Rick Warren says God wants us to fear not

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County, California and author of the book "Purpose Driven Life," says that one of God's most repeated messages in the Bible is clearly emphasized to remind Christians to fear not.

In one of his recent posts, the pastor shares that the phrase "fear not" can be searched 365 times in the Bible. That's like God telling everyone every day to dispel fear. Warren believes this can be related to the worry and anxiety people deal with every day in their lives when worrying about finances, health, kids, the future, and just about everything else.

The pastor tries to explain God's repeated message. He writes, "Because our hurts and hang-ups can often cause us to think that God is out to get us, that all he wants to do is condemn us and punish us. But that simply isn't true. Jesus is the proof of that."

Warren relates this fear to one's relationship with God. When a person's relationship with God is healthy, that individual gains confidence and holds on to faith just as the encouraging verse in Psalm 23:4 indicates, "Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me." One should understand that God is not out to get anyone and that there is no need to live life in anxiety. On the other hand, Warren believes that living life controlled by fear is exactly what happens when one does not fully understand God's grace and mercy.

The pastor reminds that fear is no longer necessary because of what Jesus has achieved on the cross. He advises fellow Christians to keep the aforementioned verse to heart especially when things don't go one's way. He also writes about fear of failure in a separate article.