Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It’s doing what needs to be done despite being terrified. We live in times that demand courage: speaking truth when lies are popular, standing for convictions when it costs you socially or professionally, facing uncertain futures with chronic illness or financial instability, raising kids in an increasingly hostile culture, staying faithful in a marriage that’s hard, choosing integrity when compromise would be easier. Fear is a constant companion, whispering that you’re not strong enough, that the risk is too great, that it’s safer to stay quiet and blend in.
But God never promised His people a life free from fear. He promised something better: His presence in the middle of whatever we’re afraid of. Throughout Scripture, God’s standard encouragement to fearful people is “be strong and courageous,” followed immediately by “for the Lord your God is with you.” Courage isn’t something you manufacture by convincing yourself you’re braver than you are. It’s a gift that comes from knowing you’re not facing anything alone.
These verses reveal that biblical courage is always rooted in God’s character and presence. It’s not reckless bravado or foolish risk-taking. It’s Spirit-empowered boldness to obey God regardless of consequences because you trust Him more than you fear circumstances.
Bible Verses About Courage
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.
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2. Deuteronomy 31:6 – The Lord Goes With You
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.
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3. Psalm 27:1 – The Lord Is My Light and My Salvation
The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
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4. 2 Timothy 1:7 – God Has Not Given Us a Spirit of Fear
For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.
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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.
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6. 1 Corinthians 16:13 – Be on Your Guard; Stand Firm in the Faith
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.
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7. Psalm 31:24 – Be Strong and Take Heart
Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.
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8. Proverbs 28:1 – The Righteous Are as Bold as a Lion
The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.
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9. 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.
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10. Ephesians 6:10 – Be Strong in the Lord
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.
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11. 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?
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12. 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.”
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13. 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.
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14. 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.”
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15. 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?”
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16. Daniel 10:19 – Do Not Be Afraid. Peace! Be Strong Now
“Do not be afraid, you who are highly esteemed,” he said. “Peace! Be strong now; be strong.” When he spoke to me, I was strengthened and said, “Speak, my lord, since you have given me strength.”
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17. Philippians 4:13 – I Can Do All This Through Him Who Gives Me Strength
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
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18. 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?
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19. Matthew 14:27 – Take Courage! It Is I. Don’t Be Afraid
But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
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20. 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.
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21. Psalm 46:1-3 – God Is Our Refuge and Strength
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, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.
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22. 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.
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23. Proverbs 14:26 – Whoever Fears the Lord Has a Secure Fortress
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.
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24. 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?
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25. 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.”
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26. Psalm 27:14 – Wait for the Lord; Be Strong
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.
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27. Isaiah 35:4 – Be Strong, Do Not Fear
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.”
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28. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 – We Are Always Confident
Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. For we live by faith, not by sight. We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord.
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29. 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.
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30. Haggai 2:4 – Be Strong, All You People of the Land
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.
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31. 1 John 4:18 – There Is No Fear in Love
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
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32. Psalm 138:3 – When I Called, You Answered Me
When I called, you answered me; you greatly emboldened me.
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33. Proverbs 29:25 – Fear of Man Will Prove to Be a Snare
Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.
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34. Ezekiel 2:6 – Do Not Be Afraid of Them
And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them or their words. Do not be afraid, though briers and thorns are all around you and you live among scorpions. Do not be afraid of what they say or be terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.
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35. Hebrews 4:16 – Let Us Approach God’s Throne With Confidence
Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
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Our Thoughts On What the Bible Says About Courage
Courage in the Bible is never divorced from God’s presence. Every time God calls someone to do something terrifying, He follows the command with “I will be with you.” Moses at the burning bush, Joshua entering the Promised Land, Gideon facing armies, Jeremiah confronting nations. The courage isn’t about them being naturally brave; it’s about God being undeniably present. That’s the pattern: impossible task plus divine presence equals supernatural courage.
Notice that Peter and John’s courage amazed the religious leaders precisely because they were ordinary, uneducated men. What made them bold wasn’t training or talent but the fact that they’d been with Jesus. Courage isn’t a personality trait reserved for naturally brave people. It’s available to anyone who stays close to Jesus. The Spirit God gives us isn’t timid but powerful. Your natural temperament might be cautious, but the Spirit produces boldness.
Courage also involves choosing faith over fear repeatedly. David said “when I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” He didn’t pretend fear wasn’t real; he acknowledged it and then made a deliberate choice to trust God anyway. Courage doesn’t mean you never feel afraid. It means you act in obedience despite the fear because you believe God is bigger than whatever threatens you. The righteous are bold as lions not because circumstances aren’t scary but because they know who’s ultimately in control.
Say This Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess that fear controls me more than it should. I’m afraid of what people think, afraid of failure, afraid of the future, afraid of stepping out in obedience when the cost feels too high. Forgive me for letting fear paralyze me instead of trusting in Your presence and power.
Give me courage that comes from knowing You are with me. Help me to remember that if You are for me, no one can successfully stand against me. When I face situations that terrify me, remind me that You haven’t given me a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-discipline.
Strengthen me to stand firm in faith when everything in me wants to run. Make me bold as a lion in righteousness. Let my courage come not from confidence in myself but from confidence in You. When I’m tempted to compromise because courage is costly, help me to fear You more than I fear people.
Fill me with the same boldness that marked Peter and John, the kind that comes from being with Jesus. Let my life demonstrate that ordinary people become extraordinarily courageous when Your Spirit empowers them. Help me to be strong and take heart as I wait on You.
In Jesus’ courageous 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.