How to overcome fear of what people will think:
Read Acts 4:1-31. (Tell the story. . . review Acts 3 briefly)
One of the most natural things that humans do is be afraid of what other people will think. You may not think this affects you. . . you might not be a part of something like this:
The "Dependent Order of Really Meek and Timid Souls"? When you make an acrostic of the first letters of its name, you have the word "Doormats." The Doormats have an official insignia—a yellow caution light. Their official motto is: "The meek shall inherit the earth, if that’s OK with everybody!" Upton Diskson founded the society after he wrote a pamphlet called “Cower Power.”
But all of us are afraid at times:
I read this the other day:
"My great-grandfather rode a horse, but was afraid of the train.
My grandfather rode on a train, but was afraid of a car.
My father rode in a car, but was afraid of an airplane.
I ride in an airplane, but I’m afraid of a horse."
Well, here’s something we’ve ALL been afraid of at one time or another: WHAT WILL PEOPLE THINK!
People face this who are:
- Worried about what the boss will think if they won’t lie for him.
- Worried about what their family will think if they follow Jesus.
- Worried about what their schoolmates will think if they don’t try that drug.
- Afraid of what dad and mom will think if they decide to go to Bible college instead of studying to be lawyer.
Now, criticism, etc. . . usually comes at moments like this when you’ve won a victory of some sort.
It’s easy to avoid criticism: all you have to do is say nothing, do nothing, be nothing. -- Aristotle
But if you start to actually do something, like stand up to your boss, or lead your family toward a Christian life, or break with the school kids over drugs, or choose a career that honors God. . . that’s when you’ve got to deal with the fear of what people think.
Here’s how to do that:
1. Determine you will obey God no matter what.
Acts 4:19-20 “But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
Here are some guys who had already decided their course of action. There was no doubt about it.
The incredible thing is this -- Compare these guys to the way they were just a few days before:
Matthew 26:56 “Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled ...”
Matthew 26:73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you."
74 Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!" Immediately a rooster crowed.
One minute they’re scared to death, and running, declaring they don’t know Jesus. . . a few weeks later, they’re standing up to people who have power to put them in jail, beat them or even kill them like they did Jesus?
What can change a person THAT much? How can I find what they had so that I can stand firm in those moments?
There are only 2 things that we know that had happened to these men:
a) Jesus had risen again.
If they could kill Jesus, and he could rise again. . . do you realize how liberating that is? I mean – what can they really do to you? Kill you?
If Jesus is risen, we know we’ll rise again someday. . . we know we’re on the winning side. . . we know that we’ll never have
b) They had been filled with the Holy Spirit.
There’s something about being filled with the Holy Spirit that gives us power in dealing with our fears. I’m not saying you’ll suddenly become someone who leaps onto the table at a restaurant to preach fire and brimstone – I hope you don’t! But suddenly, you have a new power in dealing with the fears that used to paralyze you!
2. Find other Christians to help you.
Acts 4:23-24 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord...”
I love this about the early church – they didn’t try to face it alone. I love the phrase “with one accord”. . . literally, in unity. They immediately went to God agreeing on something in prayer!
If you’re in the world, it’s all about how strong YOU are. . . If you’re in the Body of Christ, it’s all about who you’ve got WITH you!
You know that feeling of “as long as somebody’s with me?”
Well, you may not have your “mommy” with you. . . but if you’re a member of a good Christian church, you’ve got a family to walk with you through ANYTHING! Often, there are many people in the church who would love to help you pray about something, and be in unity with you to help you face it. . . but we fail to ask!
Next time, why don’t you call someone? Call me, and I’ll pass the word along to others to pray for you!
3. Deal with your fear through prayer.
Acts 4:29-30 "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."
These were not people who were unafraid. . . they were people who knew that they needed God’s help to face their fear!
“Courage is doing what you are afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you are afraid.” – Eddie Rickenbacker
I find it interesting that they DIDN’T say, “Lord, you see their threats. . . please kill them immediately, so we can go on preaching.”
They didn’t say, “God, you see what they’re threatening to do to us. . . could you maybe let us move somewhere where they aren’t around and keep preaching?”
Instead, they said, “God, you know their threats. . . give us the GUTS to do what we know you want ANYWAY!”
They didn’t ask for relief from the opposition – they asked for courage to do the right thing in the face of opposition!
“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” - Karl Barth
If you’ve got that attitude in prayer, God will help you do the right thing!
4. Go do the right thing.
Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”
Radio talk show host Dr. Laura is famous for this line. “Now, go do the right thing.” Often, we know what the right thing is: We just can’t bring ourselves to do it.
There comes a time when the praying part is over (though you may be still praying in the back of your mind) and the time comes to go do what you know God wants you do!
That’s the final test of guts. When you’ve done the rest of what I’ve talked about here, then simply ACT.
I guarantee, God will be there doing HIS part!
At the end of WWII the Japanese government faced a similar problem with thousands of soldiers who were hiding in the jungles and mountains in the South Pacific. Although the treaty with the U.S. had been signed and the war was over, thousands of Japanese soldiers living in the mountains and jungles of the South Pacific islands would not come out of hiding, surrender their weapons, and return to their homes to live in peace. These soldiers had been so indoctrinated with stories of what the Americans would do to them if they surrendered that they believed they would face certain torture or immediate death, so they remained in hiding and ready to fight.
How could the Japanese government convince these die hard warriors that the war was indeed over and they were not just hearing American propaganda designed to capture unsuspecting soldiers? Finally, the Japanese Emperor made a speech detailing the end of the war and pleading with them to return home. The voice of the Emperor was broadcast by radio and recorded to be repeatedly played on loudspeakers directed into the jungles and mountain caves where these men were hiding. One by one the Japanese soldiers accepted the assurance of their Emperor and turned themselves in. Some waited to be certain the war had indeed ended, but within a few months all but a few had surrendered.
After some years, it was assumed all of these hidden soldiers had been accounted for; those still missing were presumed dead. However, in March of 1974 a Japanese soldier finally came out of hiding, 29 years after the war was over. When asked why he had remained in hiding so long, this warrior now in his sixties said it had taken him that long to get over his fears. The U.S. and Japan had shared a friendly relationship for years, but this lone soldier had wasted 29 years hiding from an enemy he still feared within his mind (Healing of Memories, David Seamands).
Don’t waste your life being afraid of what people are going to think!
Make that decision:
- Do the right thing at work.
- Make the right decision at school.
- Start that new relationship with God, and be bold about sharing it with your family!
- Stand up to what the Devil throws at you. . . and go ACT on what you know is right!
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HANDOUT
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Living Acts Chapter 29
Acts 4: How to deal with fear of what people will think. . .It’s easy to avoid criticism: all you have to do is say nothing, do nothing, be nothing. -- Aristotle
But if you truly stand up for something – for God – you’ll be criticized.
How can I overcome fear of “what people will say/think?”
1. Determine you will ____________ God no matter what.
Acts 4:19-20 “But Peter and John answered and said to them, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard."
Compare these guys to the way they were just a few days before:
Matthew 26:56 “Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled ...”
Matthew 26:73-74 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, "Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you." Then he began to curse and swear, saying, "I do not know the Man!”
What had happened to change these men?
a) Jesus had risen again.
b) They had been filled with the Holy Spirit.
Don’t wait until the moment when you’re faced with a choice. The time to decide you will stand up for God is _____________!
2. Find other _______________ to help you.
Acts 4:23-24 And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord...”
If you’re in the world, it’s all about how strong __________ are. . . If you’re in the Body of Christ, it’s all about who you’ve got ___________ you!
3. Deal with your fear through _______________.
Acts 4:29-30 "Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus."
These were not people who were ________________. . . they were people who knew that they needed God’s help to face their fear!
“Courage is doing what you are afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you are afraid.” – Eddie Rickenbacker
“Courage is fear that has said its prayers.” - Karl Barth
They didn’t ask for _____________ from the opposition – they asked for ________________ to do the right thing in the face of opposition!
4. Go do the ______________ thing.
Acts 4:31 “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”
ACTION:
- Has there been an area of your life where you’ve been scared to speak for God?
- Decide now what you will do when faced with the opportunity next time.
