Our enemy, the old serpent, lays various traps along the pathway to the Kingdom of God. If we’re not careful and humble, we could very well find ourselves ensnared by the deceiver of nations (Revelation 12:9). As we press toward our heavenly home, where should we look for guidance during our travels through this foreign land? The word of God gives understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130)! The Bible is a much-needed guidebook for believers today. The psalmist pleads, “I am a stranger in the earth; do not hide Your commandments from me” (119:19). The writer acknowledges his need for divine guidance in this world. Do you have that same awareness regarding your need for divine guidance? Or, have you figured it out already?
After many moons on planet Earth, I certainly haven’t figured it out. So, I depend on the roadmap of God’s word to lead me through this wicked world. One of the greatest and most successful entrapments the evil one uses against us is the fear of man. In the NKJV, Proverbs 29:25 states, “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.” How many people do things they wouldn’t ordinarily do because of peer pressure? How many folks follow the crowd into acts of sin and rebellion against the Lord (Exodus 23:2)? The fear of man ensnares millions of people each and every day. Therefore, as we fight the good fight of faith and put on the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Tim. 6:12; Rom. 13:14), we must be alert to this powerful trap of the devil.
In order to show the tragic outcome when a nation turns their backs on God, I lay out a short history of Israel in my book, The Spiritual Awakening of America. I write about king Saul, the very first king of Israel. Saul was tall, dark and handsome. He was easy on the eyes, but his heart was not right towards the Lord. In 1 Samuel 15, when Yahweh sent the king on a mission to destroy the enemies of Israel, he failed to fully obey the Lord. The Most High God isn’t playing games with those who are called by His name. Consequently, the LORD killed king Saul because of his disobedience (1 Chronicles 10:13-14)! Do you want to know why Saul went against the command of God? It’s found in 1 Samuel 15:22-26:
So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.” Then Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice. Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the LORD.” But Samuel said to Saul, “I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the LORD, and the LORD has rejected you from being king over Israel.”
What a tragic episode in the history of Israel! King Saul admits to Samuel the prophet that he disobeyed God “because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.” The fear of man really does bring a snare! Being a serious follower of Jesus is not for the faint of heart. It’s not easy obeying the Lord in a world that lies under the sway of the wicked one (1 John 5:19). Our warfare against evil involves both human and spiritual oppression.
There’s an excellent example of this in the book of Acts, chapter five. The wealthy and powerful religious leaders in Jerusalem attempted to stop the apostles of Christ from speaking the truth about Jesus. I find it interesting that when some spiritual leaders become prosperous and well-connected, they oftentimes find themselves in opposition to the Lord. These religious rulers actually tried to suppress the Spirit-filled followers of God. Some even plotted to kill the apostles to stop the spread of the gospel. They said in Acts 5:28, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name?”
How would you react in a situation like that? If some human authority commanded you to stop sharing the good news of Christ or be put to death, what would you do? The apostles’ response should be the battle-cry of all who follow the Lord Jesus Christ. They said: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (v.29). Amen! The brave apostles didn’t fall prey to the “fear of man” trap. Even after they were beaten, told again not to speak of Jesus, and released, verses 41-42 tells us, “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ.”
If we fear man, it’s almost certain we’ll miss the will of God. The Lord Himself warns us: “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:4-5 NKJV).
The fear of the LORD prolongs days (Pro.10:27); but the fear of man brings a snare. In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence (Pro.14:26); but the fear of man is a trap. Bible teacher Matthew Henry writes, "Many dare not profess what they believe to be true, nor seek truth where they think it may be found, nor to do their known duty, and forsake the vanities of the world. They are ashamed to own Christ now; if they persist in this course, He will not own them in the day of judgment. But he that trusts in the Lord will be saved from this snare."
Our political “leaders” showed us recently that they’ll vote according to principle if the ballot is private; but the same ones will vote along party lines if the ballot is public. Why the disparity? It’s mainly due to the fear of man, the fear of being primaried. It’s due to the fear of losing their position and their paycheck if they stand firm for what they believe is true. Instead of sticking to a clear-headed concept of right and wrong, many succumb to political expediency - which is doing what’s convenient for their career instead of doing what's morally right. We all know this to be true.
Sometimes, there’s a high price to pay for speaking the truth and standing against falsehoods and conspiracy theories. In his work, Profiles in Courage, John F. Kennedy said, "A man does what he must...in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and damages and pressures - and that is the basis of all human morality." Unfortunately, profiles in courage are few and far between. Most people, especially the unredeemed people of this present evil age (Galatians 1:4), simply don’t have the power to trust in the Lord and cast aside their fear of man. Thus they become easy pickings for the old serpent. But for those of us who are called by His name, I point to 2 Timothy 1:7 which proclaims – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”
Grace, Peace and Jahspeed!