HIS POSITION WAS TAKEN from him. Maybe you know the story and history of King Saul? He was the first king of Israel, chosen and appointed by God, given a new heart, the Spirit of God and the commandments of the kingdom to set by his throne.
He had the prophet Samuel to lead him into victory. He was given everything he needed to be successful. But he deceived himself into thinking he had honored God by his partial obedience, even doubling down to the prophet when he was corrected saying, “But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord”. You can find this whole interaction of partial obedience, self deception and his rejection from kingship in 1 Samuel 15. He finally comes clean and here is what is recorded:
“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.” I Samuel 15:24
“Because I feared the people”. How many times have you done something that you did not really want to do because you cared too much what the crowd thought? Or maybe you feared what others would do to you if you didn’t go along with their requests? Maybe you felt left out, under attack, unwanted, or just wanted to be the big man on campus because it was expected of you by the crowd? Saul sinned and disobeyed God and it cost him the kingdom. What will it cost you?
“The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25
I hear you retort, “I don’t fear man!” Maybe you don’t actually fear them, but you fear their opinion of you. In this cancel culture we live in, courage is sorely lacking. Why? Because the enemy knows the weakness of men and the flesh wants to be liked and admired. I know people right now that care way too much what their friend group thinks about them than what God thinks. They are living in partial obedience, and partial obedience is disobedience.
This fear of man brings a snare to your soul, it opens a door for the enemy to trap you and cause to stumble and fall into sin and disobedience. It could cost you everything. Let Saul’s life be an example. Like many of the Proverbs, this fear is contrasted with trust in the Lord. It tells us that when we have a fear of man we do not trust in the Lord. But when we wholly trust in the Lord, we will not fear man. It is one of those “Ah ha” moments in your life. It cannot be both.
If you fear man, you do not trust God. If you trust in the Lord with all your heart; then you do not fear man, his opinions, nor what he can do to you. I want you to think long and hard. Take a good look at your words and actions. You have been given everything you need to be victorious, but do you fear man or do you trust in the Lord?
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