September 26, 2024
I heard a sermon 32 years ago that I have not forgotten. In fact, there has probably not been a year that has passed since then that I did not think about this message or at least its implications for my life.
The sermon was preached by Evangelist Del Fehsenfeld Jr., founder of Life Action Ministries and is entitled, How to Conquer the Fear of Man. It is based on the text of Proverbs 29:25 which says, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”
This was reported as the last message Fehsenfeld ever preached as he was battling brain cancer at the time and died only a few days later. I listened to the message again recently and the impact was not unlike the first time I heard it.
Fearing men, or striving for the approval of others, will bring a snare, or trap, into our lives. Here are five leadership struggles that may have their root in the fear of man:
1. Comparison: Comparing yourself to another person is a fruitless endeavor. We can always find someone doing worse than we are, which fills us with pride, or find someone doing better than ourselves which leads to despair. How much better to realize that God has given you a lane in which to run and then go do your very best. God will evaluate your ministry on a future day, and it will not be in comparison to other leaders.
2. Inhibition: By inhibition I mean not putting yourself out there, not meeting new people, not attending activities that could be life-giving. I attended a social event recently, but went alone because Connie was not able to join me. I felt apprehensive about showing up with a group of people I didn’t know well. I prayed and asked God to help me and He did. God allowed me to spend time with existing friends and make new ones. Fear of man would have kept me at home, but trust in God allowed me to enjoy a great evening.
3. Compromise: Fear of man will keep us from addressing important issues. Every pastor or ministry leader will likely be called on at some point to challenge an influential church member or leader. The fear of man will fill our minds with “what-if” scenarios of all the ways this meeting could go badly and impact our lives significantly. How much better to put our trust in the Lord, trust Him for the outcomes and move forward by faith.
4. Silence: There may be no more effective deterrent to Christian evangelism than the fear of man. It is safe to say that Christian men and women stay silent about the gospel because we fear the response from those with whom we could share Christ. How much better to just go ahead and love people and start a conversation with them and see how God may direct it to His gospel. The fear of man also keeps churches from reaching into their communities with the gospel. Much of our evangelism, both personal and corporate, has been held captive by the fear of man.
5. Disobedience: Many Christians, even ministry leaders, fail to be used of God in the ways they possibly could due to being overly concerned with what others may think of them. There are likely men in many of our churches who God has called to ministry leadership, but who have not stepped out by faith due to be paralyzed by fears of what others might think or say. How much better to answer God’s call by faith and experience the life God intends.
Fear of man will be overcome as we decide to fear God more than men, put our trust in Him, and live by faith and not by fear. May God lead all of us into victory over this besetting sin.
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TTodd Gray is executive director-treasurer of the Kentucky Baptist Convention. This commentary first appeared in Kentucky Today.
