“The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the LORD will be exalted” (Prov. 29:25, NASB).
FEAR.
I feel it’s tentacles’ grip, impeding my devotion to God. Invisibly yet corrosively, fear stops me. Silences me. Prevents me from sharing Christ with family members and with people one-on-one.
The urge to share Christ with family members: I allow fear to stop me.
Occasional promptings to speak about the Lord with various cashiers, store personnel, those in service industries: I usually silence the nudges with fear.
Fear in such scenarios isn’t sin per se, but my response to those fears often is.
When I stay quiet because I’m afraid of what people might think, that’s sin.
“They loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God” (John 12:43).
When I disregard the Holy Spirit, that’s sin.
“Do not quench the Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
It’s sinful when we acquiesce to a fear of man, letting it dictate our thoughts and actions. Giving in to fear of man displays our lack of trust in God. While this statement sounds harsh, it also provides hope. Because the deeper our faith grows, the less we’ll worry about what others think.
God is bigger! God is stronger! His will supersedes all others, and He’s able to replace our fear with faith.
God is able to replace our fear with faith. #Fear #Faith Click To TweetThe truth is, thoughts about sharing the Gospel cross my mind just about everywhere I go because the Lord is coming soon. He’ll gather His bride to Himself forever (see 1 Thessalonians 4:17), but He’ll judge those who haven’t received Him as their Savior (see 1 Thessalonians 5:3).
God IS love.
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
God also is holy. He’ll deal justly with sin and sinners.
“It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).
It’s sinful to lack a fear of God. While this attribute characterizes non-Christians, it also can creep into our subconscious now and then. When we fail to respect and revere God, we foster a bad attitude and lean toward wrong choices.
God hates sin, which necessitated the death of His precious Son on the cross. And one day God will pour out His wrath in “a great tribulation, such as has not occurred since the beginning of the world until now, nor ever shall” (Matthew 24:21). This judgment will be followed by eternity in the lake of fire for each person whose “name was not found written in the book of life” (Revelation 20:15). Yet for those who have placed their faith in Christ, “God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 5:9). Praise our matchless Savior!
While the fear of man weakens us, the fear of God empowers us.
The fear of man weakens us, but the fear of God empowers us. #Fear #Truth Click To TweetIn Christ’s Love,
Other articles about fear:
The Fear of Man by Harold Vaughn (This contains a few statements I disagree with, but overall it offers excellent instruction.)
Discovering God’s Names: Because He’s the Alpha & Omega, We Need Not Fear by Emily Wickham
Your words gave me comfort. I’ve always had to fight this fear of man in my life in witnessing about Christ. Your words on wanting man’s approval is so true. We all need to pray for courage to overcome our fears. GOD is much stronger than satan. He can give us the right words to say at the right moment if we will only trust in him. Quenching the Holy Spirit was a powerful statement. We should strive not to give in to this weakness. He is within us to help us. Thank you Emily for your heartfelt words.
Dear Patty,
I’m so glad to hear this post comforted you. I agree, we should be in much prayer about this! And relying on the Holy Spirit, who empowers us, is key as well. Thank you for reading this post and sharing your thoughts. It’s an honor to write about our great God and His Holy Word.
Much love to you in Christ,
Emily