Overcoming the Fear of Witnessing

Preached by Pastor Chad Rickenbaker on September 6, 2026 [watch online] |  1 Peter 3:13–17

1 Peter — “Overcoming the Fear of Witnessing”

And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed. For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. —1 Peter 3:13–17 (NKJV)

A few weeks ago, we introduced our new purpose statement along with Vision 2030, and I’m going to keep repeating it because I want you to hold it in your heart and mind, both for your own life and for our church: we exist to glorify God and make disciples. Our previous statement, that we exist to help people connect with Christ, was a good one. But as we prayed through Vision 2030 and sought the Lord, it became clear there might be a more biblically faithful way to say why we exist. And honestly, I don’t know how to improve on this: we exist for the glory of God. Everything that exists, exists for His glory, and the Bible is very clear that you and I exist for His glory.

The second half of that statement is just as clear in the New Testament. The purpose of the church, and the purpose of your life and mine as disciples of the Lord Jesus, is to be His witnesses and to go and make disciples. That’s why one part of Vision 2030 is a goal of 10,000 gospel conversations over the next four-plus years.

That goal isn’t something we invented. It’s born out of very clear instruction from God’s Word. As the time of His departure drew near, Jesus acknowledged the mission the Father had placed on His own life, and then He placed that same mission on His disciples:

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” —John 20:21

In what we know as the Great Commission, the primary command is that as we go, we make disciples of all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to walk in obedience to Christ:

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. —Matthew 28:19–20

And in the book of Acts, Jesus promised the power we would need to carry it out:

But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth. —Acts 1:8

Peter says the same thing. Watch the words “that you may.” God chose us and set us apart for a purpose:

But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. —1 Peter 2:9

One of the reasons God drew us to salvation and set us apart as His people is so that we would proclaim His praises and give testimony to who Jesus is.

Here’s the challenge. According to Barna Group and Lifeway Research, only about 31 to 38 percent of Christians actively share their faith over a six-month period. Why so low? I’ll mention two reasons. The first is that since 1993, the percentage of Christians who strongly believe the Bible commands us to share our faith has dropped significantly from somewhere around 89 percent. But I think we’ve already settled that one. When I read John 20:21, Matthew 28:19–20, Acts 1:8, and 1 Peter 2:9, the answer to “Has God called us to make disciples and be His witnesses?” is unequivocally yes. Let me ask you: how many times does God need to say something before it’s authoritative over our lives? One time. And we’ve just looked at four.

So we can take that problem off the table. The other reason is fear. Lifeway found that the number one reason Christians don’t actively share their faith is fear: fear of rejection, fear of being asked a question we can’t answer, fear of not being prepared, fear of being criticized.

That’s exactly where 1 Peter meets us. Peter was writing to persecuted, suffering Christians. He had already reminded them that we are pilgrims and sojourners passing through, and that this world in its current state is not our home. From there he explained how believers should relate to a government that may not be friendly, how servants should relate to harsh masters, how a believing wife can influence an unbelieving husband, and how husbands should treat their wives. Now, in chapter 3, he writes to all of us as Christians: if you live according to God’s will and do what He’s called you to do, you may face hardship, persecution, and suffering. So how do we keep from being immobilized by fear? Here are six ways to overcome the fear of witnessing.

Remember God’s Promise

Peter opens with a rhetorical question: “And who is he who will harm you if you become followers of what is good?” (1 Peter 3:13). Read that on the surface, knowing he’s writing to persecuted Christians, and you might say, “Gee, Peter, I could make you a list.” So Peter must have something else in mind. If he doesn’t mean what Nero or some governor might do, what does he mean?

Here’s what I think he’s saying. If you do what’s good, if you live out your mission mandate as a disciple maker and a witness (which we’ve already established is God’s will for us), then no one can ultimately harm you. Peter has the final judgment in view, when those who have lived according to God’s calling will be rewarded and those who rejected it will be judged. No one will harm believers ultimately on that day, because God will reward them for their faithfulness.

To benefit from that promise, we need a changed perspective about life. So much of what Peter writes is future-oriented. When we’re suffering or facing rejection, it’s natural to fixate on the here and now. But life doesn’t consist only of the here and now. If it did, we’d be fools, of all people the most to be pitied. You may recognize that phrase, because Paul wrote it to those who were denying the resurrection:

And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. —1 Corinthians 15:17–20

If we actively live out our faith, we shouldn’t be surprised by hardship, rejection, name-calling, or opposition. And if this life were all there is, we’d be better off abandoning the Christian faith and chasing the best this world has to offer. But Christ is risen. This life isn’t all there is. Without that perspective, Peter’s question won’t make sense to us. With it, we realize that what other people say, think, or do isn’t what should concern us most. We have a living hope, and if we do what God wants us to do, no one can ultimately harm us.

One of the things we have to get over as Christians is our fear of death. Everybody’s going to die; it’s only a matter of God’s timing. But if we’re afraid of dying, we’ll never live for the Lord to the extent He’d have us live. Peter reminds us to keep a future mindset, because God is keeping something for us, and keeping us for it:

…to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. —1 Peter 1:4–5

Through your faith in Christ and by His power, you are kept. He’s going to get you there. So if you’re going to live as a faithful witness, entrust your life to Him.

Recognize the Blessing

Peter continues: “But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed” (1 Peter 3:14). What an encouragement! He’d already said something similar a few verses earlier:

…not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing. —1 Peter 3:9

When you’re simply trying to tell people about Jesus and it isn’t well received, when people insult you, don’t return evil for evil. Entrust it to God, knowing you’ll inherit a blessing. Where did Peter get this idea that suffering leads to blessing? I think he was writing out of something he’d heard Jesus teach at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. —Matthew 5:10–12

Peter is almost quoting Jesus, isn’t he? When you’re bearing witness and doing what God has called you to do, and you suffer for it, you are blessed. So keep on doing it. What do those blessings look like? Let me mention four from 1 Peter.

First, we have God’s attention. When we suffer for doing His will, the Lord is watching over us, and we have His ear:

For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil. —1 Peter 3:12

Second, we have God’s commendation. When we suffer for doing His will and respond patiently, it earns His applause and approval:

For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. —1 Peter 2:20

Third, we have God’s exaltation:

Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time. —1 Peter 5:6

We say, “God, I’m going to humble myself to Your will, Your calling, Your missional purpose, and entrust my life to You.” And in due time He will exalt us. It may not be today or tomorrow, but that’s okay, because Peter has already given us a new perspective. We’re pilgrims passing through, with an inheritance kept for us in heaven. As Christians, we’re okay with waiting on His timetable, not ours.

Fourth, we have God’s recognition:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. —1 Peter 1:6–7

It’s natural to read “praise, honor, and glory” as praise to the Lord. But the commentaries I’ve read agree that here it’s God praising and honoring us for our faithfulness in suffering. When we make it to the end, faithful and obedient despite the consequences, God says, “That’s My child.” Since we are blessed by God when we suffer, we don’t need to fear what unbelievers can say or do. That’s the main point of the text.

Regard Jesus as Supreme

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts” (1 Peter 3:15). Some other translations render it “regard Christ the Lord as holy,” and I like that. Peter’s point is that we set Jesus apart in our hearts as Lord. He’s supreme. He’s first, above everything and everyone else. He’s what we treasure most.

That means He’s more important to us than our own life, our own safety, and our own comfort. Nobody has to teach us to treasure our comfort; we have a natural instinct to protect our own welfare however we can. To keep from being overcome by fear, you have to take yourself off the throne of your heart and put Jesus there. If He isn’t on the throne, I’ll take Him off and put me there, and my comfort and security will be what I think about most. Peter’s readers were persecuted for their allegiance to Jesus, and his exhortation was to keep treating Christ as Lord, fearing Him rather than those who might harm them. Don’t back down. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be ashamed.

I think about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who refused to bow to the king’s image under threat of the fiery furnace. I love their answer:

If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up. —Daniel 3:17–18

Why did they take that stand? I believe it’s because they had already sanctified the Lord God in their hearts. They had resolved that God was their greatest treasure, and no threat from the king could get them to dethrone God and put their comfort in His place. That’s what Peter is telling believers who could easily give in to fear. When Jesus is our King, our Lord, and our greatest treasure, we won’t bow down to fear or back away from our calling.

Rehearse Your Testimony

Peter goes on: “…and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15). Be prepared in advance. Learn, rehearse, and examine why you have the hope you have. When you live as a pilgrim and sojourner, your perspective on life will be so different from everyone else’s that someone will inevitably ask: Why don’t you respond like everybody else when you’re attacked or insulted? Why do your values look the way they do? Why aren’t you undone when hardship comes? What is this hope you have? Peter wants us to live out our faith with our eyes on this hope in a way that stands out.

And to have the kind of testimony God uses and blesses, you don’t need to go any further than 1 Peter. You can build your answer from this one letter.

Jesus came for me:

He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you. —1 Peter 1:20

God didn’t leave us alone in this fallen, broken world. He came and took on human flesh, and Peter says He did it for you.

Jesus died for me:

…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. —1 Peter 2:24

He took the punishment for my sins. But wait, there’s more. Jesus rose for me:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. —1 Peter 1:3

Jesus rules for me. If they ask, “Well, where is He now?”:

…who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. —1 Peter 3:22

And Jesus is returning for me. “That’s well and good, but how does that help you?” It helps because He’s coming back. (I know we’re wearing out the pages of 1 Peter, but they’re better worn out than growing mold!)

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. —1 Peter 1:13

And if they press further, “Right now it looks like you’re suffering pretty badly. What about the meantime?”, here’s what you say: “I’m so glad you asked.” In the meantime, He’s working my suffering for my good. Remember what Peter said in chapter 1: the genuineness of our faith is being tested by fire so that it “may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7). He’s not overlooking our pain. He’s proving, testing, and refining our faith through it.

My God came for me. My God died for me. My God was raised for me. My God is ruling for me. One day my God is going to return for me. And in the meantime, He’s using even my suffering for my good. Those are the reasons we have hope. So don’t fear. Rehearse your testimony. Write it out. It’s all right here in 1 Peter.

Respect Your Audience

How are we to give that answer? Peter says, “with meekness and fear; having a good conscience” (1 Peter 3:15–16). There are two audiences here.

The first audience is the person you’re talking to about Jesus. Do it with gentleness. You don’t need to be argumentative, on the attack, or even defensive. The power of the message isn’t in your presentation; it’s in the gospel itself:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. —Romans 1:16

So take some pressure off yourself. No one will be brought into the kingdom by the eloquence of your presentation, or kept out by the lack of it. Just be gentle. Don’t be argumentative, belligerent, or condescending.

The second audience is God Himself. When Peter says “fear,” he doesn’t mean fear of the people we’re speaking to; his whole point is don’t fear man. He means fear of God. We go into a witnessing conversation wanting to honor the Lord, who has clearly called and commissioned us to be His witnesses.

And we do it “having a good conscience.” I think Peter means you’ve settled in your heart that through faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior, you are forgiven and your sin debt is paid. If your conscience is condemning you, what kind of witness will you be? Not a very good one. It’s the same with worship on Sunday morning: if you come in with sin standing between you and God, what kind of worshiper will you be? There are no perfect people to worship God, only forgiven people. And there are no perfect people to bear witness for God, only forgiven people. I’m not perfect, but I’m forgiven. I’m not perfect, but I’ve been shown grace. When you’ve accepted that by faith, you can give your testimony with confidence.

Reckon the Outcome

Now, all of these start with the letter R, so by this point I’m stretching to find R words! But this one fits. To reckon means to think, believe, or estimate. You can look ahead and anticipate what the outcome of your witness will be. Peter says, “…when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed” (1 Peter 3:16).

That shame will take two forms. For some, it will be the kind of shame Peter describes in chapter 2:

…having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. —1 Peter 2:12

They’ve maligned and belittled you, ridiculed and made fun of you. But when they see your good conduct and your resolute hope in Christ in the face of opposition, they’re convicted, they turn from their sin, and they come to faith in Jesus. Others, no matter your testimony, simply will not believe, and on the day of judgment they’ll be ashamed before God.

The second outcome to reckon with is this: we may suffer. “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil” (1 Peter 3:17). There are sins of commission and sins of omission, and knowing the will of God and failing to do it is a sin of omission. Peter says it’s better to know God’s will, do it, and suffer for it than to know His will, neglect it, and suffer anyway.

So Go Be Faithful

Statistically speaking, the number one reason Christians don’t share their faith more regularly is fear. In just a few verses, Peter gives us six ways to overcome it: remember God’s promise, recognize the blessing, regard Jesus as supreme, rehearse your testimony, respect your audience, and reckon the outcome.

A lot of it comes down to perspective. I’m praying God gives me a changed perspective, and I’m praying He gives you one too. As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we have an eternal hope that frees us from the fear of death. God has an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled, being kept for you in heaven by God Himself, and we know it’s real because Jesus was raised from the dead. When we hold that hope before us, our perspective changes. And if I’m not afraid of death, what can man do to me? That’s exactly Peter’s point in verse 13: if you do good, who can harm you? If Christ is sanctified as Lord in your heart and you treasure Him above everything else, you can live to obey Him no matter what.

Death for a believer is only a gateway. The Bible has never misled us about this life: we’re sojourners and pilgrims, just passing through. This life is very temporary; eternity is forever. So we don’t have to fear. We can take our comfort off the throne of our hearts, make sure Jesus is there, and go live out His calling. Other people need to find the hope we’ve found. They need to know this world isn’t all there is, and that they, too, can have joy in the presence of Jesus for all eternity in a new heavens and a new earth.

Beginning in October, we’ll start counting our witnessing conversations toward our goal of 10,000 over the next four-plus years, and we’ll have a way for you to log them as you go. If the studies are right, the one thing that will keep us from that goal is fear. And the one thing that will help us overcome fear is the Word of God.

So let me invite you to commit yourself to being a faithful witness, or a more faithful witness. Maybe your next step is telling a family member or someone you meet about the hope you have in Jesus. I think of those early disciples in Acts who were threatened and imprisoned, and who gathered and prayed:

Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.” And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. —Acts 4:29–31

That’s my prayer for us: that God would fill us with boldness, and that His Spirit would give us the courage to tell others about the great hope we’ve found in Jesus, not with judgment or condescension, but with gentleness. May we have not just 10,000 gospel conversations but many more, and not just for the next four years but for all the days of our lives.

Scripture references in this message: 1 Peter 3:13–17; John 20:21; Matthew 28:19–20; Acts 1:8; 1 Peter 2:9; 1 Corinthians 15:17–20; 1 Peter 1:4–5; 1 Peter 3:9; Matthew 5:10–12; 1 Peter 3:12; 1 Peter 2:20; 1 Peter 5:6; 1 Peter 1:6–7; Daniel 3:17–18; 1 Peter 1:20; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 Peter 1:3; 1 Peter 3:22; 1 Peter 1:13; Romans 1:16; 1 Peter 2:12; Acts 4:29–31. (NKJV)

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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.