Fear Paralyzes

When you take on an, ‘I don’t care,’ attitude it diminishes fear and you start stepping out with boldness and start furthering the kingdom of God.  Many believers seem to have a fear of reprisal if they witness today, so they stay silent when it comes to proclaiming the Good News.  I heard an alarming statistic the other day; I heard that 4,000 churches close every year and 75% of young people leave the church when they are in high school and college.  I know there are many reasons for this but I think that much of what is taking place is because of intimidation, or fear, as far as standing firm and proclaiming truth is concerned.  When you get to the point where you don’t care about the consequences of witnessing, and all you want to do is honor the Lord and see souls saved and set free, then not only will people be set free but you will be set free of fear also.

I am reminded of the early church in Acts and what was said about Christ’s followers in 17:1-6, “Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. Then Paul, as his custom was, went in to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus whom I preach to you is the Christ.’ And some of them were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas.

But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. But when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, ‘These who have turned the world upside down have come here too.’”  

Why don’t we hear this said about the church today, it is turning the world upside down?  I am afraid we have become far too complacent, shut up inside the walls of our churches and far too intimidated and ineffectual in our area of influence.  In some parts of the United States people have never experienced persecution or suffered in any way because of their faith and they fear the possibility of it taking place while others have only experienced verbal abuse and that was enough to intimidate them and to keep them from speaking out in the defense of the gospel.  Some people get more abuse bragging about their sports team then they ever have walking with Jesus.  

You may think this is a condemning message, but it is meant to be a motivational message, to spur you, and myself, on in the faith.  If we are believers, we need to encourage and motivate each other to walk fearlessly before man and humbly before our God!!  

While I was typing this ‘Tidbit,’ Peter came to mind and how he denied the Lord three times prior to this; thinking, and even saying, he would die if need be for the Lord. You can read about it in Mark 14:66-72, “Now as Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the servant girls of the high priest came. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked at him and said, ‘You also were with Jesus of Nazareth.’ But he denied it, saying, ‘I neither know nor understand what you are saying.’ And he went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed. And the servant girl saw him again, and began to say to those who stood by, ‘This is one of them.’ But he denied it again. And a little later those who stood by said to Peter again, ‘Surely you are one of them; for you are a Galilean, and your speech shows it.’ Then he began to curse and swear, ‘I do not know this Man of whom you speak!’ A second time the rooster crowed. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, ‘Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.’ And when he thought about it, he wept.”

When Peter was baptized with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, he became very bold and ultimately ended up dying for his Lord.  Intimidation and fear are real paralyzing factors in a believer’s life and may happen to any believer.  If it could happen to Peter, it can happen to any of us also.  

I have been in many intimidating situations and I haven’t always responded in a positive manner, keeping silent when I should have spoken up.  I think many of us have been there and have had to repent like Peter did.  The Good News is that the baptism in the Holy Spirit is still available today with the evidence of speaking in other tongues as the Spirit enables for all who truly believe.  If you are born-again and still have a problem with fear and intimidation, seek the Lord to baptize you in His Holy Spirit, it seemed to make a big difference in Peter and all the other disciple’s lives, as well as multitudes of others down through the ages, praise the Lord!

Jesus said this in Matthew 7:7-11 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

I have given you some food for thought, but don’t just take my word for it, seek it out by studying the scriptures and praying for the truth.  May God bless you and may you have a super day.  PS don’t forget to thank and praise the Lord!!