Fear of man is the invisible giant facing the church of God in our generation. This makes Christians run into compromise to defend themselves but not their faith.
Luke 12:5 ( But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell, yea I say unto you, Fear him)
This makes them enter alliance with their enemy and dumped their weapons of war on the battlefield as a sign of surrender.
This is the giant we refuse to conquer, the monster we are afraid of that detaches our relationship with God and our fellow men.
Man prefer to disobey God than cause someone to be sad, this has caused the mighty in the church to fall, they overcome witches and wizards but were conquered by their fear.
Those who Jesus Christ declared as overcomers in the book of revelation won against the fear of men that might prevent them from moving forward to their promise land.
Read Also : Sermon on Compromise By Arm of The Lord Christian Ministry
Fear of the response of men “if I preach this kind of message, will they withdraw from bringing tithes and offering to the church”, or “What will happen if I should preach holiness and the righteousness of God?
Fear of loosing the financier of the church if I correct him of immorality within the church: fear of loosing great contributors to their church projects .
Most members also are with fear of losing the favour of their leaders if they should correct them of pride and love of money, so they flatter him in his face and condemn him at his back; they fear losing respect among the congregation if they should speak the truth.
This is the kind of fear troubling the church of God; this kind of fear is what crumbled the kingdom of Saul and made God hand it over to David, a man after God’s heart.
David fears God more than whatever men can do, but Saul desires the approval of men more than what God will say; he forced Samuel to bless him before the congregation of Israel by hiding his sin.
Most Christians fear Satan and his agents more than God; they were afraid of devils attacks more than the severe judgement of God against their rebellion.
This kind of fear is a result of rebellion in the Garden of Eden, which originated from eating the forbidden fruit.
They were afraid of their nakedness and exposure not being revealed; that’s why they hid themselves behind the trees in the garden; it’s not that they feel guilty.
The Bible says, “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy is understanding.”.
We lack wisdom this time around because we don’t have the fear of God, and we also don’t have understanding because we do not desire to know Him more.
The Fear of Man; True Life Story
There is a story I heard some years back about a youth pastor who preached against adultery and immorality going on in the church.
As he finished, one of the elders approached him and tell him to reverse all what he said on the pulpit the next Sunday, else they will withdraw his salary for that month.
The man went ahead to apologize the next Sunday and withdraw all what he said, the youth of the church got angry at the man and removed him from that post.
How Fear Affects The Gospel In The Church
What makes many pastors hide the truth is that they wouldn’t want to incurred the wrath of their members, not knowing they are incurring the wrath of God with their negligence.
They love playing safe with men to preserve their dignity than playing it safe with God to protect their integrity.
The Bible says we should only fear God who can kill and also cast in to hell, but men believe in the present more than future, they have faith in what they can see now than what is yet to happen.
Had we believe in all what God said about Himself, we would have thought about the aftermath of our actions before we ventures into it.
Signs That Fear Is Prevalent In A Man’s Life
It’s the fear of man that’s is prevailing in the church now, we we rather choose lies and be on their good side than speak the truth and become some people’s enemy.
It’s only the work of regeneration that will root out fear from the heart of man, circumcision of the heart is the medicine to every form of fear.
Before the day of pentecost, the apostles were hiding from their persecutors, but after the holy Spirit descend on them, they were no longer afraid but preached openly and won many souls to the side of God.
Fear is the mark of the absence of holy Spirit within, there is no way you will have the Spirit of God and still think about man’s feelings concerning your messages.
Fear is the opposite of faith, there is no way you will believe in God and still put your trust in the man of flesh.
It’s the fear of man that makes one believe in what man can do than what God will do, some Christians are still paying obeisance to the powers that put their generation in bondage, in the name of let give to Caesar what belong to Caesar.
This is how the bondage run from generation to generation, so also with the curse that follows in the life of the haters of God.
Fear of man put one in the bondage of men, the person you fear has some degree of power to control your life without you taking cognizant of it till you’re ruined.
It’s the fear of God that make one rise above the curse of Adam, and make you soar above all the circumstances that’s brought by our fallen nature.
Fear is a cage that made those who are taken by it to enter into terrible covenant because of death and end up eaten up by it.
Prayer: My Father and my God, remove every iota of fear from my soul by your precious blood, in Jesus name, amen
