Psychologists have discovered something like 645 different known fears that people can have. Fear is a universal problem — and it takes away our joy.

But here’s the good news: You don’t have to be afraid. You have God on your side!

“What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?” (Romans 8:31 NLT)

With God on your side, you don’t need anything else. God plus one equals a majority.

What’s your greatest fear? Is it embarrassment? Losing your mind? Failure? Rejection? Disappointing others? Not fitting in?

Satan uses all of these fears to rob you of joy. He knows what will make you joyful, so he creates a fear to oppose it.

For instance, Satan knows doing what’s right will always bring you joy. So he makes you afraid of what other people will think if you do the right thing. He makes you worry more about your popularity than pleasing God.

Satan also knows that one of the greatest sources of joy in life is when you share the love of Christ with an unbeliever. So he makes you afraid to tell people about Jesus.

You don’t need the approval of others to find joy.

You need to live for an audience of one: God. That’s Jesus’ path to complete and total joy. He said, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:11 NIV).

You can have joy in life, knowing that God is for you. Fear not!