Fear = care, X exceedingly, fear, quaking, trembling.
So often we skip over certain verses or passages of scripture because we don't really want to have to reflect on it, knowing its going to hit home and demand change. We often look at the Word for others and how they should change, but we find it hard for ourselves at times. This verse has been a difficult one to swallow.
I have looked at it many times, and thought: "Well, that doesn't apply to me."
But lately the Spirit has really been putting His finger on it for my life and highlighting some aspects of my walk that need to be reflected on.
The Spirit of God spoke to me recently and said:
"Every time you act because you are needing someone's approval, every time you wonder if they people will still accept you because of the way you are, every time you do things to have people like you, every time your significance is in others, every time you compromise who you are or your convictions or being obedient to your inner impressions you believe are from Me, YOU HAVE FEARED MAN."
And that fear, that anxiety, that care is a snare.
Snare = a noose (for catching animals), (literally or figuratively); by implication a hook (for the nose): - be ensnared, gin, (is) snare (-d), trap.
Someone has said: "What you compromise to keep; you will lose in the end."
Jer 17:5 says:
" This is what the Lord says:
'Cursed is the one who who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord. He will be like a bush in the wastelands, he will not see prosperity when it comes. He will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in salt land where no one lives.'"
In my mind, I always imagined not fearing man in the sense of disobeying the Lord or stopped from following the Lord, but not in the seeking of approval, being 'nice', or altering who I am or how I live my convictions to please man.
But it is a snare, a trap, an entanglement, a hook, that brings bondage, drought, no freshness, thirst, emptiness, no opportunity, deserted. Wow! Scary! (NIV: The fear of man will prove to be a snare)
That comes opposed to putting our trust in the Lord and find ourselves safe.
Safe: to be (causatively make) lofty, especially inaccessible; by implication safe, strong; used literally and figuratively: - defend, exalt, be excellent, (be, set on) high, lofty, be safe, set up (on high), be too strong.
Sounds like Jer 17:7 - 8 to me:
"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.
He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."
What a remarkable difference!
Like a tree planted by water - constant refreshing and nutrients and quenching;
No fear or terror, - no wilting, no quitting, fainting, weakness, even when faced with trying situations, it is always full of life;
No worries or anxieties in difficult times of lack - always flourishes and has a generosity. Too strong!!
Now this doesn't mean you mustn't be considerate and mannerly and courteous. It just means that you don't put acting and walking your faith walk as pleasing man before you please the Lord.
"What will happen if they don't like me?"
"What happens if they won't accept me?"
"Maybe I won't get the position if I don't compromise a little here to look good in their eyes."
"Ok, So that is my conviction, but hey I want them think I'm a wonderful person, so I will just be what they want for now. It won't hurt."
Yes it will!
Its bondage to man. It brings a curse. You are not trusting God Who sustains you, Who can give you significance, Who can open doors, Who can justify you, Who will promote you, Who will give you favour.
That's Faith. That's what pleases God. (Heb 11:6)
But you must know who you are;
You must know what the Word says about you;
And what your convictions are from the Word of God:
You must build yourself up in the Holy Ghost;
You must be led by the Spirit.
All these things you can do, its not hard.
You cannot be living carnal, unfruitful, rebellious, disobedient lives, and expect to live a 'safe' life. Trusting the Lord implies you live as He wills and instructs. Living carnal, unfruitful, rebellious, disobedient lives implies a snare because you have been fearing man, in itself. maybe you have feared that they would take advantage of you, or misuse you, or reject you...
The thing is, make sure you are not compromising to be seen, or to manipulate, or to impress, or to gain something, against being who you are and what you stand for. Amen!
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