Being brave doesn’t mean you’re not afraid. It means you do what needs to be done despite the fear.
It’s facing the giant when your knees are shaking.
It’s speaking truth when silence would be safer.
It’s taking the next step when you can’t see two steps ahead.
Bravery is fear that has said its prayers and decided to move forward anyway.
Maya Angelou, who overcame childhood trauma and racism to become one of America’s most influential voices, understood this deeply:
“Courage is the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can’t practice any other virtue consistently.”
She knew that every good thing you want to do in life will require bravery at some point. Love requires the courage to be vulnerable. Faith requires the courage to trust in God’s Plan even when you cannot see it. Obedience requires the courage to say yes when God’s call seems impossible.
Scripture is filled with ordinary people called to do extraordinary things that terrified them:
Moses at the burning bush.
Gideon hiding in a winepress.
Esther approaching the king uninvited.
Peter stepping out of the boat.
None of them felt brave enough. But they discovered what you need to know: God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.
Your bravery doesn’t come from your own strength. It comes from knowing who goes with you.
Bible Verses About Being Brave
1. Joshua 1:9 – Be Strong and Courageous
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.
New International Version (NIV)
2. Deuteronomy 31:6 – Be Strong and Courageous, Do Not Be Afraid
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.
New International Version (NIV)
3. Psalm 27:14 – Be Strong and Take Heart
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
New International Version (NIV)
4. 1 Chronicles 28:20 – Be Strong and Courageous, and Do the Work
David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the Lord is finished.”
New International Version (NIV)
5. Isaiah 41:10 – Do Not Fear, for I Am With You
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
New International Version (NIV)
6. 2 Timothy 1:7 – God Has Not Given Us a Spirit of Fear
For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
New King James Version (NKJV)
7. Proverbs 28:1 – The Righteous Are as Bold as a Lion
The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
New International Version (NIV)
8. 1 Corinthians 16:13 – Be on Your Guard; Stand Firm in the Faith; Be Courageous
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.
New International Version (NIV)
9. Psalm 31:24 – Be Strong and Take Heart
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
New International Version (NIV)
10. Isaiah 35:4 – Say to Those With Fearful Hearts, “Be Strong”
Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.”
New International Version (NIV)
11. Acts 4:13 – They Took Note That These Men Had Been With Jesus
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
New International Version (NIV)
12. Ephesians 6:10 – Be Strong in the Lord
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
New International Version (NIV)
13. Joshua 1:7 – Be Strong and Very Courageous
Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go.
New International Version (NIV)
14. Psalm 118:6 – The Lord Is With Me; I Will Not Be Afraid
The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
New International Version (NIV)
15. 2 Chronicles 32:7 – Be Strong and Courageous
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged because of the king of Assyria and the vast army with him, for there is a greater power with us than with him.
New International Version (NIV)
16. Acts 4:29 – Enable Your Servants to Speak With Great Boldness
Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness.
New International Version (NIV)
17. Philippians 4:13 – I Can Do All This Through Him
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
New International Version (NIV)
18. Psalm 23:4 – I Will Fear No Evil
Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
New International Version (NIV)
19. 1 Samuel 17:45 – I Come Against You in the Name of the Lord
David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.”
New International Version (NIV)
20. Deuteronomy 31:8 – The Lord Goes Before You
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
New International Version (NIV)
21. Psalm 46:1-2 – Therefore We Will Not Fear
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.
New International Version (NIV)
22. Hebrews 13:6 – The Lord Is My Helper; I Will Not Be Afraid
So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”
New International Version (NIV)
23. Joshua 10:25 – Do Not Be Afraid; Do Not Be Discouraged
Joshua said to them, “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Be strong and courageous. This is what the Lord will do to all the enemies you are going to fight.”
New International Version (NIV)
24. 2 Samuel 10:12 – Be Strong, and Let Us Fight Bravely
Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.
New International Version (NIV)
25. Psalm 56:3-4 – When I Am Afraid, I Put My Trust in You
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?
New International Version (NIV)
26. Romans 8:31 – If God Is for Us, Who Can Be Against Us?
What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
New International Version (NIV)
27. Isaiah 43:1 – Do Not Fear, for I Have Redeemed You
But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”
New International Version (NIV)
28. Psalm 138:3 – You Made Me Bold and Stouthearted
When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.
New International Version (NIV)
29. John 16:33 – Take Heart! I Have Overcome the World
I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
New International Version (NIV)
30. Haggai 2:4 – Be Strong and Work
But now be strong, Zerubbabel,’ declares the Lord. ‘Be strong, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest. Be strong, all you people of the land,’ declares the Lord, ‘and work. For I am with you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.
New International Version (NIV)
31. Proverbs 3:25-26 – Do Not Be Afraid of Sudden Disaster
Have no fear of sudden disaster or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked, for the Lord will be at your side and will keep your foot from being snared.
New International Version (NIV)
32. Isaiah 54:4 – Do Not Be Afraid; You Will Not Be Put to Shame
Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood.
New International Version (NIV)
33. Judges 6:12 – The Lord Is With You, Mighty Warrior
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”
New International Version (NIV)
34. Deuteronomy 20:3-4 – Do Not Be Fainthearted or Afraid
He shall say: “Hear, Israel: Today you are going into battle against your enemies. Do not be fainthearted or afraid; do not panic or be terrified by them. For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.”
New International Version (NIV)
35. 2 Chronicles 15:7 – Be Strong and Do Not Give Up
But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.
New International Version (NIV)
Our Thoughts On What the Bible Says About Being Brave
Being brave in Scripture is never about self-confidence. It’s always about God-confidence. Every command to be brave is paired with a reminder of God’s presence.
Joshua was told to be strong and courageous, not because he was naturally brave, but because God promised to be with him wherever he went. David faced Goliath boldly, not because of his slingshot skills, but because he came in the name of the Lord. Peter and John spoke with courage, not because they were educated or powerful, but because they’d been with Jesus.
Your bravery isn’t manufactured through positive self-talk or pretending you’re not afraid. It comes from knowing that the God who created the universe goes with you. That, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. That nothing can separate you from God’s love.
When you’re facing something that terrifies you, remember: God isn’t asking you to be brave in your own strength. He’s commanding you to be brave because He’s already promised to be your strength. Your adequacy doesn’t come from you. It comes from Him.
Say This Prayer
Heavenly Father, I need to be brave, and I don’t feel brave at all.
I’m facing situations that terrify me. Decisions that feel too big. Conversations I’m afraid to have. Steps I’m scared to take. My fear is loud, and my courage feels nonexistent.
But Your Word commands me to be strong and courageous. Not because I have what it takes, but because You go with me. You’ve promised never to leave me or forsake me. You’ve told me not to be afraid because You are with me.
Help me to find my courage in You, not in myself. When I’m trembling, remind me that You are my strength. When I’m hesitating, give me the boldness that comes from knowing You go before me. When fear threatens to paralyze me, let Your presence empower me to take the next step.
Make me as bold as a lion because my confidence is rooted in You. Give me the courage Peter and John had, the kind that makes people take note that I’ve been with Jesus. Don’t let fear stop me from doing what You’ve called me to do.
You have not given me a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind. Let that truth transform my cowardice into courage.
In Jesus’ Victorious Name, Amen.
Evang. Anabelle Thompson is the founder of Believers Refuge, a Scripture-based resource that helps Christians to find biblical guidance for life’s challenges.
With over 15 years of ministry experience and a decade of dedicated Bible study, she creates content that connects believers with relevant Scripture for their daily struggles.
Her work has reached over 76,000 monthly readers (which is projected to reach 100,000 readers by the end of 2025) seeking practical faith applications, biblical encouragement, and spiritual guidance rooted in God’s Word.
She writes from personal experience, having walked through seasons of waiting, breakthrough, and spiritual growth that inform her teaching.
Evang. Thompson brings 12 years of active ministry and evangelism experience, along with over 10 years of systematic Bible study and theological research.
As a former small group leader and Sunday school teacher, she has published over 200 biblical resources and devotional studies.
She specializes in applying Scripture to everyday life challenges and regularly studies the original Hebrew and Greek texts for a deeper biblical understanding.