Wheel Wing Meeting – August
Introduction
These days I got an opportunity to visit many old soldiers of AOJ, who once underwent the trainings of ENHF Vision (2007 onward) but, due to fear of men, went back to the institutional Churches and remained silent. Many have become pastors also! Now they feel emptiness at the stagnation of the believers in their Churches and approached us to conduct BFF & Gift Schools Training for them. It has started in Coimbatore.
Let us ask pardon from the Lord for the loss which the Kingdom of God incurred all these years due to the irresponsibility of the trained AOJ Soldiers!
Scripture Focus – Luke 12:5
“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him!” (Luke 12:5)
This is Jesus talking to His disciples in the middle of a big crowd. Chapter 12 is all about what to be afraid of and what not to be afraid of.
Hell – eternal separation from God.
1. The Context: Luke 12:1–12
Jesus starts with, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (v1) – a warning against institutional religion.
Then, “I tell you, my friends, do not fear those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do” (v4).
Then comes verse 5 – the contrast. So it is:
- Fear A – the fear of man
- Fear B – the fear of God
2. “Do not fear those who kill the body” (v4)
People can hurt you – governments, enemies, ostracizing, even death. But that is the limit of their power. They can only touch the body. After that, they are done.
“But I will warn you whom to fear: fear Him” (v5) – Jesus says: if you are going to fear someone, fear the right One. “Him” refers to God.
“Who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell” – this is the key difference.
Man’s power stops at the grave. God’s authority goes beyond the grave – He judges both body and soul for eternity. “Hell” is the Greek Gehenna, the place of final judgment and separation from God.
“Yes, I tell you, fear him!” – Jesus repeats it for emphasis. This is a holy, reverent fear – not terror that makes you run away, but awe that makes you obey.
3. Don’t Live for People’s Approval – Live for God’s Approval
Jesus isn’t saying, ‘be terrified of God.’ He is saying: put God in the first place. If you fear God more than you fear people, you will be free.
This connects to verse 7 right after: “Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows!”
So it is: Fear God → therefore, don’t fear anything else.
4. What This “Fear of the Lord” Looks Like
- It frees you from people – you won’t compromise the gospel just to please others. Like Paul in Galatians 1:10, “If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
- It makes you take sin seriously – sin isn’t just a mistake; it is rebellion against the King who judges.
- It gives you courage – vv.8–9, “everyone who acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God.”
- It leads to wisdom – Proverbs 9:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.”
A Promise That Comes With This Command
Jesus says this right before talking about the Holy Spirit helping us when we are persecuted (vv.11–12). So this “fear God” command comes with a promise: you are not alone.
That is a strong verse. It is meant to re-order our fears. When believers fear Church authority more than God, the gospel gets flipped to “Jesus + please the Church head” instead of “Jesus + nothing.” That is Galatians 2:4 all over again – slavery instead of freedom.
Why This Happens
- Authority without accountability – leaders can feel like they control your platform, job, blessing, or acceptance in church.
- Spiritual pressure – “If you don’t do this, you’re disobedient/disloyal.”
- We want approval – it is easier to please a visible person than an invisible God.
But Jesus said: “do not fear those who kill the body… fear him who… has authority to cast into hell” (vv.4–5). No pastor, elder, or leader has authority over your eternity. Only God does.
What the Bible Says About It
Leaders Guide Us, But We Belong to Christ
“What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you came to faith… but God gave the growth.” (1 Corinthians 3:5–7)
Church heads are servants, not owners. You answer to Jesus first.
“We must obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29)
Jesus Is the Chief Shepherd
“Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.” (2 Corinthians 1:24)
“And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory.” (1 Peter 5:4)
One day pastors will give an account to Him (Hebrews 13:17). And you will give an account for how you obeyed God’s calling (Romans 14:12).
So what do we do practically?
Practical Steps
1. Fear God First – Luke 12:5
Ask, “Lord, what are YOU calling me to?” not “What will the pastor think?” When you fear God, people’s opinions lose their grip.
2. Honor Leaders, Don’t Idolize Them
“Obey your leaders and submit to them.” (Hebrews 13:17)
Honor means respect, listen, and pray for them. Idolatry is letting them override what God clearly told you in Scripture.
The Encouragement from Jesus
Right after Luke 12:5, He says (v7): “Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows!” And (v12): “The Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.”
God sees it. He knows when you are being pressured. And He will give you the words and courage to walk in His calling. This is heavy and real – you are not alone in feeling this.
3. Test Everything by the Word
Acts 17:11 – the Bereans checked even Paul. If a “calling” from a leader contradicts Scripture, or buries the calling God gave you, you have to choose God.
4. Remember Who Called You
“You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood.” (1 Peter 2:9)
Your calling isn’t from a pastor. It is from God. No leader can cancel it.
Luke 12:5 Applied to “Society”
“Do not fear those who kill the body” (v4) – society can talk, cancel, shame, exclude, spread rumors, threaten livelihood. But that is it. They cannot touch your soul.
“Fear him who… has authority to cast into hell” (v5) – only God judges eternally. Only God defines what is right and wrong.
“If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)
When we fear society more than God, we end up hiding, compromising, or staying silent.
Examples in the Bible
- Peter – feared “the circumcision group” and pulled back from eating with Gentiles; Paul had to call him out publicly (Galatians 2:11–12). Fear of society > fear of God = hypocrisy.
- Joseph of Arimathea – “a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews” (John 19:38). He loved Jesus, but society’s opinion kept him in the shadows.
- The Pharisees – “many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it… for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God” (John 12:42–43).
That last line is the core issue, isn’t it? Glory from man versus glory from God.
Why We Fear Society
- Shame culture – especially in the Indian context: “What will people say?”
- Loss – job, marriage prospects, family ties, church position.
- Identity – society tells us who we are; God says we are “a child of God” (1 John 3:1).
How Jesus Frees Us From This
He was rejected by society first – Isaiah 53:3, “despised and rejected by men.”
“Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.” (Hebrews 13:13)
If we follow Him, some rejection is coming. That is part of the cross.
Our Approval Comes From God Alone
“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God?… If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)
You cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).
The Holy Spirit Gives Boldness
“And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness.” (Acts 4:29)
This was said right after being threatened by the religious society – and God answered.
Society’s Opinion Is Temporary. God’s Is Eternal
“For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)
What people say today will be forgotten. What God says over you stands forever.
Practical Steps Going Forward
- Name the fear – “I’m afraid of losing… X if I obey God….”
- Preach Luke 12:5 to yourself – “Who has authority over my eternity? God.”
- Find 2–3 people in AOJ who fear God more than society – you need community. Elijah thought he was alone; God said, “I have 7000” (1 Kings 19:18).
- Obey in small things first – boldness is a muscle. Start where God is calling you today.
Summary
When we fear society more than God, we trade eternal glory for temporary approval. Jesus calls us to lose that approval so we can gain Him.
This is costly – in our context it really is. Let’s start Troop Churches and Gift Schools in our Constituencies!
But remember Psalm 16:6 – this month’s blessing for us:
“The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.” (Psalm 16:6)
Even if society says it is unpleasant, if God drew those lines, they are beautiful because He is in them.

