Breaking News

OPEN HEAVEN [12 APRIL 2019] WHEN FEAR BECOMES A SNARE

Open Heaven 12 April 2019: [Friday] Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A Adeboye – when Fear Becomes a Snare
WHEN FEAR BECOMES A SNARE – Friday April 12th 2019
Memorise: But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death. Revelations 21:8
Read: Isaiah 51:9-13 (KJV)
Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?
10 Art thou not it which hath dried the sea, the waters of the great deep; that hath made the depths of the sea a way for the ransomed to pass over?
11 Therefore the redeemed of the Lord shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away.
12 I, even I, am he that comforteth you: who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
13 And forgettest the Lord thy maker, that hath stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually every day because of the fury of the oppressor, as if he were ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor?
Read: Job 3:25 (KJV)
25 For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me.
Open Heavens
Bible in one year: Genesis 1-2, Jeremiah 16:1-13, Hymnal: Sing hymn 13
Fear expresses itself as an attitude of anxiety or distress caused by concern over threats to a person’s well-being. While speaking about fear, the Lord said in Matthew 10:28:

OPEN HEAVEN [12 APRIL 2019] WHEN FEAR BECOMES A SNARE 

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

This verse of scripture contains some truths about fear which we should all recognise. One important lesson to learn here is that the emotion expressed as fear is not in itself evil; rather, it’s the direction this emotion is channeled to that can make it an evil thing. When Jacob was told that his brother, Esau, was coming to meet him with four hundred men, the Bible says he was greatly afraid and distressed, prompting him to make some critical decisions and to seek the face of God (Genesis 32:7). This is an example of fear being channelled in the right direction. 

Open Heaven 12 April 2019: [Friday] Daily Devotional By Pastor E.A Adeboye – when Fear Becomes a Snare

From Matthew 10:28, we understand that God alone is to be feared, and moments of fear should be viewed as opportunities for developing a closer and deeper relationship with Him. What exactly is a snare, and how does fear become a snare? The word ‘snare’ is used in the Bible to describe a trap. In relation to mankind, it is situation in which someone lies in wait to launch a surprise attack against a person, or a trick by which a person is misled into acting against his or her own interest.

In today’s Bible reading, the Holy Spirit speaks on how fear can become a snare. Fear becomes a snare when it comes in response to anything but God. Job was ensnared by the fear of losing all he had, and that was exactly what happened to him. Whatever you fear has a way of controlling you, and that is why the Holy Spirit says that God is displeased whenever we exhibit fear for mere mortals or creatures created by Him. God infers from such an attitude that we have forgotten His awesomeness and the greatness of His works. God wonders why His children, who acknowledge Him as the Creator of heaven and earth, entertain the fear of mere mortals, irrespective of their status or position! The fear of man is a snare that enslaves a person into living by the dictates of a fellow human, contrary to the will of God. No wonder Proverbs 29:25 says:

Open Heaven 12 April 2019 Friday: Prayer Point 

“The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe.”

Those who fear and honour God will never have to fear anything again. If you fear God, you need not fear anything else, because God is supreme over all. Hallelujah!
Prayer point
Father, please help me to fear You alone for the rest of my life, in Jesus’ Name.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional Lessons was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical Churches in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer's Ministries.


Post a Comment

1 Comments

  1. Its such as you learn my thoughts! You seem to understand
    so much approximately this, such as you wrote the e book in it
    or something. I think that you can do with some p.c.
    to pressure the message home a bit, but other than that, that is excellent blog.
    A great read. I'll definitely be back.

    ReplyDelete

Please drop a comment. God bless you!