Leaving Pride and Fear Behind

I began my life as a fear ruled introvert afraid to reveal myself to others. The Lord really set me free from much of this when I was Spirit- Filled in 1976. But you’ll find that God’s dealings in your life will come in the form of uncovering layers of the old man that has ruled behavior for many years.

I thought that I was so mature in the Lord when I first began pastoring many years ago (what pride!). But as I matured I begin to see that I had a deep level of pride and fear that still had an undercurrent of rule in me.

You see, as our church began to grow, I had to trust others to do what I was doing, because I could no longer do it all! The pride was in thinking that only I could do this certain thing the right way. And the fear was that if I gave a person a responsibility, they would turn on me and mess up the church!

As the Lord dealt with me, I saw the pride and repented of it. And I surrendered the doubt and the fear of allowing others to be used by Him to the Lord. I saw that my pride and fear was hindering others from being developed and used by the Lord in the way He wanted to use them.

Now, my sense of accomplishment comes from the Lord as I see Him using others in ways they never dreamed possible! I now gain a sense of great fulfillment as a pastor as I see others doing what at one time I thought that I alone could do well. And now others do it better than me!

Allow the Father to work deeply in your own heart today. Ask Him to reveal to you areas that hinder Him doing His best work in and through you.

The Father is very gentle with us at times, and at others times because of our stubbornness, He must be stern. Give Him your heart today, and you’ll find that the Father will lead you to the best that He has for you!

As the Apostle Paul so aptly states: For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence (1 Corinthians 1:26-29).