Fear is often what keeps Christians from witnessing to the lost. Satan knows exactly how to strike fear into our hearts to keep us from furthering the kingdom of God. Sometimes when you feel the Holy Spirit moving you to talk to someone, you hesitate. Many different things can cause this hesitation: fear of rejection, fear of not knowing what to say, fear of confrontation – the list can go on and on.
I went to a church camp once and the pastor there said something that hit me hard. “Are you plastic or are you fearless?” he asked. “Plastic” means we seem hard and firm but when things get hot, we will melt under heat and pressure. “Fearless” means we follow God's plan no matter the circumstance or outcome. All of us want to be fearless, but in the end, we often find ourselves as plastic. We are strong in the moment, but as soon as fear sets in we melt.
Fear can cause us to turn away from God's commands and try to make our own way. We are bound to have fears, but we cannot let Satan use those fears to separate us from our Father. As it says in II Timothy 1:7, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind”. Through God, we have the power to overcome our fears.
Our purpose is to love God, love people, and make disciples. These are the three greatest commandments stated in Matthew 22:37-40 and Matthew 28:19-20. So when you feel that fear or hesitation set in, remember those three commands and hold fast. A phrase the pastor at the camp used was “Put self on the shelf and let God take control”. So many times, we focus more on ourselves than on the ultimate goal and outcome. The second we became followers of Christ our will became His will. Our identity is Christ Himself.
You will always have fear. Even pastors and spiritual leaders have fear. We are all scared of messing up and getting out of that oh-so-cozy comfort zone. When witnessing, imagine you are talking to your sibling and trying to save them from getting hurt. This metaphor is quite true if you think about it. Everyone you see walking by is your brother and sister. We are all God's children. So I must ask, are you plastic or are you fearless?
