I would like to tell people about Jesus, but I am always scared. What can I do to overcome this?
Most of us face this when we try and tell people the good news. Some find it hardest with strangers, going out on the streets or doors. Some find it difficult with friends and family, knowing that you are opening a can of worms. Pastors can feel it even when they go into the pulpit to preach.
What we are wrestling with is the fear of men. That doesn’t just mean we are afraid of them; it also means that we desire their approval or applause, or are troubled by their criticisms or reproach. Sadly, even within the church there can be those who discourage or undermine evangelising. That can put us off as well.
First, remember what our Lord said, ‘My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after he has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear him!’ (Luke 12:4-5).
‘The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe’ (Proverbs 29:25),
The absolute worst that other creatures can do to you is to kill your body – they cannot touch your soul. We are serving the eternal Almighty. That is the great conditioning reality of our lives. In the words of the old hymn, ‘Fear him, you saints, and you shall then have nothing else to fear.’ Once we grasp that we are living and serving before the face of God, it recalibrates everything. I do not need to be afraid – what can men do to me (Psalm 56:4, 11)?
