Our Scripture reading today is Luke 12:4-5.
Verse 4, "And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do."
The Lord Jesus knew what His disciples and He himself would suffer in the coming days. These were practical instructions for their future ministry to be successful. Based on the close of chapter 11, I am sure the disciples were already starting to be fearful of what might lie ahead. Jesus and His followers were not a welcome sight in every city they visited.
Improperly placed fear will limit us from following the will of God for our lives. It will keep from us being obedient to the call of God regarding sharing the Gospel with others. Solomon refers to the fear of man as being snare which is a trap. Proverbs 29:25, "The fear of man bringeth a snare; but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe." We have been given the Spirit of God to assure us of our salvation as well as the eternal presence of God. How can we fear when God is always with us?