“The fear of man brings a snare, but he who leans on, trusts in, and puts his confidence in the Lord is safe and set on high” (Prov. 29:25 AMP).
When we allow ourselves to be intimidated by other people, we are only going to be able to go so far before we’ll be jerked back by that snare. If you study the word snare, it refers to putting a snare, chain, or leash on a dog. That dog can only venture so far before it is jerked back by the tether around its neck. The progress of mobility is completely hindered.
It’s the same with us. We can’t worry about what other people are going to think about us. We must strive to do our best to please and be a blessing to people, but we cannot allow ourselves to become people-pleasers rather than God-pleasers. That is a dangerous trap.
Hindering God’s Plan
We must always give God first place. We can do things for people to help them out or to just make them happy, but if we do those things to keep them from becoming angry with us or to maintain their friendship, our motivation is entirely wrong. A relationship based on taking advantage of another person’s willingness to be used is not a relationship worth maintaining.
Fear of man, fear of what people think about us, and fear of not being accepted hinder God’s plan for our lives. The devil knows that and works hard to keep us in bondage to that fear.
One way to eliminate intimidation from your life is to see it for what it is—a manipulative lie of the enemy—then confront it, and by faith, allow the Holy Spirit to walk you through it.
Seeing Yourself Changed
You will experience victory as you commit to spending time in the Word, searching out scriptures that edify and encourage you, and speaking boldly what God’s Word says about you. Start seeing yourself changed!
If you see yourself as a grasshopper, you’ll remain a grasshopper. But if God sees a giant when He looks at you, you need to see yourself as a giant—well able to overcome the Goliaths of fear, intimidation, rejection, and insecurity that come against you.
Your day of freedom from man-pleasing has come!
Ask yourself, as the apostle Paul did in Galatians 1:10, “…do I now persuade men, or God, or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
Excerpt permission granted by Faith Library Publications
Kate McVeigh has traveled extensively throughout the U.S. and abroad for over 35 years! Kate teaches people how to rise above challenging circumstances and win in life through a personal relationship with a loving God!
Kate’s testimony is truly inspiring. She struggled in school as a teen being painfully shy and vowed never to speak in front of people. However, after receiving the Lord at age 16, she was healed of a learning disability and immediately began speaking in front of crowds big and small, boldly sharing that God can take your hurt and turn it into healing. Your mess can become a message of Victory, and your test can be turned into a powerful testimony helping others to receive God’s goodness and love!
After high school, Kate graduated from Rhema Bible College and began her full-time traveling ministry more than 35 years ago. Speaking hundreds of times each year in churches, conferences, TV appearances, and through her daily radio broadcast, The Voice of Faith. Kate has authored many books, and some of her best-selling books such as The Blessing of Favor, Get Over It, and others have been translated into more than ten different languages.
As your Faith Coach, Kate will help teach you how to win in life by applying and standing on the powerful promises found in God’s Word.