A Snare, “ Fear of Man” Part 2
In Part One I defined what is a snare is in a biblical context ... And I shared our story and how God delivered, and I repented. Join me in reading how you can stay alert, diligent, focused, and remain courageous and bold in Him!
“The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted” ~~ Proverbs 29:25.
Have You Been Blinded? ...
When we become trapped, we are blinded to the truth and deaf to the Holy Spirit's voice. Then we try to justify ourselves - and in the deception we think that whatever the snare is - that it actually is a good thing; we rationalize by thinking "I really do not do this too much..." However, slowly the snare invades the soul, and we are destroyed. Snares are seductive and deceptive. Snares patiently whisper in our ears and invade our thoughts. They call to us and looming in the darkness they wait for an opportune time to entrap us. The evil one comes and attacks the character of God right before our very eyes. He comes at us with lies; and doubts he implants as thoughts begin to overwhelm us until we find that we are cornered. He has us penned in so much that we have lost sight of the Lord and His promise of deliverance.
BUT THEN WE READ IN THE WORD …
“If the Lord had not been on our side-when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us; the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away. Praise be to The Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” ~~ Psalm 124
God is Merciful! ...
This is Who He is! His nature is one that is kind, loving, merciful, and powerful to lead us to repentance from worshiping anything BUT HIM. He wants our whole hearts. Through His truth and grace, He floods us with His unconditional love, forgiveness, and restoration. Hallelujah!
See, without this experience, our willingness, and obedience we cannot know Him in a deeper way.
Be Courageous and Bold ...
How? We must begin by setting a new pattern of living…daily this must take place, just as we get up, eat and sleep we must renew our minds, stay in the battle, be obedient and TRUST!
---First, you must be willing to immerse yourself in His Word. Meditate on it day and night.
----Second, Seek Him and Only think thoughts that honors and glorifies His Great Name. Replacing any negative thought with a positive one.
----Third, Allow Him to search your heart and test your thoughts daily, asking the Lord to remove anything that honors, feeds and builds up the flesh.
----Fourth, we must repent of anything that does not bring Him honor and glory.
----Finally, we will be courageous and bold in Him- Knowing that The Holy Spirit’s power lives and reigns in and through us; which is far greater than that of the world. Do you believe this? Will you believe this with me?
For the Word reads:
“There is none like you, O Lord, you are great, and great is your name in might. Who would not fear you, O King of the nations? Indeed, it is your due! For among all the wise men of the nations and in all their kingdoms, there is none like you” ~~ Jeremiah 10:6-7.
Pray with Me ...
Lord, open my eyes of my heart. I want to see you! I want to know you! Lord, remove the snares in my life that keep me from You. Convict my heart, Holy Spirit, of what I have idolized in my heart. Lord, I repent and confess and repent of every evil thing. I place my life on Your altar. Purge me. Cleanse me. Lord, I only desire to have Your thoughts, beliefs, and desires from this day forward. Help me, Father, to receive Your truth and grace. Pour it out on me right now. Enfold me with your all-consuming love. Lord, apart from You is a life of destruction. But I desire a life that sets me apart from the world. I ask you to deliver me from the fear of man. Let all things become new in my life from this moment on.
Help me Lord, never again to compromise Your values and accept the world's. Lord God, let me have a healthy respect of Who You really are as my Lord and my God! For You have said, "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me." I purpose to worship You as my Savior and the Lord of my life from this day forward. In Jesus' Name I pray. Amen.
Scriptures ...
"I am the LORD, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God I will gird you, though you have not known Me; ~~ Isaiah 45:5.
"You shall have no other gods before Me" ~~ Exodus 20:3.
"for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God--" ~~ Ezekiel 34:14.
"Our soul has escaped as a bird out of the snare of the trapper; The snare is broken and we have escaped" ~~ Psalms 124:4 (NASB).
"Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. Did you used to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work. Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted. " ~~ Ephesians 4:27-30 (MESSAGE).
- Elizabeth Bowman