Swhw Bible Reading Plan: AprilSample

Top Takeaway from Caren Fehr:

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.” Proverbs 29:25

The fear of man can manifest itself in several different ways, such as the need of approval, fear of disapproval, peer pressure, fear of criticism, fear of failure, fear of humiliation, fear of falling behind, or the fear of missing out.

We obey what we fear, which is what makes the fear of man one of the most dangerous snares. If those fears lead, rather than the fear of the Lord, we can expect to stumble in disobedience, timidity, discouragement, inactivity, and instability in our faith. All those things not only choke our faith, but they also become roadblocks to serving and glorifying the Lord. No wonder the enemy works so hard to bring fear into our lives!

The fear of man can lead to:

Ineffectiveness: We neglect God’s calling for us when we fear man and are too preoccupied with what others are thinking. Fear will also make God’s Word unproductive in our lives. (Matthew 13:22)

Idolatry: John Piper puts it this way, “Idolatry starts in the heart: craving, wanting, enjoying, being satisfied by anything that you treasure more than God.” 

Decision Paralysis: We cannot move forward in the convictions and purpose God gives us when we are living out of fear.

Yet, we are kept safe when we trust in the Lord. Trusting God is safe because He is the real God. That doesn’t mean we will never feel afraid when obeying God. When we choose to obey, even if we feel afraid, we learn to trust God’s promises more than our perceptions.

If you are battling the fear of man, I want to give you three “A’s” to help you overcome this snare:

Admit: Confession restores our fellowship with God. When we recognize that anything has become more important than God, including other’s opinions, we must confess it as a sin and repent of it. When we confess, we can be confident of God’s immeasurable grace that picks us up, and empowers us to make the next right choice with Him and for His glory.

Acknowledge: Take time to assess the root of the fear you have. When we make time to articulate our fears, we can see that they are not bigger than God. We are able to find a promise in God’s Word that disarms the fear and build a prayer around it.

Attack: Now that you’ve admitted (confessed) and acknowledged (assessed) the fear of man, you can attack and confront this giant head on with faith, and be fully confident of God's love which casts out all fear (1 John 4:18). Exercise your faith in God by disarming the root of your fears with His Word, His promises, and His presence. Ask the Holy Spirit to increase your delight in the Lord, that you may release all other forms of satisfaction.

Never forget that the Holy Spirit will help you live in God's love. When His love rules and is sovereign over your life, it will drive, push, and cast away all fears.

Father, thank You that Your Word reminds us that when we know the Truth, we are set free (John 8:32). Help us take time to assess the fears that have been holding us back and choking our faith.  Help us to trust that we can overcome those fears by declaring Your promises, and confessing what we believe, not what we feel. We love You! Amen.