Before we can compare faith and fear, we must understand them each individually.

What is fear? Where does it come from? Where do we first see it in our human history?

There is a cycle, so I've heard, that shows exactly where fear comes from. It starts with doubt, then doubt leads to disobedience, and then fear comes along.

Trust is something to be earned, therefore doubt is a constant in the daily struggle of relationships. We doubt, and sometimes, that doubt finds its way into each and every thought that enters your mind. This can lead to disobedience toward God.

In the book of Genesis, chapter 3, we see the Fall of man take place. In other words- the first doubt, the first sin, the first time anyone had experienced fear.

"Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

⁶ When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

⁸ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

¹⁰ He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

And in the passage above, we see the seed of doubt planted, the disobedient act committed, and the realization- the fear- of consequence. Fear comes from the enemy. It causes us to doubt, turn away from God- which leads to sin. This endless cycle presents itself in our lives all the time. Whether we lie for fear of consequence or deny our own Father in the very face of fear. Masked by peer pressure, stressors, and other concepts glorified by the media, Satan has a hold on this world, but our God is bigger than that.

And now that we understand where fear comes from, let's take a look at faith.

Romans 10:17
"faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ."

Faith comes from hearing the word. Hearing the truth can make a world of difference, or make a difference to the world. People say that trust in God is the same thing as faith in God, but trust and faith are two different words. If they meant the same exact thing, they would be the same word.

Trust is an intimacy to be earned over time. Faith is trust put into the unknown and the unseen. A very well-known phrase rings with truth, yet most of us miss it on a daily basis. "Live by faith, not by sight."

How many times do we put our faith in things that we barely give a second glance to? The friendly looking cashier that takes your credit card, the supposed clean water we drink, the products that we buy.

We trust things to be what we have been told they are.

Whereas, others say no to the fear, to the doubt and separation from God. In Genesis 22:2, God tells Abraham, "Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.” We all know the rest of the story (if you don't, I encourage you to continue reading the passage on your own). He takes his son up to the mountain, completely trusting God to provide, but still going with what was asked of him, and right as Isaac is about to be sacrificed, God provides a ram in a bush.

This was a test for Abraham and Isaac. Isaac- willing to die in his faith in the Lord, and Abraham, following God's instruction. God tests you too. It may not be as drastic as their test, but a test all the same. Like when Job was taunted and tempted by Satan, yet he persevered and fully believed in God's will to provide for him.

We see and become afraid. Afraid of the materialistic dangers of this world.

John 3:12 "I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?"

Heaven is unseen, yet many put their faith in its existence; so why not God's? Why not believe in the one who is worthy of belief? Because I can assure you that He believes in you.