#258: Living with the Fear of the Lord

The 5 Minute Discipleship Podcast

There is a phrase that is repeated over 300 times in the Bible. If you start to watch for it you begin to notice it over and over again. It’s the phrase “the fear of the Lord.”

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (Proverbs 9:10)

Fear is one of the most powerful emotions you will and I experience. It has the power to motivate and the power to isolate. It can propel you forward or it can paralyze you.

While the Bible talk about the fear of the Lord 300 times, the Bible also tells us over 300 times to not be afraid. So we might wonder…is there a contradiction.

“This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” (1 John 4:17-18)

This fear of the Lord is not you and I walking around with anxiety that God might squash us like a bug at any moment. This is not the God we serve. Our God is full of compassion, He is great in mercy, great in grace. He has unending love for us.

There are two kind of fear in the Bible. First, there is the fear of the Lord, and second, there is the fear of everything else.

The second kind of fear is about our desire to control the world around us. Its the fear of losing what’s important to us, whether it is our families, our jobs, our health, our reputation, our even our lives. This kind of fear pulls us away from God. It causes us to hold tightly to the things of this world. With this fear we live as if God isn’t there or that he doesn’t care or that he’s not powerful enough to take care of us.

When it comes to this kind of fear, the Bible says we are to abandon it. “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)

But there is another kind of fear the Bible talks about. It’s a fear that we must have. This kind of fear is good. It stands up to all our other fears. The Bible says this fear brings wisdom, joy, rest, and life. It is a holy fear. It’s the fear of God.

Fear of the Lord defined – Deep respect, awe, and reverence for God. We give God the glory, honor, reverence, gratitude, and praise, he deserves. God holds this preeminent position in our hearts and lives. We regard his desires over and above our own.

Fearing the Lord is about deep reverence and respect. We should fear or respect the Lord as one who has authority over us. It is a recognition that we are accountable to Him.

He is so great, He is so holy, He is so righteous, how can I not humble myself before him? How could I ever think that I know better than God?

Wisdom begins and ends with the fear of the Lord. It isn’t a fear of being struck by lightning or fear of being struck dead but it’s a deep, abiding, holy reverence and respect for the Lord and for His Word.

The fear of the Lord causes us to repent of our pride and our selfishness. It brings us to a place of humility before the Lord. It is a recognition of his holiness and greatness.

So, we see that fearing God means having such a reverence for Him that it has a great impact on the way we live our lives.

Today’s Challenge: Let’s allow God to take his rightful place in our lives. Let’s put him first in all we do. Let’s bring him the respect, reverence, and allegiance he is worth of.