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Proverbs 29:25 says, "The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.”

That truth hit me like a hammer a few years ago. I realized how much of my life and ministry was built on worrying about people's thoughts. I preached to be liked. I led to be seen. I wanted approval more than I wanted obedience. Outwardly, it looked like success. Inwardly, I was trapped in the snare of man's opinion.

Then, one morning, God's Word cut me to the heart. He showed me the trap I was in and freed me. He replaced my fear of man with the fear of the Lord. That shift brought not only freedom but boldness.

The Fear of Man: A Snare We Still Face

The Bible is clear: fearing man always leads to compromise.

  • In Jeremiah's day, false prophets said, "Peace, peace," when there was no peace (Jer. 6:14). They told people what they wanted to hear, not what God said.

  • Paul warned Timothy that people would not endure sound teaching, but would chase teachers who scratch itching ears (2 Tim. 4:3). We see this when sermons are shaped by what's popular instead of true.

  • John tells us that many believed in Jesus, “but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it… for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God” (John 12:42-43).

We see the same snare today. Pastors soften the call to repentance to keep people comfortable. Christians stay silent at work or at home because they don't want to lose approval. Churches lean more on entertainment than on Scripture. Many notice, but remain quiet because belonging feels safer than standing apart.

That is the fear of man. And Jesus warned us that if salt loses its saltiness, it is good for nothing (Matt. 5:13). A church that fears man more than God will lose its witness.

The Fear of the Lord: The Beginning of Wisdom

The fear of the Lord is not terror; it is reverence and truth. It is putting God in His rightful place as both Savior and Lord. And His power and love break through when God's people live this way by faith.

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego feared God more than the king's fire. Daniel prayed openly, though it meant the lions' den. The apostles told the Sanhedrin, “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Their courage wasn't natural; it flowed from fearing the Lord.

And look at the result: God's name was honored before kings, nations, and generations. Acts 9:31 says the early church "walked in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and it multiplied." Holy fear and Spirit-filled joy always go together.

Why This Matters Today

When believers walk in the fear of man, families are weak, churches are shallow, and nations drift. But when we fear the Lord, everything changes. Husbands lead with courage. Parents raise children in truth. Churches stand firm. Believers endure with joy. And the gospel spreads with power.

One day, we will stand before God alone, not with our spouse, kids, or pastor, just us. And we will answer for our faith. Was it in Christ alone, or in the approval of man?

That’s why fearing God matters. It is the anchor that preserves us. It is the mark of true faith. And it is the beginning of wisdom, life, and revival.

As Charles Spurgeon said, "The fear of God is the death of every other fear; like a mighty lion, it chases all other fears before it.”

A Call to Us

  1. Look in the mirror. Let God expose where you've feared man more than Him.
  2. Confess and repent. Freedom begins when we come into the light.
  3. Open His Word daily. Only Scripture can break the lies of man's opinion (Heb. 4:12).
  4. Take one step of bold obedience. Speak truth, lead your family, share Christ, even if it costs you.
  5. Pray for holy fear. Ask God to give you such a view of His holiness that every other fear loses its grip.

The fear of man is a snare, but the fear of the Lord is freedom. When God's people walk in it, His love transforms people, families, and even nations.

Wisdom begins here. Life begins here. Revival starts here when we fear the Lord above all else.