What are you afraid of?

Fear can be one of the most crippling ailments that can befall a leader.

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? (Luke 12:25)

How is fear going to help you?

Fear is not always sin, but what will you do with it?

Fear can manifest itself in a number of ways.

Who are you afraid of?

It shouldn’t be anyone but God.

When you fear someone you cannot love them.

Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe. (Prov. 29:25)

Who are you in awe of? Who has too much influence in your life?

Do you bend to peer pressure?

Are you a people-pleaser?

Are you functioning as a co-dependent.

These are all different manifestations of fear.

And one of the things we fear the most… criticism.

Why?

Because criticism today is:

1. instant,
2. constant,
3. global and
4. permanent? (Rick Warren)

But fear is not how we’ve been called, as a people of God, to live!

Fear is vision, without hope.

Fear is not always rational, but it is powerful.

Fear is about not getting what we want.

Fear preaches a false gospel. A false hell. False heaven.  And a false savior.

Fear turns us into false prophets.

The answer to fear is — Fear Not!

This is the most frequently listed commandment in the Bible.

It’s an invitation.

God usually says it to a leader. He’ saying, “I will be present with you, I will be near.”

God keeps saying this because we keep forgetting.

As we lead, God doesn’t say:

“Here’s what you need to know,” but

“Here I am.”

Time and time again in the Bible we see God showing up to be near those He calls and loves.

Jesus, at the end of his life, says to his disciples,

“I will be with you always… to the end.”

Everything may not be OK.

But God is (more than) OK with us, so we will be OK.

What are  you afraid of?