Fear

Job 28-29; Galatians 1-2 

“Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.”

Galatians 2:12

Fear is a powerful enemy of the mission of the gospel. Peter’s dramatic vision of a sheet with many animals on it and an invitation to “kill and eat” (Acts 10), opened his heart to the Gentiles. Peter knew this revelation and the corresponding outpouring of the Holy Spirit on all those Gentiles gathered at Cornelius’ house was from God. Yet when challenged by Jewish leaders sent by James the brother of Jesus, and bishop of the Jerusalem Church, Peter compromised through fear.

Is our acceptance by influential friends making us vulnerable to fear and compromise in the mission- strategy of God in our church or context?

In what way is fear distracting us from living on mission with Jesus?

“Lord Jesus, I pray for your Spirit’s power to deliver me from fear, for your glory.”