Avoid Traps

“The fear of man brings a snare, But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.” (Proverbs 29:25)

The fear of man would restrict our spirit. What can men do? kill us? Is that it? Is that the worst men can do, send us home to our Father? Death has been conquered, so what’s to fear? Do we fear suffering for righteousness sake? We are told that brings reward and fellowship with Jesus. Or is it simply fear that we will not be liked? Heaven forbid that we exchange freedom for bondage!

Jesus mentioned fear in a way that can not be misunderstood nor watered down by words with different meanings. Words such as awe, reverence and honor. “Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew 10:28NASB)

Ok, so considering what God can do, maybe we can get away with calling fear “a very healthy respect”. This reality check is meant to get our attention. And then comes the miracle, we discover the amazingly wonderful and abiding love of God. “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. (1 John 4:18NASB)

If you are somewhere between fear and love, pray Paul’s prayer for yourself, and for those you love. Trust in the Lord’s love.

“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,  from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:14-19NASB)