December 13, 2019
“Whatever you fear, you will serve," said Rebecca Pippert. If you follow this logic, you will see how completely your fears rule you. Fear drives your thoughts and actions. It controls your life.
Proverbs speaks of one of these fears and its consequences ...
The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted. (Proverbs 29:25)
THE FEAR OF MAN
… is one of the most debilitating of all phobias. A man-fearing spirit leads to constant bondage as you wonder what everyone thinks of you. What is their opinion? Do they think I’m good or bad, capable or inept? Am I popular? Is how I look acceptable (according their current standards, of course)? Am I good enough? The Devil loves to find and exploit this fear.
With this fear, you will find yourself making daily decisions related to how it will affect your reputation with others. If you’re not careful, it will literally drive your life.
This fear is in all of us to one degree or another. There are a few, though, who have come to Christ, realized their acceptance and identity in Him, and understand that they have no man to fear, only God.
Happy is the man who is done with this fear. Who is comfortable in his own skin in Christ and realizes there is, ultimately, only One to please. This man trusts in God and lives to please and honor Him, and Him alone. What others think is of no consequence. He is free!
The Apostle John came to this understanding. “We have come to know and believe the love God has for us,” he writes from the Isle of Patmos where he was imprisoned for his faith (1 John 4:16). “There is no fear in love, and perfect love (i.e., God’s love for us) casts out fear “(1 John 4:18, parenthesis added).
EVALUATE YOUR LIFE
See if this fear is lurking right beneath the surface, driving you places you do not want to go. And then, release this sinful fear to God. Thank Him for your complete acceptance in Him. Study and memorize Ephesians 1 and Romans 8 to help you understand your acceptance in the Beloved. Understand that you are embraced by the perfect love of God. And then go live your life with one goal: to please God, not man, and trust Him with the results of this unfettered freedom.
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