Latest Devotion
Don't Let Intimidation Stop You!
By: Keefe Wilson
Thursday, October 22, 2026
Don’t be intimidated in any way by your enemies. This will be a sign to them that they are going to be destroyed, but that you are going to be saved, even by God himself. Philippians 1:28 (NLT)
There have been times in my life when I felt intimidated, and I've seen other Christians intimidated by people, problems, and circumstances. Some were afraid to take a stand for what was right, others were afraid to respond to God's calling. But Christ followers must understand God doesn't want His children to feel intimidated or live a life filled with fear. The enemy uses intimidation to keep us silent, but God says our faith in Him will give us strength!
When I played high school football in Louisiana, we had scrimmage games that were offense -vs- defense. I was the quarterback of the offence, but one of our linebackers was very intimidating. Before each scrimmage, a coach would send him to a nearby canal to catch a frog. When he returned, the coach would say "bite it's head off"—and he would! Then he'd look at the offense and say, “I'll do the same thing to you!” We were intimidated before the first play ever happened!
That linebacker wanted us to worry about what he might do to us instead of running the plays we were supposed to. That's exactly how Satan works! He uses people, problems, and circumstances to intimidate and distract us from God's purposes. When David faced Goliath, everyone was intimidated by the huge giant. But David had faith that his God was greater than any giant! David told everyone this:
"...it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord’s," 1 Samuel 17:47
In our opening verse Paul encourages us to not to be frightened or intimidated by opposition. By remaining steadfast, we're telling others our confidence is in God, not ourselves. We can't let opposition shake our faith, and we can't let it stop us from taking a stand for Christ!
Three things to help us stand firm:
- Recognize the intimidation.
- Remember God is with us.
- Refuse to back down from opposition.
That linebacker intimidated us, but we still had a game to play. As Christians, we have a calling to fulfill and a Gospel to proclaim. Paul didn't say there wouldn't be opposition; he just encouraged us not to be intimidated by it. Don't let a fear of people, problems, or circumstances influence your faith. When the enemy tells you to retreat, lean on God and ask Him to help you stand firm!
Christ follower, don't ever let intimidation stop you from doing God's work!