Morning by Morning, March 29 - The Fear of Man Betrays the Son of Man
Good morning, Lord Jesus. I welcome You here in my heart and every moment of my day -- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit of God. ...
“Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called Passover, was near. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray Him to them” (Luke 22:1-4).
For the religious leaders who were “afraid of the people,” their fear of man was greater than their fear of God. Their fear of losing their position, their fear of losing their control, their fear of losing their power over the hearts and minds of the people blinded their faith and hardened their hearts. Their fear of man led to the betrayal of the Son of Man. And that’s when “Satan entered into” their plan “to put Jesus to death.”
How many times have our fears lead us to betray our faith in You? How many times have we allowed the fear of man to take the place of the fear of the Lord in our lives? How many times have we made room for the devil to blind our faith and harden our hearts out of our insecurities and fears of what people might think if we were to stand firm in our witness for You in our world?
“The fear of man brings a snare, but one who trusts in the Lord will be protected” (Proverbs 29:25). As it happened with those who had to make their choice to speak up for You or speak against You, to follow You or flee from You when You walked this earth, so it is for us as You set before us the choice to walk with You each day. “Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear they would be put out of the synagogue. For they loved praise from men more than praise from God” (John 12:42-43).
Lord, forgive us for every time we’ve given into the fear of man. Forgive us for every time we’ve let insecurity and the need to be included in the culture overcome our witness as Your followers in our world. We submit this area of our hearts to You, so we can resist the devil and command him to flee in the authority of Your name, because he has nothing in us (James 4:7).
“Deliver us from evil” (Matthew 6:13). Deliver us from the sin and the snare of the fear of man. Deliver us from the insidious slippery slope of compromise with Your truth and complacency in our faith. Free us for faithfulness, to stand firm in our faith, that we would not betray You at the cost of saving our pride and our place in a culture now consumed with looking to put to death Your name and Your influence in our world. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays
My friend, may you be healed of any insecurities and freed from the fear of man to stand firm in your faith in your witness of Jesus in your world, in Jesus' name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you!
Tommy & Rocio Hays
Messiah Ministries
17503 La Cantera Parkway, Suite 104407
San Antonio, Texas 78257
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