You will never get past your fears until you are willing to face them head on—period!
And…as long as the enemy controls you through fear you will not be fully surrendered to Jesus!
God is not the one who gives fear (See II Timothy 1:7), and yet so many times we allow it to consume us.
All too often there are two common fears that paralyze leaders (and people in general!)
#1 – Fear of Failure
Too many times people allow “what if” to overshadow “what could be and should be!” I’ve met so many people who really do feel as if God is stirring their hearts to attempt something for Him…but they refuse because they do not have a 100% commitment from God that everything is going to turn out exactly the way they want it.
Life is too short and hell is too hot for God’s people to worry about falling short of what HE has placed in our hearts to do.
In the parable of the talents the one who the Lord had harsh words for was the one who buried his talent because he was afraid!
Why in the world do we delay obedience? (We’ve GOT to understand that delayed obedience is immediate disobedience!)
When we procrastinate what God has clearly has called us to do, we assassinate the amazing plans that He has for us.
Hebrews 11:1 says that we have faith if we are willing to dive into what we do not see…and Hebrews 11:6 says without faith it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God. As a leader I desperately want to please Him…even if that means constantly placing myself in a position of being unsure of what’s going to happen next!
The only strategy for overcoming fear of failure is to FACE IT because…you CAN do exactly what God has called you to do!
#2 – Fear of Man
Proverbs 29:25 pretty much sums it up!
Please read this….WHEN you begin to do what God has designed you and is calling you to do…
- It WILL make people mad!
- People will not like you.
- People will say things about you.
- You will have critics.
- AND…your job as a leader (and calling by God) is NOT to try to make sure that everyone likes you and approves of what you are doing. (Galatians 1:10)
- Leaders MUST have godly influences that have the courage to speak truth into their lives…but you cannot believe the myth that when you are doing what God has called you to do that you will have no opposition, (see what Paul wrote in I Corinthians 16:9) and you cannot subject yourself to everyone who knows how to twitter, blog or write a nasty message on your Facebook wall!
- (I wrote four separate posts in regards to the difference between a coach and a critic if you are struggling with who to listen to and who to ignore…)
- Here is part one
- Here is part two
- Here is part three
- Here is part four
Leaders, we will one day stand before HIM, not “them!” SO…step up and do what God has called you to do!