Imagine the following news blip: “Revolutionary cure found: simply add one effervescent tablet to a glass of water and see all your fears disappear!” If it were that simple, then no one would have fears.

The reality is that all suffer from fears in one form or another. Some dread the future, while the mere idea of speaking in public terrifies others. There are even those who worry that their constantly bickering parents may get a divorce. Still others fear being rejected by their peers or facing a school bully. If left unaddressed, these worries can lead to social problems, depression, and even suicide.

But did you realize that fear and character are connected?

Proverbs 1:7 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” The fear mentioned in this verse is not the kind that causes you to “shake in your boots,” but relates to obeying God and keeping His laws.

Breaking down the proverb is essential to understanding how to eliminate fear. The word “knowledge” in the Hebrew means to have perception, skills, discernment and wisdom. In short, keeping God’s Commandments teaches you the skills and wisdom to tackle the challenges of life in the right way. A person doing this is building solid character.

For example, when friends try to get you involved in activities that you know are plainly wrong, it requires strength of character to say, “No!” In these instances, you can still apply Proverbs 15:1: “A soft answer turns away wrath.”

Living God’s Way gives you purpose, which means you will not have as many fears because you understand your future. You can therefore boldly walk through life.

Conversely, Proverbs 1:7 states that fools—those without knowledge—“despise wisdom and instruction.” Their ignorance causes fears because they do not understand their lives as fully as those who fear—trust in and obey—God.

For every choice made, there is an effect—good or bad. Poor choices have negative effects, but to make the right assessment in a given situation, and then act on it, even against resistance, leads to lifelong success. To cast out your physical fears and worries, you must first choose to obey and fear God.

Consider the following equation, illustrated by the principle of direct proportions. Dictionary.com’s 21st Century Lexicon defines this as “the relation between quantities whose ratio remains constant, when A changes then B changes by the same factor…”

Although math and science cause most students to shudder, you can apply this simple equation to illustrate the relationship between the fear of God, and wisdom and knowledge.

Picture yourself standing in a science laboratory. Two cylindrical glass tubes sit on a table. A smaller tube connects the two cylinders to each other at the base. The one on the left (A) is labeled “the fear of God.” The cylinder on the right (B) is “wisdom and knowledge.” Following the formula, as (A) “the fear of God” increases, so does (B) “wisdom and knowledge.”

It is the same with everyday life: the more of the fear of God you possess, the more wisdom and knowledge you will have. As it states in Proverbs 2, if “…you incline your ear unto wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding” (vs. 2), then “shall you understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (vs. 5). With this knowledge comes purpose, which removes uncertainty about the present and future.

A formula to defeat our fears is revealed straight from the Bible’s pages!

There is no “quick fix” to overcoming our anxieties and fears. It requires a lifetime of hard work. Instead of fearing physical things, fear God. By doing so, you build character, which helps you overcome fears. Seek wisdom—make the right choices in life. Obey God, and see your fears crumble!