Fear of People

 Scripture:

"And don't be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!" Jeremiah 1:8 NLT

Observation:

When God called Jeremiah, He gave him instructions that would help him. Jeremiah told the Lord that he was too young and couldn't speak in front of people, but God confirmed that He was with him. In this passage, the Lord tells him not to be afraid of the people because God was going to be with him and protect him. 

Application:

Fear of people is one of the strongest fears you have to deal with in ministry. It's not necessarily a fear of people hurting you physically, but of people leaving you, spreading rumors, saying things about you, etc. People can be your best friends or they can become your worst enemies. People can spread things about you that are not even true. I receive this word for me today because I know I am a people pleaser, and I want to be free from what people think of me. I want to speak what God says and do what He wants me to do without fear of what people think or will do.

Prayer:

Lord, help me to break the power of being a people pleaser. Let me be a God pleaser above everything else in my life. Teach me when to listen to people and when to stand on what You are speaking to me. Give me confidence and let me not make decisions based on the opinions of people, but on the word of the Lord. 

Yours,

Jeff