The holidays are upon us! It's a great time to talk to your loved one's about their eternal salvation. As your friends and relatives are nice and full from dinner and as they are comfortable in your hospitality, you have a chance to talk with loved one's that you otherwise may not see that often. Sharing the gospel- it's easy....., right? Or is it. There's always that nemesis that likes to rear it's ugly head....We all know him. Its. The. FEAR OF MAN. You know when your heart starts pumping, and your palms get sweaty and your voice starts quaking. You start to think that you will surely end up being hated if you bring up the gospel. Even if it's not the holidays, there's always an opportunity to talk to your loved one's about the gospel. I like a hand-written old fashioned mailed letter.
So, let's talk about that dreaded "fear of man." Proverbs 29:25 says:
The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.
This verse brings two contrasting principles, namely, the fear of man and trusting in the Lord. It implies that if you're doing one, you cannot do the other. The word "snare" means a trap. When it comes to sharing the gospel the trap of fearing man will lead to a paralyzation that will choke the word of God. Remember Jesus said in Acts 1:8 that He will give us His Holy Spirit so that we are empowered to witness, so we truly can trust that He will help us.
In Isaiah 41:10 God says,
The word "uphold" means to follow close. The Lord is following close behind you as you share your faith. Isn't that encouraging?
This next verse will surely bring the necessary conviction needed when not only witnessing, but standing for God in this world in general:
John 12:43, "For they loved the praise from men more than the praise from God."
The word "more" means rather. So the above verse can be read, "For they loved the praise from men rather than the praise from God." The fear of man really is the love of men's praise, or desire for their approval. Which, in and of itself, may not be a bad thing, but when it means being silent about what God doesn't want you to be silent then it becomes a bad thing.
You know being courageous doesn't mean not fearing. Instead it means being brave in spite of fear. We are to step out in faith and trust in God when sharing the gospel. May your love for the lost outweigh your fear of them.
So, this thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year celebration I encourage you to take the opportunity to share your faith. If you're not sure how to do that then you can check out this blog titled, "How to Effectively Share the Gospel."
Below is a verse study on this subject. If you're interested in purchasing a verse study journal you can go here: The Living Word Verse Study Journal
