LET GO OF THE FEAR –
Five Ways to Confront Fear and Obey God
Based on the message by Lee Grady
OVERVIEW
What fears are keeping you from fully following and obeying Jesus?
Using Paul and Timothy’s relationship as the discipleship context, Lee Grady teaches that fear, insecurity, and timidity do not excuse believers from God’s calling. Although Timothy was young and apparently struggled with fear, Paul reminded him that God had not given him a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.
The Holy Spirit does not come into our lives so we can remain hidden, silent, or controlled by fear. He heals broken places, restores confidence, and gives us the boldness we need to serve Jesus. God often chooses weak, reluctant, and unlikely people so His power can be revealed through their lives.
Five practical ways for confronting fear:
- Stop overthinking.
- Don’t isolate.
- Limit social media.
- Share your heart.
- Find peace in prayer.
Each one addresses an area where fear, anxiety, shame, or insecurity can keep us trapped.
In a personal vision, Lee saw the Holy Spirit’s flow through his life represented by oil moving through a large pipeline. Tightly closed valves represented his fears and the times he had said no to God. He realized that fear was restricting the Holy Spirit’s flow because it kept him from doing what God asked him to do.
Freedom from fear is not simply about feeling better. It enables us to become bold, make decisions, speak when God asks us to speak, accept His assignments, and freely say yes to His calling.
“When I have fear in my life, it limits the flow of the Holy Spirit.” – Lee Grady
HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE
Read → Respond → Reflect → Pray → Live It
Open your Bible and carefully read the Scriptures before answering the questions.
Let God’s Word answer the questions before your fears, feelings, or opinions do.
As you work through this guide, ask the Holy Spirit to show you where fear may be influencing your thoughts, relationships, choices, and obedience.
Take time to read, pray, reflect, journal, and discuss these questions with your parents, youth leaders, friends, or small group.
Don’t rush through the questions. Wrestle with them. God’s Word is meant to shape how you live at home, school, work, church, and with your friends.
SECTION 1 — STOP OVERTHINKING
FOCUS
Fear can trap us in worry, second-guessing, perfectionism, and mental paralysis. God gives us power, love, a sound mind, and the peace of Jesus so fear does not have to control our decisions.
READ
2 Timothy 1:7–8, John 14:27
RESPOND
- According to 2 Timothy 1:7, what has God not given us?
- What three things has God given us instead?
- According to verse 8, what does Paul tell Timothy not to be ashamed of?
- What does Paul instruct Timothy to do through the power of God?
- According to John 14:27, what does Jesus leave with His followers?
- How is the peace Jesus gives different from the peace the world gives?
- What two instructions does Jesus give concerning our hearts?
REFLECT
- What are you currently overthinking: a grade, your future, college, work, a friendship, a family situation, or a difficult conversation?
- Has fear of failing or disappointing someone caused you to avoid trying, hide a mistake, or delay making a decision?
- Does fear of what friends, classmates, or coworkers may think ever make you silent or ashamed of your faith?
- Are you waiting until you feel completely confident before doing something you already know is right?
- What is one step of obedience you can take even if you still feel nervous or uncertain?
Further Scripture Reading
1 Timothy 4:12, Proverbs 3:5–6, Philippians 4:8
SECTION 2 — DON’T ISOLATE
FOCUS
God created us with a need for relationships. Fear and anxiety may tempt us to withdraw, but God gives us families, parents, church leaders, and Christian friends so we do not have to face life alone.
READ
Genesis 2:18
RESPOND
- What did God say was “not good”?
- What did God determine to provide for the man?
- What does this verse reveal about God’s design for relationships and human connection?
REFLECT
- When you feel anxious, ashamed, angry, or overwhelmed, do you shut yourself in your room, disappear into your phone, or push away the people who care about you?
- Are you allowing your parents or family to know what is really happening in your life, or do you pretend everything is fine?
- Who is a trustworthy parent, family member, youth leader, or mature believer you can talk to when you are struggling?
- Do your closest friendships encourage you to follow Jesus, respect your family, and make wise choices—or pressure you in the opposite direction?
- Is there someone at home, school, church, or work who may feel alone and need you to notice and encourage them?
Further Scripture Reading
Ecclesiastes 4:9–10, Hebrews 10:24–25, Proverbs 27:17
SECTION 3 — LIMIT SOCIAL MEDIA
FOCUS
Social media can be used for good, but it becomes harmful when it fuels fear, comparison, insecurity, anxiety, or dependence on other people’s approval. God has given us a sound mind, and we are responsible for guarding what influences us.
READ
2 Timothy 1:7
RESPOND
- What kind of spirit has God not given us?
- What has God given us instead?
- How do power, love, and a sound mind contrast with a life controlled by fear?
- What might it look like to use social media with power, love, and wise self-control?
REFLECT
- How do you usually feel after spending time on social media: encouraged and connected, or anxious, distracted, insecure, angry, or left out?
- Are you comparing your appearance, friendships, relationships, abilities, achievements, or possessions with what other people post?
- Do likes, views, comments, streaks, or online attention affect how valuable or accepted you feel?
- Are social media, gaming, videos, or group chats taking time away from your family, responsibilities, sleep, prayer, or God’s Word?
- What boundary or change would help you protect your heart and regain control of your time and attention?
Further Scripture Reading
Proverbs 4:23, Galatians 1:10, Psalm 101:3
SECTION 4 — SHARE YOUR HEART
FOCUS
Fear, shame, pain, and hidden struggles grow stronger when we keep them buried. God uses honest confession, prayer, parents, families, and trustworthy Christian relationships to bring healing and freedom.
READ
James 5:16
RESPOND
- What does James instruct believers to confess to one another?
- What are believers instructed to do for one another?
- What purpose does James connect with confession and prayer?
- How does James describe the prayer of a righteous person?
- What does this verse reveal about the importance of honesty, relationships, and prayer?
REFLECT
- Is there a fear, mistake, habit, hurt, temptation, or secret that you have been keeping hidden?
- Is there something you need to confess to God and then honestly share with your parents or another trustworthy adult?
- Are you afraid that telling the truth will bring consequences, disappointment, embarrassment, or rejection?
- Has something from your past made you believe you are damaged, disqualified, or unable to be used by God?
- Who is a spiritually mature and trustworthy person who can listen, speak truth, help you involve your family when needed, and pray with you?
Further Scripture Reading
Galatians 6:2, Proverbs 28:13, Psalm 32:3–5
SECTION 5 — FIND PEACE IN PRAYER
FOCUS
Prayer brings our fears and anxieties into God’s presence. Instead of carrying them alone, we can tell God what we need, thank Him for His faithfulness, and allow His peace to guard our hearts and minds.
READ
Philippians 4:6–7
RESPOND
- What does Paul tell believers not to be anxious about?
- In what situations should we present our requests to God?
- What practices does Paul name as the proper response to anxiety?
- What attitude should accompany our prayers and requests?
- What does Paul say God’s peace surpasses?
- What will the peace of God guard?
- In whom are our hearts and minds guarded?
REFLECT
- What fear are you carrying about school, work, your future, your family, your health, money, friendships, or a decision you need to make?
- When anxiety rises, do you pray first—or do you scroll, avoid, complain, panic, or try to control everything yourself?
- What specific request do you need to bring honestly to God?
- What can you thank God for even before you know how the situation will turn out?
- Who could you ask to pray with you: a parent, family member, friend, teacher, coach, youth leader, or pastor?
Further Scripture Reading
John 14:27, 1 Peter 5:6–7, Psalm 34:4
THIS WEEK’S CHALLENGE
Practice one of Lee’s five responses to fear each day:
- Stop an overthinking cycle by returning to God’s truth.
- Move toward your family or Christian community instead of isolating.
- Set one healthy boundary with social media or screen time.
- Confess or share something you have been keeping hidden.
- Bring a specific fear to God in prayer with thanksgiving.
At the end of the week, ask yourself:
- Where was fear influencing my choices?
- Which response helped me most?
- What step of obedience is God asking me to take next?
JOURNAL IT
- One fear that has been influencing my thoughts or choices:
- One truth from God’s Word I need to believe:
- One thing I need to share with God, my parents, or a trustworthy believer:
- One boundary I need to establish:
- One step of obedience I will take this week:
FINAL ENCOURAGEMENT
God has not given you a spirit of fear. He has given you power, love, and a sound mind.
Fear does not have to control your thoughts, isolate you from your family and friends, determine your online choices, keep your struggles hidden, or prevent you from obeying God.
You do not need to wait until you feel fearless. Bring your fear to Jesus, receive His peace, and trust the Holy Spirit to give you the courage you need for your next step.
God loves to use young, weak, timid, broken, and unlikely people. Your age, personality, past, or insecurity does not disqualify you from His calling.
Let go of the fear. Receive the peace of Jesus. Say yes to God.