind whenever you feel fear is that it is God who comforts you. It is written in Isaiah 51:12 and 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:
Isaiah 51:12
I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
Psalm 94:19
In the multitude of my thoughts within me thy comforts delight my soul.
Usually, terrifying circumstances cause us not only to be afraid, but also to feel overwhelmed. However, in those times, God is not only our dwelling place, but our comforter too. You can pray this prayer, knowing that God is the one who comforts you:
Father in heaven, I thank You because, in Christ, You are the one who comforts me in times of affliction. You are the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Thank You, Father, because You understand me and understand the emotions that I feel. Thank You, Jesus, because as I find myself in the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil for Your rod and Your staff comfort me. You restore my soul and lead me on paths of righteousness. In Your name, I pray. Amen.
A Coward’s Prayer
Another thing that you can pray for is peace. When the 12 apostles were in the middle of a storm, they were afraid. However, it was Christ who brought peace upon them. Like the apostles, we should never be fearful if we encounter storms or any circumstance that cause us to be scared, because those in Christ have Christ and Christ is our peace. Christ brings restoration to our souls and makes us whole or complete, no matter what circumstance we are in that causes us such fear.
Philippians 4:6–7
6 Be careful 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.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Ephesians 2:14
For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
You can pray this prayer of peace whenever you feel afraid:
Thank You, Jesus, because You are my peace. No matter what circumstance I am in, I am whole and complete in You. Thank You Lord Jesus, because as I pray to God regarding the things that cause me fear, your peace that transcends all understanding guards my heart and mind. In Your name, I pray. Amen.
A Coward’s Prayer
Remember that God gives us not a spirit of fear, but one of power, love, and self-control. Yes, you may feel fear when you first encounter a situation, but by the grace of God and through the power of the Holy Spirit, you can have the self-control to not be afraid.
Psalm 115:11
Ye that fear the Lord, trust in the Lord: he is their help and their shield.
The things we have mentioned magnify the Gospel even more. If You are in Christ, there is nothing to be afraid of because You are a child of God. You can run to God as your refuge, rock, fortress, and dwelling place because of what Christ has done for you on the cross, which was breaking down the wall of hostility between you and God. Even if the circumstance you are in leads to death, like what we mentioned about preaching Christ in a nation hostile to Christianity, there is still nothing to fear because Jesus has conquered death and in Him you have eternal life. In this world, where there is suffering, we are but pilgrims. Our real home and citizenship are in heaven, where there is no sickness, death, hunger, suffering, or any other things that cause us fear and pain. That is why we must look forward to that future hope.