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In The Lord of the Rings, King Theoden becomes weak after hearing the words of his advisor Wormtongue. These lies poison King Rohan’s mind and keep him away from the threat of the evil wizard Saruman.
Only when Wormtongue’s lies are exposed by Gandalf the White is Théoden freed from his bonds and able to see the truth.
Characters like Wormtongue remind us of an important lesson: be careful who you listen to.
We all know we should follow that advice, but we often don’t apply it to the voices that appear in our heads when we’re feeling anxious or fearful. This voice can debilitate and hinder us. Anyone living with anxiety knows all too well what these words look and sound like.
It is not wise to listen to the whispers of anxiety. Because they are not true words. Anxiety, rooted in fear and worry, tells lies that prevent us from living in faith.
We must learn to ignore these words and listen to the truth instead. Using the Bible, we can fight the distorted words of fear. For truly such words can come from the enemy.
The first step to combating anxiety lies is learning to identify them. Sometimes, in our fear, we rationalize the anxiety we feel and come up with convincing excuses for our anxiety. Sometimes the words that come to mind when you’re anxious feel like they’re true.
To fight the lies of anxiety, we need to practice discernment and test everything against the Bible. We can’t always control the flood of fearful thoughts that overwhelm us during stressful and difficult times, but we can control how we react. By applying the Bible to our lives, we can learn to fight lies with truth.
Important note before you begin: If you notice continued feelings of anxiety, despair, or fear, don’t be afraid to reach out to someone you trust. Persistent, chronic anxiety may be a sign of an anxiety disorder or may be related to other problems, such as depression.
A trusted family member, friend, or missionary leader can help you find a Christian counselor or therapist. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. Even if your anxiety is severe, you don’t have to be afraid to ask for help.
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1. God will not choose you to do His will.
When we desire to follow God, anxiety can come upon us. We know what God’s Word says and what God is calling us to do, but our anxious mind whispers, “God would never tell you to do that.”
Self-doubt creeps in and you start thinking of all the reasons why you’re not competent or equipped to do the job.
Such thoughts can trouble Christians when they want to share their faith with others or participate in ministry. Our anxiety tells us that just because we are bound to fail, God cannot command us to do so.
During times like these, we become obsessed with our weaknesses and struggles. But that’s not what we should focus on. We need to remember the One who called us and commanded us to obey. God can do more than empower and enable us to fulfill the mission He has given us.
Furthermore, we have the wonderful promise that the Lord is with us (Matthew 28:20). Fear may make us feel alone, but we are never alone.
Instead of giving in to the dirty lie of anxiety, we need to remember the following: “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid and do not be discouraged; the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9, ESV).
Whenever you think that God cannot possibly ask you to do a particular task, such as evangelism or ministry, remember that the Lord is strong and faithful.
He is with you and will never leave you. You may feel weak and immature, but God’s power is “perfected in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).
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2. The other person is the right person for the job.
Anxiety often occurs in a whirlwind of thoughts where one fear leads to another. When we face great challenges or feel that God has given us a mission, we not only doubt God’s choices, but we may also wonder if others are more worthy of God. Our insecurities are lying to us, telling us we’re not good enough to do the job.
Of course, none of us are “good enough.” If so, grace would not be necessary.
Being “good enough” isn’t the point. When Christ gives you an opportunity to serve and follow, He is not looking to see if you are “deserving.”
Our Lord does not choose men for tasks as the world does. In society, we may seek out the most charismatic and successful leaders, those who can charm the crowd and wield political power.
In contrast, the Bible says, “God chose what the world considered foolish to shame those who thought they were wise; and what was powerless to shame those who were powerful” (1 Corinthians 1:27, NIV).
Let’s think about the disciples. They were just fishermen with no special training or education (Acts 4:13). The Bible even says they are ordinary.
But Christ chose them to be His followers and to spread the good news to the world. If God can use them, He can use you too.
When faced with challenges, we can easily fall into the comparison trap. Especially in today’s world where social media shows us other people’s highlights and accomplishments, we can look at others and anxiously wonder how God might use them, but we don’t. Please don’t listen to such lies. The Lord can use anyone He chooses to accomplish His will.
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3. Even if you try, you will fail.
Another dirty lie that anxiety tells you is true is, “If you try, you will fail.” A scene plays in your head when you fail a task. Then you are bombarded with messages reminding you of past mistakes. You soon come to the conclusion that if you’re going to fail, there’s no need to try in the first place.
One problem with this lie is that it contains hints of truth. That small pinch is enough to make the idea convincing. There is a possibility of failure in life.
However, sometimes we mistakenly assume that something is failing when in fact it is not. For example, you may have an opportunity to share the gospel with a friend, but you feel lost.
You once preached the gospel to a colleague, but she did not believe in Christ. You decide that you are a failure in evangelism and therefore think it is pointless to try to tell your friends about Jesus. Her reaction would be the same as that of her colleagues, right?
In this scenario, a person believes that he or she is a failure because the desired outcome did not occur. This person needs a shift in perspective.
Actively sharing the gospel with others is success. Because you are obeying His commands (Matthew 28:18-20). You can’t control the other person’s reaction. All you can do is follow what God has commanded you to do.
However, in life we sometimes sin and make mistakes. All fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Even though Christians have been saved and given new life, they sometimes struggle with sin. If we expect perfection from ourselves, we are not thinking biblically.
Thankfully, as Christians, we have God’s Holy Spirit living within us. God brings spiritual fruit into our lives and enables us to pursue godliness (Galatians 5:16, 22-23). Sometimes we may fail, but the Lord will give us grace.
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4. Success is the only value
Linked to the lie that if you try you will fail is the lie that success is the only way to be worthy. These two ideas often go hand in hand.
A closer look at these ideas reveals the underlying problem with perfectionism, the idea that we must always act perfectly. Anything less than perfect means you are a failure and worthless.
Like the previous lie, this one is also deceptive. Many of us are influenced to believe that others will only accept or like us if we meet our standards. For example, students consider themselves successful only if they get good grades.
Workers feel confident only when they receive approval from their superiors or managers. Some pastors believe that change can only be brought about by increasing the size of the congregation or church building. A person’s worth is tied to his or her performance.
These anxious thoughts that drive us to perfectionism also affect our relationship with God. If others love and care about us only if we act right, we think the same is true of the Lord. We fall for the lie that the Savior will only love us if we do everything right.
Even if we mess up (and we will), God still loves us. Nothing can separate us from God’s love. Even if we have unrealistic expectations for ourselves (Romans 8:38-39).
The Lord’s love for us has nothing to do with our successful deeds. God saved us not because of anything we have done or will do, but because of His grace and love (Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:8-9).
Your worth is not tied to your performance or success. You are a child of God, cherished and loved by your Savior (John 1:12). Nothing can change that truth.
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5. It is safer to remain in fear than to step out in faith.
On the surface level, this lie appears to be true. There is something comforting about staying with the familiar and expected rather than stepping out in faith. Our anxiety comes from believing that we are safer where we are than where we are following the Lord.
But don’t get me wrong, this is a lie. Fear can make even scary situations seem safer than faithfully following the Lord. Anxiety can cause us to stay when we should be going, or run when we should be still.
When I look back on my life, I can remember times when I was so afraid and anxious that I missed opportunities to serve Christ. In the moment, it was easy to give in to the lie of fear, but in hindsight, I regret the decisions I made. Instead of trusting the Lord, I doubted. Maybe you can relate.
The problem is not that we feel fear. Fear is an emotion that everyone feels. No, the problem is that we let our anxious fears control us and drown out the truths and commands of the Bible. Giving in to fear shows that we lack trust in God.
We also ignore the truth that the Christian life is tough. Jesus promised that we would experience hardship in this world, but He also said that He had overcome the world (John 16:33). Stepping out in faithful obedience and self-sacrifice is often scary, but following Jesus is so worth it (Luke 9:23; John 14:15).
So if your anxiety tells you that your fear is a safe place to stay, remember that living in disobedience and regret is far more terrifying than taking up your cross and following Christ.
You may feel scared when you step out of your comfort zone, but you will be glad you followed God and did so in faith.
Don’t let the lie of insecurity keep you from living for the Lord.
To read further:
7 ways anxiety is controlling your day
5 tips for managing anxiety
3 ways to fight anxiety
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This article originally appeared on Christianity.com. For more faith-building resources, visit:
Christianity.com.
Sophia Bricker is a writer. Her mission is to help people grow in their relationship with Jesus through thoughtful articles, devotions, and stories. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Christian Ministry, which included extensive study in the Bible and theology, as well as a master’s degree in creative writing. You can read her thoughts on literature and faith in The Cross, a Pen, and a Page Substack. You can also visit Cultivate, a disciple-based site she writes with her sister.
First publication date is Friday, June 26, 2026.
