Overcoming the fear of man

The fear of man is one of the greatest pressures Christians and leaders will face. We need to recognize this temptation and overcome it.

The Problem with this temptation is it sneaks up on you, without expecting it. Peter is the primary example of someone who was powerfully used by God , yet he occasionally fell into the snare of the fear of man.

If it could happen to Peter, it could happen to you.

Matthew 26:31 ESV

Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’

Zechariah 13:7 ESV

“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.

John 16:32 ESV

Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.

Matthew 26:32 ESV

But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.”

Matthew 26:33 ESV

Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.”

Matthew 26:34 ESV

Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

Matthew 26:35 ESV

Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

Matthew 26:69–70 ESV

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.”

Strike 1

Matthew 26:71–72 ESV

And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.”

Strike 2

Matthew 26:73–74 ESV

After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed.

strike 3

Down and out, but there is a recovery.

Peter’s heart was not to intentionally deny the Lord, he was caught up in his own weakness. It kind of snuck up on him, it was his blind spot. But the Lord shone his spotlight upon it. When we are gripped by the fear of men, the Lord does the same for us.

Matthew 26:75 ESV

And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

I wish we could say this was the end of Peters struggles with the fear of men, but it wasn’t. There was for the most part great boldness in the Spirit of God, but we need to know our own hearts and our tendencies to weaknesses.

Galatians 2:11–14 ESV

But when Cephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he stood condemned. For before certain men came from James, he was eating with the Gentiles; but when they came he drew back and separated himself, fearing the circumcision party. And the rest of the Jews acted hypocritically along with him, so that even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that their conduct was not in step with the truth of the gospel, I said to Cephas before them all, “If you, though a Jew, live like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you force the Gentiles to live like Jews?”

No matter who we are, we need to open for rebuke and correction. We don’t get everything right. If we get mad or offended, it could be someone has touched a raw nerve in us.

How to overcome the fear of man is to fear God more. Know that one day you will give account to God. We cannot be a God pleaser and a man pleaser at the same time.

Proverbs 29:25 ESV

The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

Prioritizing the opinions, approval, or judgment of other people over God’s will traps you in a spiritual net, leading to compromised values, anxiety, and an inability to live authentically, while trusting God offers true safety and exaltation.

Its a psychological trap where seeking human approval paralyzes you , making you vulnerable to worldly pressures and preventing you from following divine guidance , unlike the security found in faith