Fear of Man

The fear of man

The fear of man brings a snare: But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.

PROVERBS 29:25 NASB

  • The Message Bible ~The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.

  • The Living Bible ~ Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety.


You’ll recall our last week’s verse from Isaiah, the Lord’s command ‘‘Do not fear what ‘they’ fear’’ is still a command we need to hold as believers today.  We do not live as the world lives, fearing what they fear, and responding as they respond.  We live from our union with the Father only doing and saying as we are instructed. 

Fear’s works will to lead us into disobedience to God.  The fear of the Lord holds us with an awareness of eternity, an understanding of every instruction from God flows from love, unto life and benefits all.    

Allow me to define the ‘fear of man’ as the preference to consider and value man’s acceptance and approval ahead of God’s. The Fear of God suppose’s the fear of man’s irrelevance.

Paul said, it doesn’t matter to me what you think of me.  Jesus said, I’m not looking for mans glory.  These motivations held both men in absolute submission with a press into their assigned purpose.  

To live in the fear of man is a dangerous trap and to fear human opinion disables. 

I’m mindful of Mordecai’s words to Esther, 4:14 “if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you  and your father’s house will perish.  To hear and not obey is costly for all. 


God’s command to Adam in the garden was ‘do not eat from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’  We learn eating of that fruit brought death. This still work’s in the earth today as the ‘Law of Sin and Death’.  


James 1:14/15  Temptation embraced, births sin and when sin is fully grown, it brings forth death.  

Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  


“The fear of man disables you”  ~ 


Jn 7:11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No , he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.


The fear of man can be seen in the biblical account of King Saul from 1 Samuel, chapter thirteen.  The fear of man had the power to drive Saul into an office that was not his.  Through this fear, he took on Samuel’s role as priest.  As Saul awaits Samuel’s coming to perform the rites, he is moved by what he sees and acts contrary to the Lords command.  No matter how he tries to justify himself, Saul looses his right to rule through this one public act of disobedience. 


Finally, the fear of man will drive us to find our approval from man; the Fear of the Lord drives us to seek only His. The following three verses make this universal truth clear.

Acts 4:18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

John 5: 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 

Jn 12:42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. 

Our only escape is to practice a dally lifestyle that chooses submission and obedience from a holy reverence of our Father and knowing in this place, He delivers us from all evil.  












The fear of man 



The fear of man brings a snare: But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.

PROVERBS 29:25 NASB


  • The Message Bible ~The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.

  • The Living Bible ~ Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety.


You’ll recall our last week’s verse from Isaiah, the Lord’s command ‘‘Do not fear what ‘they’ fear’’ is still a command we need to hold as believers today.  We do not live as the world lives, fearing what they fear, and responding as they respond.  We live from our union with the Father only doing and saying as we are instructed. 


Fear’s works will to lead us into disobedience to God.  The fear of the Lord holds us with an awareness of eternity, an understanding of every instruction from God flows from love, unto life and benefits all.    


Allow me to define the ‘fear of man’ as the preference to consider and value man’s acceptance and approval ahead of God’s. The Fear of God suppose’s the fear of man’s irrelevance.


Paul said, it doesn’t matter to me what you think of me.  Jesus said, I’m not looking for mans glory.  These motivations held both men in absolute submission with a press into their assigned purpose.  


To live in the fear of man is a dangerous trap and to fear human opinion disables. 


I’m mindful of Mordecai’s words to Esther, 4:14 “if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you  and your father’s house will perish.  To hear and not obey is costly for all. 


God’s command to Adam in the garden was ‘do not eat from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’  We learn eating of that fruit brought death. This still work’s in the earth today as the ‘Law of Sin and Death’.  


James 1:14/15  Temptation embraced, births sin and when sin is fully grown, it brings forth death.  


Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  



“The fear of man disables you”  ~ 


Jn 7:11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No , he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.


The fear of man can be seen in the biblical account of King Saul from 1 Samuel, chapter thirteen.  The fear of man had the power to drive Saul into an office that was not his.  Through this fear, he took on Samuel’s role as priest.  As Saul awaits Samuel’s coming to perform the rites, he is moved by what he sees and acts contrary to the Lords command.  No matter how he tries to justify himself, Saul looses his right to rule through this one public act of disobedience. 


Finally, the fear of man will drive us to find our approval from man; the Fear of the Lord drives us to seek only His. The following three verses make this universal truth clear.

Acts 4:18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

John 5: 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 

Jn 12:42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God. 










The fear of man 



The fear of man brings a snare: But he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.

PROVERBS 29:25 NASB


  • The Message Bible ~The fear of human opinion disables; trusting in God protects you from that.

  • The Living Bible ~ Fear of man is a dangerous trap, but to trust in God means safety.


You’ll recall our last week’s verse from Isaiah, the Lord’s command ‘‘Do not fear what ‘they’ fear’’ is still a command we need to hold as believers today.  We do not live as the world lives, fearing what they fear, and responding as they respond.  We live from our union with the Father only doing and saying as we are instructed. 


Fear’s works will to lead us into disobedience to God.  The fear of the Lord holds us with an awareness of eternity, an understanding of every instruction from God flows from love, unto life and benefits all.    


Allow me to define the ‘fear of man’ as the preference to consider and value man’s acceptance and approval ahead of God’s. The Fear of God suppose’s the fear of man’s irrelevance.


Paul said, it doesn’t matter to me what you think of me.  Jesus said, I’m not looking for mans glory.  These motivations held both men in absolute submission with a press into their assigned purpose.  


To live in the fear of man is a dangerous trap and to fear human opinion disables. 


I’m mindful of Mordecai’s words to Esther, 4:14 “if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you  and your father’s house will perish.  To hear and not obey is costly for all. 


God’s command to Adam in the garden was ‘do not eat from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’  We learn eating of that fruit brought death. This still work’s in the earth today as the ‘Law of Sin and Death’.  


James 1:14/15  Temptation embraced, births sin and when sin is fully grown, it brings forth death.  


Romans 6:23 The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  



“The fear of man disables you”  ~ 


Jn 7:11 The Jews were looking for him at the feast, and saying, “Where is he?” 12 And there was much muttering about him among the people. While some said, “He is a good man,” others said, “No , he is leading the people astray.” 13 Yet for fear of the Jews no one spoke openly of him.


The fear of man can be seen in the biblical account of King Saul from 1 Samuel, chapter thirteen.  The fear of man had the power to drive Saul into an office that was not his.  Through this fear, he took on Samuel’s role as priest.  As Saul awaits Samuel’s coming to perform the rites, he is moved by what he sees and acts contrary to the Lords command.  No matter how he tries to justify himself, Saul looses his right to rule through this one public act of disobedience. 


Finally, the fear of man will drive us to find our approval from man; the Fear of the Lord drives us to seek only His. The following three verses make this universal truth clear.

Acts 4:18 So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19 But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, 20 for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

John 5: 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 

Jn 12:42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.