Fear is to the Devil what faith is to the Lord. That is, Satan responds to, takes advantage of, and delights in fear the same way our Lord responds to, works through, and delights in faith. When I don’t know how the bills will get paid or if the relationship will be restored, the Devil will try to get me to become full of anxiety and fear. God, however, “hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7).

The disciples were on the Sea of Galilee, toiling at the oars. The wind was howling, the waves were rolling, and the disciples, many of whom were seasoned fishermen, were afraid of the ferocity of the storm. Suddenly they saw Someone walking on the waves, headed in their direction. “It’s a ghost!” they shouted, perhaps alluding to the legend that said when a boat was about to go down, a ghost would come to deliver the message that the lives of the men on board were over.

But then they heard the words, “Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid” (Matthew 14:27).

Faith is like a muscle. It doesn’t grow unless it’s exercised. And we need to exercise faith in a most practical way. In the midst of the storm, when it seems as though our boat is sinking, we need to choose to be of good cheer. I have discovered over and over that when I make the decision to be strong, to be of good cheer, to not give into tears and fears, that the Lord is truly near.

Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. We take faith in as we hear the promises of God’s Word and the preaching of the Scriptures. Faith is worked in by the hearing of the Word - but it’s worked out by the speaking of the Word. That’s why Romans 10 also says we must confess with our mouths (verses 9–10). Faith comes in through the ear, but is worked out through the mouth.

A lot of times we take in a Scripture, but then have a tendency to complain or murmur - and wonder why faith isn’t impacting our situation. Jesus said, “Say to the mountain, be removed . . .” (see Matthew 21:21). This is such a key, but is forgotten so easily. Faith that works is not only a matter of having devotions in the morning or going to Bible study in the evening, but it’s a matter of speaking out that which we have taken in.

If I hear the Word in a Bible study and go my way, saying, “I don’t know what’s going to happen. I don’t know how things are going to work,” my faith is short-circuited by my words of fear and frustration. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that the power of life and death is in the tongue. How often we kill our faith either by the words we say or fail to say.

For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me. - Hebrews 13:5–6

“He hath said . . . that we may boldly say . . .” Next time you are fearful about the future, boldly speak out what He has already said, and watch your faith grow.