Anything new can be scary. It’s natural to feel fear when you encounter new things. So how do you face fears without having a Spirit of fear? Thankfully, the Bible has histories, letters, prophetic books, poetry, and more to help us learn everything we need to face this life without fear. The messages below, involving Peter, Esther, Paul, and Isaiah, give insight about ways to approach starting something new. The four prayers that accompany these lessons will not only help you overcome fear, but they will also give you direction when you start this new chapter of your life.
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1. A Prayer to Overcome Fear
Starting a new chapter requires you to have faith. The first step of walking in faith is fear. That sounds crazy, I know, but it makes sense. In Matthew 14:22-27, Jesus’ disciples are in a boat in the middle of the sea, being tossed by the waves. Then they spot an odd image in the distance. The image gets closer, and they realize it’s Jesus approaching them. When Peter recognized Him, he said these words to Jesus, “Command me to come to you on the water” (vs 28).
Their fear was the first thing they experienced before experiencing a life-changing event: they saw Jesus and Peter walk on water. Peter experienced the miracle in a personal way; as long as he kept looking at Jesus, he was able to walk on water, but as soon as he looked away at his environment, he sank. The scripture says, “When he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid…and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord save me’” (Matthew 14:30).
Fear is the first step of faith, and, just like Peter, to overcome fear, you have to fix your eyes on Jesus. If you feel fear when you think about this new chapter of your life, pray a prayer like this:
A Prayer to Combat Fear
Holy Lord, You are beautiful and loving in all Your ways. All things that are pure, true, just, noble, trustworthy, praiseworthy…every perfect gift comes from You. Help me to fix my eyes on You, especially when I feel afraid. In those moments, help me look to You through Your word, through prayer, in Your people, and in Your church. In Your name I pray, Amen.
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2. A Prayer for Wise Counsel
Many people in scripture had to face the unknown and start a new chapter. Esther is one of them. Esther started a new chapter as Queen of a large kingdom after she was previously an orphan in her hometown. When Esther was in the palace, feeling helpless because of the king’s decree granting the Jews’ destruction, Mordecai sent this advice to Esther:
Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? (Esther 4:13-14)
Because of Mordecai’s advice, Esther fasted and got the strength to plead for her life and the lives of all the Jews in King Ahasuerus’s 127 provinces. We all need a good counselor in our lives.
“Where there is no counsel, the people fall, but in the multitude of counselors there is safety.” (Proverbs 11:14)
A Prayer for Godly Counselors
Dear God, I know You are with me in this new chapter of my life. Your Spirit is my greatest counselor. May Your Spirit rest on me and may You also provide counselors for me who know You and know Your word. Help me to humbly submit to people who are submitted to You and who show a track record of faithfulness and submission.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
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3. A Prayer for Discernment to Hear Godly Wisdom
Paul is a great leader in the early church who needed to start a new chapter. His former life consisted of persecuting the church (Acts 8:1-3). He followed the Jewish religion without allowing the Holy Spirit to guide his understanding. Had his dependence been on the Holy Spirit to illuminate Jewish law to him, he would have realized that God’s written instructions for the Jews were never meant to supersede the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit, and he would have realized that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
When Christ blinded Paul on the Damascus road (Acts 9:1-22), Paul was forced to rely on others to guide him. Then, when God returned Paul’s sight, Paul didn’t just have physical sight. He was able to see spiritually by the Holy Spirit’s leading. This new vision allowed Paul to embrace a new paradigm—he realized the gospel was for everyone, not just the Jews, and he realized that all people were equal in God’s sight.
As you embark on this new journey you will need to be able to discern (to detect or identify) God’s voice from all the other voices that will compete for your attention.
A Prayer for Discernment
Dear Lord, in this new phase of my life, I want to have a clear sense of right and wrong and good and bad. Help me to have discernment. Give me small and then larger opportunities to choose the best way, your way, as new things are presented to me. Thank You for this benefit that comes from knowing You. I ask this in Christ’s name.
Amen.
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4. A Prayer to Have the Mind of Christ
My final prayer for you is that you would have the mind of Christ. One way to have the mind of Christ is to know scripture. Scripture teaches you what comes with companionship with God Almighty, through the salvation of Christ. When you accept Christ, you undergo a supernatural change. You are given gifts that others don’t have, like the ability to see through lies that others can’t and to understand things that others don’t. Although you are given these new abilities at salvation, you strengthen that ability by reading the Bible. The following two scriptures will get you started on that journey. Commit these scriptures to memory to keep a right perspective of who you are as a follower of Christ. And as you read other scriptures that further describe your identity as a Christ follower, add those to your list.
Scriptures about the Mind of Christ
"The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him. The Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." -Isaiah 11:2
"Direct my steps by Your word and let no iniquity have dominion over me." -Psalm 119:133
A Prayer to Have the Mind of Christ
Dear God, as I start this new journey, I’m so glad You are with me. I need you so much! I want to think the way you do so I can make the right decisions, say the right things, and avoid the wrong things. Help me through Your word and by the presence of Your Spirit to have the mind of Christ. I pray all these things in Christ’s mighty name,
Amen.
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Originally published Thursday, 07 August 2025.