“The fear of man {mankind}brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.”-{Proverbs 29:25}.
How would you like to ensnare or trap yourself, put yourself in a bind, bondage, where you become a slave to someone. Instead of liberty,which Christ has called you to never again to be enslaved, you choose bondage!{Gal 5:1} How can you do so? By succumbing to the fear of other people, what they think, what they say! The word “Fear,”{Charadah,} means, “fear, trembling, quaking, trembling,anxiety.” Not nice emotions to be mastered, controlled, in subjection to are they! The Hebrew word for “snare” refers to traps used by hunters to catch, ensnare animals or birds.They are dangerous! “SNARE.”-{ mowqesh} (mo-kashe’) a noose (for catching animals): by implication, a hook (for the nose) — be ensnared, trap.” -{NASB Lexicon}
Scripture shows us some examples that we may learn from and not fall into ourselves!
1- Elijah Fled; He was afraid of the threats of what Jezebel sent to him and acted upon it;
“Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword.Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by this time tomorrow.” THEN he was AFRAID,and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there.”-{1 Kings 19:1-3}. It resulted in him not wanting to live.”But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree; and he requested for himself that he might die, and said, “It is enough; now, O Lord, take my life, for I am not better than my fathers.” -{1 Kings 19:4}. His fear led to him fleeing and depressed as he did not see any use to continuing to live and asking God to take his life! He ended up fleeing for forty days and nights on the strength of a meal, until he ended up in a cave!- Fearful, depressed, isolated- alone! {v8-9} . He had believed a lie, “and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”He said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the sons of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they seek my life, to take it away.” {v 13-15}. He had believed a lie that he was the only one left, “But God…” assures him “Yet I will leave 7,000 in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed to Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him….”-{v 18}. Fear, Fleeing, depression, the desire to be dead, fleeing, exhaustion, isolation, believing a lie. Such is the power of embracing “fear!”
2. – Peter Out of Fear Denied He knew the LORD;
” While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came by.When she saw Peter warming himself, she looked closely at him. “You also were with that Nazarene, Jesus,” she said. But he denied it. “I don’t know or understand what you’re talking about,” he said, and went out into the entryway.When the servant girl saw him there, she said again to those standing around, “This fellow is one of them.” Again he denied it.After a little while, those standing near said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them, for you are a Galilean.” He began to call down curses, and he swore to them, “I don’t know this man you’re talking about.” Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times.” And he broke down and wept.” – {Mark 16:66-72}. Fear of others led him to deny the LORD! He had been with Him, seen the miracles, been a recipient of His kindness, love, but in that hour of His need.
Peter withdrew,he chose self preservation over Christ identification!
3. MAJORITIES FEARS wins out Over The Promise of God!
In Numbers 13:25-14:10 we see the story of God promising to give the people the land.-{13:1}. They send in spies who come back and say how wonderful it is but the they then interject their fears into the scenario and it influences the people who received the report to such an extent they spent a night crying over the situation,
“Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. All the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” So they said to one another, “Let us appoint a leader and return to Egypt.”-{Numbers 14:11-5}.
FEAR-FED THINKING;
Note they spent the night crying, grumbling against the LORD’S leaders, wishing they had died not once as in Egypt, but twice…if not Egypt why not die in the wilderness! Then they doubted God cared for them and accused Him of bringing them out to the wilderness to be murdered “by the sword!”
Then the “spiral,” in their fear-fed thinking plunged further down as they believed their wives and children would be “plundered,” and then they CONCLUDED IT would BE BETTER TO GO BACK TO EGYPT, THE PLACE OF bondage WHERE THE LORD HAD MIRACULOUSLY DELIVERED THEM FROM! And they were willing to MURDER God’s leaders!
Oh what damage one drop of fear allowed to continue turns into a torrent of irrational thoughts, attacking the goodness and kindness and integrity of God!”
Moses put his finger on the problem, Rebellion against the LORD,and so it is when we refuse to trust Him, take Him at His Word and act upon it! They acted on their FEARS…!
“Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us; do not fearthem.”But all the congregation said to stone them with stones.”- {Numbers 14:9-10}
IT can all be led back to them REJECTING God’s Promise and ACCEPTING “…THE FEAR OF MAN!” – {Prov 29:25}
4. Peter’s FEARS Led to Hypocrisy And Affected Others;
“But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned.For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision. The rest of the Jews joined him in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas in the presence of all, “If you, being a Jew, live like the Gentiles and not like the Jews, how is it that you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews? “-{Galatians 2:10-14}.
Peter acted on his fears and he withdrew from others, because he was afraid. And it had an effect on “the rest of the Jews, joined him in hypocrisy with the result Barnabas was carried astray by their hypocrisy.” Peter’s yielding to fears had an effect on others!
“The Fear of man…is a trap, snare” Let there be no doubts about it, when we place our trust in what they say, think And above trusting the LORD then we will find ourselves ensnared, trapped, living in slavish fear to the opinions, words of others. “…The fear of man is a snare because it keeps us quiet when we ought to speak up. It’s also a snare because we end up valuing the approval of the world over God’s approval. Worst of all, it tricks us into thinking that this world is more important than the world to come.”-{Pritchard.}.
5. David Feigned Madness; He was very much afraid and pretended to be mad!
he scratched on doors and drooled, drooling down his beard. “David took these words to heart and was very much afraid of Achish king of Gath. So he disguised his sanity before them, and acted insanely in their hands, and scribbled on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva run down into his beard.”- {1 Samuel 21:12-13}. He was so afraid and acted like someone out of their mind to protect himself and denying the LORD in the process. he leaned to his own understanding and not upon the LORD. He had a moment of failure, where fear of man won over faith in the LORD. But though this moment was true it did not define him as God would call him,”a man after my own heart!” It’s not a license for sin but do not let your failure define you. Learn from it and ask Him to help remind you to lean on Him, take Him at His Word when the temptation to be intimidated by fear of others!
“The fear of man,” is far more common than we think. We are engulfed in fears. Turn on the tv, look at the news, read about FEARS, listen to people talk about their fears and tell you based on their fears why you should not try or do something. I am not speaking of sinful things here, but at times people are FEAR CARRIERS rather than FAITH CARRIERS! They are fearful, and like the “Spies,” share their fears and influence others, who embrace their fears and own them as their “own!” Don’t be a FEAR Carrier! Embracing the “Fear of men,” can lead to sins of various types. It is destructive, damaging and disloyal to the LORD when embraced and acted upon. You cannot stop the words of others spoken to you or thoughts coming to you, But you can have the final word! But it’s not enough to say “Don’t be afraid,” and the writer of Proverbs 29:25 knows this and shows us…
Is there a Way out?
There sure is, and the writer gives it to us, “But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.” Note the word “But,” here is the alternative, “rather…” than being afraid in what others think, their opinions, the way to overcome it is to” trust in the LORD…” The word “trust,” is used elsewhere to speak of “confidence,”It is for “whoever.” Not just a select few but “whoever” and that includes you and me in that broad based, grace expanse of this loving word, “whoever…” The way out of bondage to the fear of man is to trust the LORD.
Note the writer leads and leaves us with a Person!- “The LORD.”
So now we need to THINK right if we are to TRUST the RIGHT ONE.
“Trust,” in Judges 18:27 is translated ” and Secure” {NAS};In Prov 14:16, it is translated “confidence“ {KJV};“Rely…have Confidence ” {Strong’s}; “Trust IN…” {Brown-Driver- Briggs}
The writer uses the word “LORD, “ which is the word”Yah-weh,” and speaks of Him as the Self Existent One, Eternal – {Exodus 3:14} In The Old Testament “LORD” is made known to us as the Creator, Provider, Promise Keeping Faithful One, Unchanging, Sovereign King! And it is to this ONE the writer says we are to instead of fearing man, trust Him! So we must familiarize ourselves with Him. Reading his Word not as something to do BUT SOMEONE To Know! As you read Look at what Name He reveals Himself as or what attribute about Himself He puts on display. Trust Him, His character, His nature, His grace, mercy, goodness, power, providence, Sovereignty. promises, all whom He is, put your confidence in Him, for temporal and eternal, entrusting yourself, your situation, circumstances to Him and you are safe from the “fears of men,” seeking to divert and dominate you!
“…will be exalted,” or also translated, “…will be SAFE.” The NET translates it as “…set on high.” “shall be lifted up on high.” The NASB Lexicon reads it, “To be {Inaccessibly} High”
Unassailable.”{Sagab}…to be (causatively, make) lofty, especially inaccessible; by implication, safe, strong; used literally and figuratively” It is used 20 times and also translated “safe,” “securely on high.” Our safety is in who we Trust! Confidence in Him will counteract fearing man whom He has made and in whom He holds their very breath. They are dependent upon Him for life and He is Independent of all but Himself! One is God THE other is “playing god! One is worthy to be listened to and followed as His Word liberates, the other leads to bondage. So who will you choose to listen to and submit to? The one you listen to and follow is the one who has power over you!
Fear is real. It is a horrible, slavish evil master, a bondage maker, not a Liberator! And one aspect of “fear,” is “the fear of man.” God’s way to deal with it is to Turn to HIM and place all of your confidence in Him and what He says and Promises! It is a fight. A Battle for your faith. For faith “PLEASES” Him. And fear seeks to under-mind Him, His Word and enslave you and rob you from what is yours”In Christ,” FREEDOM! “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”-{Galatians 5:1}. “…If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” -{John 8:31-32}.
“For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.“-{Gal 1:10}
We are Free to do what pleases Him!
Confess your “fear of man.” Repent of It.
Confront your fears; Ask yourself why are you afraid of their opinions?
Courage To Comply – Acts 5:29 “We must obey God rather than man”.” Be Strong and courageous do not fear or be discouraged for {gives the explanation, the reason why } the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”- {Joshua 1:9} Be courageous and choose to obey Him. Courage is not the absence of fear but the choice to do what is right despite what me might feel! He is EVER PRESENT with you!
Confidently walk on in Freedom “In Christ”– {Gal 5:1}