When we think of the Christmas story, we usually think of glad tidings and the good news of joy, peace, and love. But did you know that the command to “fear not” is repeated four times throughout the biblical story? Why does the Bible tell us not to be afraid, and how does the Christmas story teach us to overcome our greatest fears?
WHO WAS AFRAID IN THE CHRISTMAS STORY?
Simple answer: Everyone!
When we reread the biblical account of Jesus’ birth in the gospels of Matthew and Luke, we discover that fear played a significant role for each of the main characters. Angels visited Zechariah, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds with messages that brought trepidation, doubt, and uncertainty. Now, just seeing an angel appear (remember, biblical angels, appear as mighty warriors, not dainty Tinkerbells!) would strike fear in the hearts of most of us. Still, it was not only the appearance of these powerful and influential ambassadors of God but their pronouncements that caused dread and dismay.
Yet, in each instance, the angel began with: “Do not be afraid.”
While we cannot fully comprehend the men and women’s fear at the first Christmas experience, we can relate to many of the reasons for their fears.
Using the biblical story of the birth of Jesus, we will look at each fear by:
- Studying the scriptures
- Identifying the specific fear
- Learning how they overcame the fear (and we can too!)
FEAR #1: UNANSWERED PRAYER
The Story of Zechariah
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9 according to the custom of the priesthood, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. 14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.”
Luke 1:5-24 (ESV)
The Fear of Zechariah
Our first “fear not” comes from an unlikely couple: a priest named Zechariah and his wife, Elizabeth. They are righteous, older, and childless. I know many reading this have struggled with the pain and loss of infertility or know someone who has. For many, hoping and praying for a child is a dream deferred full of devastating disappointments. Zachariah and Elizabeth probably prayed passionately for years but gave up hope as the years passed and Elizabeth’s womb remained empty.
We find Zechariah at the beginning of Luke’s story, faithfully going about his ordinary priestly responsibilities. But something extraordinary happens when he is chosen to enter the temple and offer the incense offering: a declaration from an angel of the Lord saying he and Elizabeth would bear a son.
Zachariah’s skeptical reaction to the angel’s promise showed that he had given up on having a child of his own a long time ago. It was an unanswered prayer completely crushed over years of discouragement and doubt.
One of our greatest fears is unanswered prayer. In our doubt and discouragement, we wonder:
- Maybe our prayers are hitting the ceiling and cannot reach God’s ears?
- Perhaps we lack faith or obedience?
- Or, even worse, does God hear our prayers but refuses to answer?
It is easy to lose hope when our prayers go unanswered for a long time. We pray for God to fulfill a dream of a family, career, or relationship. We pray for freedom from addiction, suffering, and pain. We pray for the salvation of a spouse or a child. We pray for mental, emotional, or physical healing. But after years of committed prayer, we give up out of discouragement.
Sometimes, like in the case of Zechariah and Elizabeth, God may answer our prayers in a way that we did not expect or desire. However, we must not fear unanswered prayer because God does hear.
Overcoming the Fear with BELIEF
Because of Zechariah’s questioning and disbelief at the angel’s announcement, he is rendered mute until the birth of his son, John the Baptist.
Zachariah said to the angel, “Do you expect me to believe this? I’m an old man and my wife is an old woman.”
But the angel said, “I am Gabriel, the sentinel of God, sent especially to bring you this glad news. But because you won’t believe me, you’ll be unable to say a word until the day of your son’s birth. Every word I’ve spoken to you will come true on time—God’s time.”
Luke 1:18-20 (MSG)
Many of us would not dare to respond to an angel warrior like this, but we are quick to question God’s provision, timing, and even goodness when He does not answer our prayers.
The crucial question we must answer when the fear of unanswered prayers grips us is this:
Are we living what we say we believe?
- Do we trust God’s promises?
- Can we surrender to God’s timing?
- Do we acknowledge that God’s ways are not our ways?
- Do we believe that God is always working for our good?
We overcome the fear of doubt, discouragement, and disappointment due to unanswered prayers by believing in who is God is and what He promises.
FEAR #2: UNIMAGINABLE PURPOSE
The Story of Mary
26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, ‘Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!‘
29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 ‘Don’t be afraid, Mary,’ the angel told her, ‘for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!
34 Mary asked the angel, ‘But how can this happen? I am a virgin.’”
Luke 1:26-34 (NLT)
The Fear of Mary
When the angel appears to a young, humble teenager, the Bible tells us that Mary was: confused, shaken, disturbed, troubled, and concerned.
What God asks Mary to do will change her life forever. Remember, this is a young, engaged virgin in love with possible dreams of a wedding, a home of her own, and children. God breaks in on the scene and asks her to do the unimaginable: trust him with the impossible.
If we were in Mary’s shoes, we might panic and be full of questions:
- What will I tell my parents?
- Will Joseph stay with me?
- What will people say behind my back?
- Will anyone believe this crazy story?
- What will happen to my reputation?
Yet, Mary’s fears are not based on her reputation, relationships, or people’s responses.
She only asks a single technical question in verse 34: “How can this be since I am a virgin?”
Her fear is not of believability but biology. Not of acceptance but authenticity. Not of participation but practicality. Not of reluctance but responsibility.
She knows she has never slept with a man, so she wonders how this will happen. Unlike Zechariah, she does not doubt the angel’s word and believes. It was not a question of “if” but of “how.” She believed God could and would do what He promised but was afraid of how it would happen. Would she be able to do what called her to do?
Overcoming Fear with ACCEPTANCE
Many things in life overwhelm us and cause us to tremble, confused and afraid, like Mary. We face immovable mountains, impassable seas, and incredible storms and wonder how God will make a way for us. In the Christmas story, God tells us to “fear not” when it comes to the impossible.
Whether you are facing the impossible task of raising a child with special needs, dealing with a chronic illness, grieving the loss of a loved one, digging out of years of debt, or healing from abuse, God’s answers to your fears is straightforward and powerful:
“For nothing will be impossible with God.”
When God calls you to do the unimaginable as He did with Mary, you can overcome this fear by accepting and trusting His purpose and plan for your life. He promises to equip us with His power, peace, and protection when we accept and surrender to His will.
FEAR # 3: UNKNOWN FUTURE
The Story of Joseph
18 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.
20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. ‘Joseph, son of David,’ the angel said, ‘do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.’”
Matthew 1:18-21 (NLT)
The Fear of Joseph
In the past two years, many of us had to face one of the greatest fears more deeply and profoundly: the fear of the unknown. Joseph, engaged to Mary and chosen to be the earthly father of Jesus, also faces that greatest fear in the Christmas story.
When Joseph hears that his fiancé is pregnant, he is unsure what to think. He is an honorable man who wants to do the right thing, but Mary’s story seems unbelievable. Joseph is well respected, so he fears how his family and friends will respond, yet he loves Mary and wants to be with her. He is considering ending the marriage altogether until the angel appears to him and speaks directly to what is bothering him.
Joseph struggles with questions about an unknown future as many of us do:
- How do I know if I am making the right decision?
- Will we be shunned and ostracized?
- Where will we go? How will we survive?
- How can I protect my family?
- What does the future hold for us?
More than ever before, we are living in a world of uncertainty. Every day we are bombarded with unwanted news that puts our plans on hold, threatens our health and security, and causes us to dread the future. We can allow this fear of the unknown to cripple and paralyze us, or we can lean hard into God and do what He says.
Overcoming Fear with OBEDIENCE
Joseph listened to the angel who brought him a direct message from God and obeyed, not knowing the consequences of his decision. He did not fully understand, could not see the whole picture, and doubted his next move. Yet, Joseph believed the Lord and did what the angel told him to do. He did the next right thing by marrying Mary and continued, faithful step by faithful step, following God’s leading as he raised Jesus.
God often asks us to walk unknown paths, giving us only enough light to guide the next step. One of the reasons He does not reveal everything to us at once is to allow us to overcome by choosing faith over fear.
Fear not the unknown, for no matter what happens, God promises never to leave us or forsake us.
“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” ~Corrie Ten Boom
FEAR #4: UNEXPECTED NEWS
The Story of the Shepherds
8-12 There were shepherds camping in the neighborhood. They had set night watches over their sheep. Suddenly, God’s angel stood among them and God’s glory blazed around them. They were terrified. The angel said, ‘Don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David’s town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you’re to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger.’”
Luke 2:8-12 (MSG)
The Fear of the Shepherds
Because the shepherds have become such a sentimental symbol of the Christmas story (who doesn’t have the image of little children wearing bathrobes?), it is essential to understand who the shepherds were in biblical times to comprehend their fears.
The Bible does not tell us who they were by name, nor how many there were. There are also conflicting articles about their social status, but it is reasonable to describe them as humble, common laborers working the night shift. Not the likely group to receive such an important announcement.
If Zechariah, Mary, and Joseph responded with fear to the appearance of one angel, it is not a giant leap to see why an angel surrounded by a host of heavenly beings would terrify them. Just imagine how deafeningly loud, how brilliantly bright, how incredibly otherworldly this angel army would have been.
But, their fears might not only have been related to the scene. Let’s take a closer look at the angel’s message: “Fear not, for behold…” Although the word “behold” is archaic to our everyday speech, there is a corresponding Greek word in the biblical text that means to see, look, and perceive. The principle for the shepherds is: look beyond what frightens you and perceive the truth of the message.
And if the unexpected appearance of the angels struck fear in the hearts of the shepherds, the message of good news for all people through a Savior, born as a helpless babe, would have been perplexing as well. Anytime God showed up on the scene in the Old Testament, it was traumatic, and a holy God only reminded the people how separate, sinful, and small they were.
Yet, this is a new and radical message: you will no longer have to be afraid if you look (behold!) at what we are showing you.
No wonder the shepherds hurried to see the baby lying in the manger. Despite their fears of the unexpected announcement, they needed to see for themselves this Savior who would bring peace to everyone.
Overcoming Fear with COURAGE
The angels’ message gave the shepherds courage to find the baby wrapped in strips of cloth, share the good news with everyone they met, and return to their jobs praising God.
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. 19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.
Luke 2:16-20 (NIV)
Although we may never encounter a multitude of heavenly hosts singing in the night sky, God can and still does show up unexpectedly in our lives. And although it is hard to describe because it is unique to each individual, we know it when it happens.
And it can be scary for us too.
Why? We can either feel unworthy or ashamed, wondering (much like many of the characters in the Christmas story): Why me, God? I am nobody and have nothing to give to you or anyone else. We may also feel annoyed or irritated (like many of the religious leaders in Jesus’ time), thinking: This is not how it is supposed to happen. The kind of God I believe would not ask this of me.
It takes courage to overcome both kinds of fear. One is the courage to believe that God’s grace, given to us by the life and death of Jesus, makes us acceptable to God and that He uses broken, weak, and messy people. The other type of courage requires us to surrender control. To realize that we will never be good enough for a holy God, but that Jesus made a way for all of us if we trust and believe in his death and resurrection.
“The gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope.” ~ Tim Keller
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THE MOST POWERFUL MESSAGE OF CHRISTMAS: FEAR NOT!
I do not know what fears you are struggling with today, dear friend, but I do know that God answers each one of them with the truth of the gospel. And the gospel story begins with Christ coming at Christmas. The Bible teaches us how to overcome our fears by believing in Jesus, accepting what He has done by faith, obeying His Word, and having the courage to share this good news with the world.
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If this post spoke to you in any way, would you mind leaving a comment, sharing it on social media, or even letting a friend know? My heart is to reach as many people as possible with the message that we can choose faith over fear through faith in Jesus!
Thank you, Carla, for addressing the many forms of fear that may come into our lives. Thank You, Lord, that You are the answer to our very real fear that we may be facing. Thank You, that You are greater than our fear and because of Your precious Holy Spirit that lives and dwells within us You have made us Overcomers! Merry Christmas!
And I say amen to your beautiful prayer, Kathy! Many blessings to you and your family this Christmas! I am so thankful that perfect love (found in Jesus) casts out all fear!!
Thank you for the reminder that our omnipotent God is more powerful than my fear. Fear of the unknown is a recurring theme in my life. This reminder is helping me to let go of some last bits of resentment. God has protected and provided me with so much. It’s PAST time I accept the last bits of loose ends that DIDN’T go my way. Full and complete restitution was not awarded me and I need to not be fearful of that. I need to remember that I am different. That I have an almighty God and His legions of Angel armies watching out for me AND will continue to do so in my future…. Though I know not how…. I need not know now. I need to just have faith that they will. I need to NOT look at how those around me in a similar situation are suffering because, I am different. I have God on my side. The #3 in your post resonated w with me most.
Thank you for sharing your story of trusting God to help you overcome your fears, Marisa. It is so encouraging! I will continue to pray that you lay your fears at the foot of the cross and let God fight for you. He is able!
Hi Carla,
Thanks so much for this enlightening message. May I have your permission to use some of your ideas in a Christmas sermon?
Thank you
Absolutely…but I would appreciate it if you credited me! Thanks for asking and blessings to you!
Well done,Carla. Such a well- thought & thorough teaching.💕
Thank you! So thankful that because of Jesus we do not have to fear!
Thank you very much for this excellent content. I was writing a devotional about “fear not at Christmas” and saw your post. So biblical and clear and encouraging! I will cite your source and include links to it, and you have helped make the devotional I am writing even better. Merry Christmas!
Thanks for your kind and encouraging words, Scott! I am praying for you and your ministry as we seek to lead others to the truth of the gospel.
This message is so insightful and pertinent in this world of turmoil and fear. I will use this will my family Christmas message as all of them are struggling with challenges. Very well written and God inspired. Thank you Carla!
Thank you for these kind words of encouragement. I pray that those in your life who are struggling will hold on to faith and hope despite their fears. God is able!