Don't be afraid of what people Fear

Isaiah 8:12–13 (KJV 1900)

12 Say ye not, A confederacy, To all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; Neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid.

13 Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; And let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.

As the people of God, we are to fear the Lord God and the Lord God only.

We must not be afraid of what other people are afraid of.

the things that we do, the steps that we take must not be in response to what other men fear, but rather in response the fear of God.

Proverbs 9:10 “10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 10:27 “27 The fear of the Lord prolongs days, But the years of the wicked will be shortened.”

Proverbs 14:26 “26 In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge.”

Proverbs 14:27 “27 The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death.”

Proverbs 19:23 “23 The fear of the Lord leads to life, And he who has it will abide in satisfaction; He will not be visited with evil.”

Proverbs 16:6 “6 In mercy and truth Atonement is provided for iniquity; And by the fear of the Lord one departs from evil.”

The fear of the Lord will lead you to life,

it will lead you to wisdom,

it will prolong your days,

it will be your strong Confidence

It will cause you to depart from evil

So let The LORD only be you Fear, let him be your dread, Let his fear direct your steps and every action you take Because it will always lead you to life and bring good things to your life.

What about the fear of man

Proverbs 29:25 “25 The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”

The fear of man ( what man is afraid of, or fear of flesh and blood) leads to a snare.

If you allow yourself to be driven by what other people are afraid of, they you will only esnare your soul. Keep them bound and captive to his wil..

The enemy uses fear to ensnare people, and to cause them to do his bidding. Keep them bound and captive to his will

Luke 21:25–28 (NKJV)

25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;

26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Nations are in distress, people are living in perplexity

“Men’s heart failing from fear” means that there is so much things to fear and to be afraid of in this world that people can’t cope, they are paralayezed. In Fact they are afraid of what other fearful things are going to come into this world.

They go from fear to fear

Psalms 84:7 “7 They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion.”

2 Timothy 1:7 “7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

The fear of Man is a trap but he who trust in the Lord is safe.

Nehemiah and the people were doing a great work for God, they were walking in the will of the Lord.

The enemy tried to use fear to ensnare them and stop them from fulfilling God’s will.

Nehemiah 6:1–14 (NKJV)

1 Now it happened when Sanballat, Tobiah, Geshem the Arab, and the rest of our enemies heard that I had rebuilt the wall, and that there were no breaks left in it (though at that time I had not hung the doors in the gates),

2 that Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, “Come, let us meet together among the villages in the plain of Ono.” But they thought to do me harm.

3 So I sent messengers to them, saying, “I am doing a great work, so that I cannot come down. Why should the work cease while I leave it and go down to you?”

4 But they sent me this message four times, and I answered them in the same manner.

5 Then Sanballat sent his servant to me as before, the fifth time, with an open letter in his hand.

6 In it was written: It is reported among the nations, and Geshem says, that you and the Jews plan to rebel; therefore, according to these rumors, you are rebuilding the wall, that you may be their king.

7 And you have also appointed prophets to proclaim concerning you at Jerusalem, saying, “There is a king in Judah!” Now these matters will be reported to the king. So come, therefore, and let us consult together.

8 Then I sent to him, saying, “No such things as you say are being done, but you invent them in your own heart.”

9 For they all were trying to make us afraid, saying, “Their hands will be weakened in the work, and it will not be done.” Now therefore, O God, strengthen my hands.

10 Afterward I came to the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, the son of Mehetabel, who was a secret informer; and he said, “Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple, and let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you; indeed, at night they will come to kill you.”

11 And I said, “Should such a man as I flee? And who is there such as I who would go into the temple to save his life? I will not go in!”

12 Then I perceived that God had not sent him at all, but that he pronounced this prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him.

13 For this reason he was hired, that I should be afraid and act that way and sin, so that they might have cause for an evil report, that they might reproach me.

What the enemy will do is cause to fear and act on that fear, then he will go to God to bring an evil report against you.

14 My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.

Let us be like Nehemiah, unafraid. Whatever the enemy throws at us we wont cower nor hide to save ourselves but rather we will trust God and be bold as a lion

proverbs 28:1 “1 The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.”

Psalms 11:1 “1 In the Lord I put my trust; How can you say to my soul, “Flee as a bird to your mountain”?”

Psalm 46:1–3 NKJV

1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, Even though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 3 Though its waters roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with its swelling. Selah

Jeremiah and uriah the prophet.

Jeremiah 26:8–24 (NKJV)

8 Now it happened, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the Lord had commanded him to speak to all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people seized him, saying, “You will surely die!

9 Why have you prophesied in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘This house shall be like Shiloh, and this city shall be desolate, without an inhabitant’?” And all the people were gathered against Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.

10 When the princes of Judah heard these things, they came up from the king’s house to the house of the Lord and sat down in the entry of the New Gate of the Lord’s house.

11 And the priests and the prophets spoke to the princes and all the people, saying, “This man deserves to die! For he has prophesied against this city, as you have heard with your ears.”

12 Then Jeremiah spoke to all the princes and all the people, saying: “The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and against this city with all the words that you have heard.

13 Now therefore, amend your ways and your doings, and obey the voice of the Lord your God; then the Lord will relent concerning the doom that He has pronounced against you.

14 As for me, here I am, in your hand; do with me as seems good and proper to you.

15 But know for certain that if you put me to death, you will surely bring innocent blood on yourselves, on this city, and on its inhabitants; for truly the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing.”

16 So the princes and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve to die. For he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God.”

17 Then certain of the elders of the land rose up and spoke to all the assembly of the people, saying:

18 “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and spoke to all the people of Judah, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Zion shall be plowed like a field, Jerusalem shall become heaps of ruins, And the mountain of the temple Like the bare hills of the forest.” ’

19 Did Hezekiah king of Judah and all Judah ever put him to death? Did he not fear the Lord and seek the Lord’s favor? And the Lord relented concerning the doom which He had pronounced against them. But we are doing great evil against ourselves.”

20 Now there was also a man who prophesied in the name of the Lord, Urijah the son of Shemaiah of Kirjath Jearim, who prophesied against this city and against this land according to all the words of Jeremiah.

21 And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put him to death; but when Urijah heard it, he was afraid and fled, and went to Egypt.

22 Then Jehoiakim the king sent men to Egypt: Elnathan the son of Achbor, and other men who went with him to Egypt.

23 And they brought Urijah from Egypt and brought him to Jehoiakim the king, who killed him with the sword and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.

24 Nevertheless the hand of Ahikam the son of Shaphan was with Jeremiah, so that they should not give him into the hand of the people to put him to death.

Jeremiah did not flee, Micah did not flee, they all lived. The one who fleed was Urijah the prophet and he perished.

Jeremiah 38:14–24 (NKJV)

14 Then Zedekiah the king sent and had Jeremiah the prophet brought to him at the third entrance of the house of the Lord. And the king said to Jeremiah, “I will ask you something. Hide nothing from me.”

15 Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “If I declare it to you, will you not surely put me to death? And if I give you advice, you will not listen to me.”

16 So Zedekiah the king swore secretly to Jeremiah, saying, “As the Lord lives, who made our very souls, I will not put you to death, nor will I give you into the hand of these men who seek your life.”

17 Then Jeremiah said to Zedekiah, “Thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘If you surely surrender to the king of Babylon’s princes, then your soul shall live; this city shall not be burned with fire, and you and your house shall live.

18 But if you do not surrender to the king of Babylon’s princes, then this city shall be given into the hand of the Chaldeans; they shall burn it with fire, and you shall not escape from their hand.’ ”

19 And Zedekiah the king said to Jeremiah, “I am afraid of the Jews who have defected to the Chaldeans, lest they deliver me into their hand, and they abuse me.”

20 But Jeremiah said, “They shall not deliver you. Please, obey the voice of the Lord which I speak to you. So it shall be well with you, and your soul shall live.

don’t listen to fear, obey the voice of the Lord

21 But if you refuse to surrender, this is the word that the Lord has shown me:

22 ‘Now behold, all the women who are left in the king of Judah’s house shall be surrendered to the king of Babylon’s princes, and those women shall say: “Your close friends have set upon you And prevailed against you; Your feet have sunk in the mire, And they have turned away again.”

23 ‘So they shall surrender all your wives and children to the Chaldeans. You shall not escape from their hand, but shall be taken by the hand of the king of Babylon. And you shall cause this city to be burned with fire.’ ”

24 Then Zedekiah said to Jeremiah, “Let no one know of these words, and you shall not die.

Zedekiah feared and acted on that fear and he did not escape.

The fear of man brings a snare but he who trust in the Lord is safe.

Conclusion

Let us rebuke the spirit of fear from our lives.

Let us walk in confidence, in boldness and not in fear