Breaking Intimidation

1. Walk in Your God-Given Authority

If you don't walk in your God-given authority, someone will take it and use it against you.

Maintain your position. As believers in Jesus, we occupy a spiritual position in heavenly places, far above all demonic authority. This position comes with inherent authority delegated by Christ. It is crucial to understand and actively function in this God-given authority.

Enemy seeks displacement. Satan's primary goal is to displace believers from their spiritual position to regain the authority Jesus stripped from him. If he can get you to yield your authority, he will use it against you and those entrusted to your care. This principle applies in all areas of life, not just ministry.

Don't give place. The Bible warns us not to "give place to the devil" (Ephesians 4:27). Yielding our position, whether through sin or intimidation, allows the enemy to operate in our lives and spheres of influence. Recognizing and standing firm in our authority is the first step to breaking intimidation.

2. Yielding Authority Harms Everyone Under Your Care

When leaders relinquish their authority, all those under their care suffer.

Impact on others. When someone in a position of authority (parent, pastor, leader) yields their God-given place, it doesn't just affect them; it makes those under their care vulnerable. Sin or intimidation in leadership can open doors for the enemy to attack families, churches, or organizations.

Biblical examples. The book highlights examples like Eli, the judge and high priest, who was intimidated by his wicked sons and failed to restrain them, leading to judgment on his house and a lack of God's word in Israel. David's sin with Bathsheba, committed while he should have been at battle, exposed his family to tragedy.

Protection requires authority. A shepherd not only feeds the sheep but protects them. Leaders are called to protect those they oversee, which sometimes requires confronting sin or negative influences. Failing to do so out of fear or a desire to avoid conflict leaves the flock exposed.

3. Every Believer Receives a Spiritual Gift for Service

As each one has received a gift [charisma], minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.

Universal endowment. Every born-again, Spirit-filled believer receives a spiritual gift or charisma from God. These are supernatural abilities given by the Holy Spirit to equip believers for service within the body of Christ. No part of the body is intended to be useless or inactive.

Stewardship, not ownership. These gifts are not our own; we are merely stewards of God's grace. We are accountable for nurturing and using them to serve others, not for personal gain or neglect. Failing to function in our gift can lead to spiritual atrophy and isolation.

Manifold grace. Gifts are diverse, falling into categories like speaking (prophecy, teaching, exhortation, leading) and serving (ministry, giving, mercy). All gifts are essential for the body's health and growth. The early church saw multiplication when believers functioned in diverse serving roles, not just preaching.

4. Intimidation is a Spirit That Makes Gifts Dormant

Timothy, the gift of God in you lies dormant because of timidity.

Timidity's effect. Paul's instruction to Timothy to "stir up the gift of God" implies that the gift can become dormant. The reason given is that God has not given us a "spirit of timidity" (fear). This indicates that timidity or intimidation is a spiritual force that can suppress God's ability in us.

Paralyzing objective. Intimidation's objective is to render us timid, inspire fear, and overawe us, coercing us into submission and restraining us from action. When intimidated, believers lose their spiritual authority by default, causing their God-given gifts to lie inactive, even though they are still present.

Symptoms and origin. Symptoms of intimidation include confusion, discouragement, hopelessness, and a shift in focus from God and others to oneself. It is a spirit originating from the devil, who uses thoughts, circumstances, or people to control and limit believers.

5. The Root of Intimidation is Self-Love

The root of fear and intimidation is the love of self.

Focus on "me". Intimidation is magnified when we focus on ourselves – our reputation, comfort, safety, or what others think of us. The torment of fear cries, "What about me? What will happen to me?" This self-preservation instinct is the opposite of the self-denial Jesus calls for.

Peter's example. Peter, despite his outward boldness and vows to die for Jesus, denied Him three times when faced with intimidation from a servant girl. The "oil press" of pressure in Gethsemane revealed that his confidence was rooted in pride and a desire to impress others, not in perfected love for Jesus. He loved his own life more than he desired God's will.

Perfect love casts out fear. "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love" (1 John 4:18). When we truly lay down our lives out of love for Jesus, we are hidden in Him and no longer tormented by fear of what might happen to us.

6. True Boldness Comes from God's Power, Love, and a Sound Mind

Boldness comes from the virtues of power, love and soundness of mind.

God's source of strength. Boldness is not mere bravado or a strong personality; it is a godly virtue fueled by God's nature. Paul states that God has given us a spirit not of fear (intimidation) but of power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). These three elements are essential for overcoming intimidation.

David's example. David faced immense intimidation from Goliath, his brothers, and King Saul, yet he acted with great boldness. His confidence stemmed from:

• Power: Knowing God was greater than any enemy.
• Love: Loving God more than himself.
• Sound Mind: Knowing God's will and acting on it.

More than conquerors. When we are rooted in God's power and love, and guided by His mind, we can face any opposition. Hebrews 13:5-6 encourages us to boldly declare, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" This confidence comes from knowing His presence and power are with us.

7. Fear God Alone to Overcome the Fear of Man

You will serve and obey whom you fear!

Two masters. You cannot fear God and fear man simultaneously. Fearing man leads to serving man, seeking his approval, and avoiding his reproach or rejection, often at the expense of obeying God. Fearing God leads to serving Him, honoring His desires above your own, and trembling at His word.

Snare vs. confidence. "The fear of man brings a snare" (Proverbs 29:25), trapping you and stealing your authority. In contrast, "In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence" (Proverbs 14:26), producing the boldness needed to escape intimidation.

Reverence and holiness. The fear of the Lord is not a relic of the Old Testament; it is essential for New Testament believers. It is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of God, prolongs life, and perfects holiness (Proverbs 9:10, 10:27; 2 Corinthians 7:1). It keeps us from ungodliness and treating God or His things as common.

8. A Sound Mind Knows What God Is Saying Now

A sound mind knows what God is saying and doing right now.

Beyond head knowledge. A sound mind, essential for boldness, is not merely intellectual knowledge of Scripture or natural wisdom. It is knowing the mind of Christ, which is revealed by the Holy Spirit. The Pharisees knew the Scriptures but lacked the Spirit's understanding, causing them to miss the Messiah.

Spirit gives life. "The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2 Corinthians 3:6). We must live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, not just what proceeded. The Holy Spirit guides us into all truth, speaking what He hears from Jesus (John 16:13-14).

Authority from submission. Jesus spoke and acted with authority because He was completely submitted to the Father, doing only what He heard and saw the Father do. When we are submitted to the Holy Spirit, He reveals God's will, giving us the mind of Christ and enabling us to speak and act with divine authority that confounds opposition.

9. Act on God's Word, Don't React to Pressure

It is crucial that we do not react under pressure. We must act according to the word of the Lord.

Pressure reveals motives. High-pressure situations, like an "oil press," reveal what is truly in our hearts. Saul reacted to the pressure of his diminishing army and Samuel's delay by disobeying God's command to wait, prioritizing his reputation and fear of man over obedience.

Waiting on God. One of the hardest things is to wait on God, especially when He seems silent or circumstances are dire. However, God's silence often means "keep doing exactly what I told you to do." Reacting out of fear or impatience, even with good intentions, can lead to disobedience and negative consequences.

David's example. Facing the stoning threats from his own men after their families were captured and homes burned, David didn't react. He strengthened himself in the Lord and inquired of God before pursuing the enemy. His decision to act based on God's word, not react to the crisis or the people's demands, led to complete recovery.

10. Press Through Opposition to Fulfill Your Calling

What man considers insignificant God uses to perform the impossible.

Resistance is inevitable. Fulfilling God's call often involves facing opposition and intimidation, whether from people, circumstances, or internal thoughts. Like Nehemiah rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem, you may face mockery, threats, and attempts to stop you.

Don't be moved. Paul, facing chains and tribulations in every city, declared, "none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy" (Acts 20:24). His love for Christ was greater than his love for his own life, enabling him to press on through persecution.

Overcoming by sacrifice. Revelation 12:11 says believers overcome Satan "by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." The only way to conquer intimidation and fulfill your calling is to refuse to cling to your own life and desires, pressing forward in obedience and faith, knowing God uses the weak to shame the strong.