“Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech.” 2 CORINTHIANS 3:12Do you find yourself fearful of sharing your faith? Well, you’re not alone... But what can you do to conquer your fear?
Someone once said, “Keep your fears to yourself. Share your courage with others.” While that is true when it comes to specific fears, it is a consolation to know that heroes do heroic deeds despite their fears. Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but the conquering of it. If a hero didn’t have fear to overcome, then his act of courage wouldn’t truly be an act of courage.
It is a consolation to know that almost every Christian has a battle with the “fear of man” when it comes to reaching out to the lost. Take the time to look at the fears of the apostle Paul (1 Corinthians 2:1–4). He said that when he reached out to the Corinthians with the gospel, he did so not with “excellency of speech or of wisdom.”
He confided that he had “weakness” (he was not trusting in his own strength or ability) and “fear” (in Greek, phobos, “that which is caused by being scared”), resulting in “much trembling” (awareness of his insufficiency). Paul battled the fear of man.
If we want to rescue humanity from the fires of hell, we must take control of our own fears and reject the fears the enemy whispers to our hearts. Don’t let the lies of the enemy penetrate your mind any longer. Remember the command, “Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you; yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). There is power in the Word of God. When the light of the Word is spoken, the darkness of the enemy must vanish.
Make it a habit to quote God’s Word at fear: “He that dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust” (Psalm 91:1,2).
We are not to fear man, but to fear God—the one who has power to cast into hell (Luke 12:5). This thought may help you get rid of the fear of man and replace it with the fear of God: He executes cowards, deserters, and traitors (see Hebrews 10:26,27; Revelation 21:8). His army is for men and women of faith. Our courage is fueled by our faith in God. If we lack courage, it’s only because we lack faith. If we lack faith, we insult the integrity of Almighty God.
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