What is the fear of man?
It is a way of being influenced by man over God.
Do you truly fear the Lord?
God's ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55:8-9)
The fear of man…
influences us unrighteously.
leads towards traps.
disobeys God.
25 The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe. (Proverbs 29:25)
King Saul, the first king of Israel struggled with the fear of man.
He made decisions that disobeyed God & even though he thought he was obeying God... scripture is very clear he did evil in the sight of the Lord.
14 But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” 15 And Saul said, “They have brought them from the Amalekites; for the people spared the best of the sheep and the oxen, to sacrifice to the Lord your God; and the rest we have utterly destroyed.” 16 Then Samuel said to Saul, “Be quiet! And I will tell you what the Lord said to me last night.” And he said to him, “Speak on.” 17 So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the Lord anoint you king over Israel? 18 Now the Lord sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the Lord? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the Lord?” 20 And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. (1 Samuel 15:14-21)
It was too late for Saul to confess at this point... it was time for Israel to have a new king.
Prophet Samuel, how long with you mourn for king Saul?
24 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. 25 Now therefore, please pardon my sin, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord.” 26 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.” (1 Samuel 15:22-26)
King David had a powerful share in the book of Psalms about putting our confidence NOT in man, but TRUST in God.
6 The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me? 7 The Lord is for me among those who help me; Therefore I shall see my desire on those who hate me. 8 It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. 9 It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes. 10 All nations surrounded me, But in the name of the Lord I will destroy them. (Psalm 118:6-10)
So how do we overcome the fear of man?
Know the benefits to fear the Lord.
27 “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops. 28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:27-31)
7 “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. 8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. 9 “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? 10 I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings. (Jeremiah 17:7-10)
5 Benefits with the fear of the Lord.
Benefit #1 WE OBTAIN MERCY (Luke 1:50)
Benefit #2 SO WE DON'T SIN (Exodus 20:20-21)
Benefit #3 WISDOM (Proverbs 1:7) (Job 28:28) (Psalm 111:10)
Benefit #4 STRONG CONFIDENCE & REFUGE (Proverbs 14:26)
Benefit #5 A FOUNTAIN OF LIFE & PROLONG Life (Proverbs 14:27) (Proverbs 10:27)
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