“When you begin fearing fear, you’ve swung wide the door to developing a phobia. Thank God he helps you overcome a phobia or other fear.” –Lucy Ann Moll
This is the last of a four-part series on finding God’s solutions to ungodly fear. Read the first post here, the second post here, and the third post here.
“Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.” –German proverb
The mother of all phobias is agoraphobia, which is the fear of open spaces. At its core is a fear of panic attacks.
With bodily sensations (such as a racing heart, perspiration, trembling, tingling in the hands and feet, nausea, and more) and mental panic (such as fear of going crazy, losing control, or dying), panic attacks bring on intense fear and acute apprehension. Read about my own panic attacks that led to a phobia.
It may seem that a fear of panic attacks makes sense. Wouldn’t you run from debilitating fear if you could? But this fear is not rational—and folks who have panic attacks and phobias know this!—so it really makes no sense at all.
Pastor, author, and biblical counselor John MacArthur says in Anxious for Nothing, “Fully trusting our heavenly Father dispels anxiety. And the more we know about Him, the more we trust Him.”
Types of Phobias
But phobias are real. Just ask someone who has a phobia. The list is long.
Specific phobias zero in on one fear like the fear of flying. Other common specific phobias are fear of heights, elevators, dentists, and thunderstorms.
Social phobia involves fear of embarrassment or humiliation in situation where you may be noticed or scrutinized. Common social phobias are fear of crowds, fear of spilling food while eating in public, and, of course, fear of public speaking. You may think, everyone is afraid giving a speech. Yes, three out of four people have anxiety concerning public speaking, experts say, but it becomes a phobia for a small percentage.
Agoraphobia is the mother of all phobias, I say. It’s the fear of panic attacks. Folks with this phobia are afraid to go out in public, so they nix grocery shopping, eating out, and using public transportation, to name a few—unless they have a “safe person” with them. This safe person is typically a spouse or parent. Sometimes a person with agoraphobia will not leave their home, their bedroom, or even their bed.
For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” Romans 8:15, NASB
Steps to Overcoming a Phobia
Christian speaker and author Patty Clairmont battled agoraphobia for 17 years, beginning in her teens. So strong was her fear that eventually she wouldn’t leave her bed. She tells her story at popular Women of Faith conferences. How can someone full of fear now speak to sold-out arenas?
She broke her fear habit. And if she—a women confined to her bed—could do it, and I could do it, all by God’s grace, then you can, too.
1. Be realistic. Your fear habit is ingrained in the way you think, feel, and act. It takes time to change this habit. Be persistent. If you hit a snag, no worries. Just do the next thing.
2. Do the basics. Get enough sleep (about 8 or 9 hours daily), eat nutritious foods, drink ample water, avoid caffeine and alcohol, and exercise regularly. A medical checkup is wise too.
3. Renew your mind, part 1. Get rid of all negative, trashy, ungodly inputs from music, television (including news programs), the internet, video games, and reading materials, including most popular magazines and novels, and replace them with God-honoring alternatives, especially the Bible.
3. Pray. Philippians 4 is the apostle Paul’s answer to freedom from anxiety. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God” 4:6–7, ESV. When you react to your problem with thankful prayer, peace replaces anxiety, even fear of panic attacks. As prayer becomes your habit, you’ll experience peace time after time. When thankfulness becomes a habit, doubt dissipates. Remember this: God promises not to allow anything to happen to you that is too much for you to bear.
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV
4. Renew your mind, part 2. How you feel and act is a product of your thinking. When you think godly thoughts, godly emotions and behavior follow. “As (a person) thinks within himself, so he is” (Proverbs 23:7, NASB). Replace the lies you believe with the truth of God. I’ve developed a Thought-Emotion-Behavior download to help you do this. I encourage you to make copies and learn to replace ungodly thoughts with godly thoughts every day. The goal is a renewed mind according to Romans 12:1–2 and Ephesians 4:23, among other Scripture.
5. Be brave. At Biblical Counseling Center, we often say “faith is believing the Word of God and acting upon it, no matter how I feel, knowing that God promises a good result.” When I finally faced my phobia of highway driving head on, I had to make a choice to believe God and his care for me even if I had a panic attack.
I made certain to be realistic, do the basics, replace negative, fear-producing inputs with God-honoring praise music and Bible reading, pray with thanksgiving, and replace lies with God’s truth. I also made a plan of progressively tackling more difficult highway driving over time.
Ready to Overcome Your Phobia?
As I mentioned, what you think becomes what you feel and do. To overcome a phobia or any type of fear and anxiety, begin with knowing God and thinking his thoughts. You’ll find his thoughts in the Bible.
Most folks want the help of supportive people as they walk toward freedom from fear. Do you want someone to walk with you?
COUNSELING: Struggling with anxiety, fear and/or worry? Find out the names of biblical counselors at your church. If there are none at your church or a church in your area, please contact us at Biblical Counseling Center. We counsel the hurting and help churches care for people. Some of our counselors meet over Skype.
DOWNLOAD:
Thought-Emotion-Behavior download
May I Pray for You?
Lord, we praise you and love you. We thank you for your blessings. We know you do not want us to fear. In your Word, you say “fear not” hundreds of times. Yet we sometimes get twisted in anxiety. Help us. We know you are trustworthy. We choose to trust you in all things. Amen.
photo credit: Celestine Chua via photopin cc
17 Comments on “5 Ways to Overcome a Phobia”
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My husband wants me to take a four hour commercial airplane flight and I’m already feeling claustrophobic about it. I need help
Hi Ann,
Many people fear flying. We’d love to help you. If you live in the Chicago area, you might consider scheduling an appointment with a biblical counselor at one of our four offices. If you live outside the area, some of our counselors meet counselees by Skype. Would you like to make an appointment? If so, please call our main number: 847-398-7193. May our loving God continue to bless you, as we know he will. Eph. 1:3
I have had a lot of additional stress recently and I find my agoraphobic symptoms sometimes getting worse. Today was the worst I have ever been outside on the street. I was paralyzed and could not walk, crying and panicking…it was awful…I felt stranded and terrified. One of my daughters who is also a Christian believes I need some kind of deliverance because the root of the problem is spiritual…ie fear. I pray for myself and know others are praying for me but it is truly a challenge. I am a born-again Christian and love the Lord.
I might add that it gets worse when I am not in my own familiar neighbourhood…..
Please pray for me to find someone in my area that can minister in such a way that I can gain relief/release.
Thank you.
Hi Susan,
Anxiety is hard. Let us know where your live generally. Perhaps we can point you in the right direction. Know God cares deeply.
Anxiety about flying stinks. I’m happy for prayer.
I’m struggling every day with my emetophobia. (Phobia of vomit) Today my son got sick and I’m a mess. I’m afraid of myself as well as for myself. I need help. I’m in Texas.
Hello Kristen, thanks for sharing your struggle. You can get help for your phobia through Biblical Counseling. There is hope. Please reach out to a biblical counselor in your area or contact us. Some of our counselors meet by Skype/Facetime/Hangout.
Hi Kristen,
I also have etemophia and I have a little baby who is now puts his fingers in his mouth and makes himself gag all the time and it triggers my anxiety. He just got over a cold with fever and I thought he was going to start vomiting but he didn’t but This made me realize I need to suck counseling because I cannot project my own fears onto him. Vomiting is a natural way for the body to release what no longer serves us. And I thought to myself that yeah I could perhaps live with the idea of vomiting one day and get it over with and realize it wasn’t that bad about how I overcame my fear of the dentist only last year and I kinda want to go back so bad now I feel like I am missing out so much because of this fear because I get stressed out and then anxious and then I get nausea and the cycle starts. I just wish one day I could just do it and then laugh about it and be like “ really Elizabeth?! All those years of constant worry and panic because you thought you were gonna get sick”
Today I went to this monastery across my work and I just sat there and cried because I was full of anxiety and prayed to God and then my anxiety lessen a bit more and it felt so good. I am going for now on just go to the monastery during my lunch break and sit there for 15min-30min and pray and reflect and vent to God.
Hi,
Im Leyna from Mozambique and I also suffer from fear. Please help me!
Hi Leyna, would you like to set up an appointment? We have several counselors who counsel by Skype/Facetime. Here’s a link to a page to schedule an appointment: https://biblicalcounselingcenter.org/schedule/
I have axinenty of driving. I drive but it is very stressful on my body and mind .
Hi Liz,
Have you considered biblical counseling in person OR through Skype or FaceTime? If you’re interested in an appointment, please email us at
GOD BLESS YOU AND THANK YOU FOR YOUR MINISTRY. I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH
AGORAPHOBIA AND PANIC DISORDER. I WAS DOING VERY WELL FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.
MY COCKERSPANIEL DIED SUDDENLY. MY SON WAS SHOT AND KILLED IN ATLANTIC CITY NJ
MY MARRIAGE ENDED IN DIVORCE. AND LASTLY MY FATHER WHO I WAS TAKING CARE OF
PASSED.THE ANXIETY SYMPTOMS INCREASED IN intensity .I AM SCHEDULED FOR AN
ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURE ON MONDAY.I FEAR GOING UNDER ANESTHESIA.I LOVE THE LORD
JESUS. I GET ANGRY AND FRUSTRATED WITH MYSELF BECAUSE OF FEAR AND ANXIETY.PLEASE PRAY FOR ME. THANK YOU; FLOYD
Hi Floyd,
We are praying for you. You’ve been through major upheavals so it is not surprising you have increased anxiety. Please feel free to reach out to one of our counselors for help. Many of us counsel by Skype/FaceTime. Bless you, BCC
I’m Thai I live in Bangkok Thailand. I’m a Christian for about 10 years.
I have hemopobaia (Fear of blood,needle and medical stuff).
I didn’t take it of from my life I just escape from that stuff.
But I’m suffering now because I have to get blood test every year in my company.
Every time Before I went to get blood test I have axinenty very stess and suffer.
I cry I pray and I can’t do anything.
I want to be free from this phobia untill I found this webpage from google search .I need your help.
I’m apologize for my bad English but I try my best to make you understand.
Thanks.
June
Hi June,
Thanks for reaching out to us. Our counselors have helped people overcome phobias like you described. As a believer you have everything in need in Christ to lead a godly life free of debilitating fear. May we suggest you make an appointment to speak with your pastor? Or with a biblical counselor in your area? If these are not possible for you, consider meeting by video-conferencing with one of our counselors who regularly counsels worldwide by Skype/Zoom/FaceTime/WhatsApp.
Blessings to you, BCC