“The fear of the Lord leads to life, so that one may sleep satisfied, untouched by evil”
– Proverbs 19:23
The best text reflection I read on the fear of God comes from David W. Dyer, founder of “A Grain of Wheat” Ministries Publication.
He wrote: “The fear of God is a realization of God’s unlimited power. It is a consciousness of God’s purity and holiness which present a standard by which we are required to live – 1 Peter 1:16. It is an inner knowing that some day we will be judged by Him for our actions, words, and even thoughts. It is a sentiment which impels us to seek Him to cleanse our lives so that we will be ready when He comes.”
David Dyer goes on to add: “Those who tremble at God’s word seem to be in the minority. The fear of the Lord, which should be fundamental to everything, is treated as if it were out of date or something only for severe, uptight, legalistic Christians.”
No Fear, So Sin Abounds
Consequently, according to David Dyer, “The result of this lack of godly fear is that many believers are involved in sin. Their lives are not pure and holy. They do not reflect the character of Christ in their daily living. Many are committing sexual sins. Others are addicted to prescription or illegal drugs.”
“Others are dishonest, angry, irritable, do not keep their promises, and/or think only about themselves. Still others have secret abortions, spend hours sucking in online pornography, hate other believers, do not forgive those who offend them, and yet still proclaim that they are converted to Christ.”
Hence, we see that the Church of Christ that is called to holiness seems to be overflowing with impurities, filthiness, and sin. This is all because there is a lack of the fear of God. There is a lack of that personal encounter with God’s presence in a life such that, that life dreads sin. A real encounter with God purges a soul of sin.
When you accept Jesus as your personal Lord and Saviour and truly allow the Holy Spirit to guide and direct you in all your ways, then you find that the fear of God begins to dwell deep within you. This entails obedience to God’s word and to the instructions of the Holy Spirit. In this way, you will begin to make a journey with God in which he gradually takes over your life, if you allow him to.
Fear the Maker of the Universe
The fear of God will cause you to tremble at his word. Isaiah 66:5 – Do you tremble at God’s word? “Hear the word of the LORD, you who tremble at his word….”.
A wise person once said, “He who does not fear God has need to fear everything else.” Don’t you think this is true? Now, God is the Creator of the whole world. To him belong all power, in heaven and on earth and under the earth. So, if you do not have fear for the One who made the heavens and the earth, the One to whom belong all that you have and are, then indeed you have need to fear everything else.
A believer who does not have the fear of God in his or her heart will become a ping pong in the hand of the evil one. This is because such live will be enveloped in sin and iniquity, which is a fertile ground for the devil to grab a life.
The fear of God will also help us understand and see the need to claim our deliverance from satan’s clutches, from evil ancestral foundations, and the need to break every known and unknown covenants/yokes setting a limiting on our lives and holding us from enjoying God’s abundant life. “When the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” – Psalm 11:3
God’s Blessings and Rewards to Those Who Fear Him
God blesses and rewards those who fear him and seek his face. “He will bless those who fear the Lord, the small together with the great” – Proverbs 115:13
“The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor and life” – Proverbs 22:4
“How blessed is the man who fears always, but he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity” – Proverbs 28:14
“The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him, and rescues them” – Psalm 34:7
“Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, that glory may dwell in our land” – Psalm 85:9
“He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; he will also hear their cry and will save them” – Psalm 145:19
“The Lord favors those who fear Him, those who wait for His lovingkindness” – Psalm 147:11
Indeed, “the fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be shortened” – Proverbs 10:27
Prayer:
O Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name, and give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was cupbearer to the king – Nehemiah 1:11
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The OPINION / COLUMN is authored by independent contributors to the National Accord Newspaper. While contributors adhere to our editorial guidelines, they are not employed by the National Accord Newspaper. The perspectives and opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not represent the views of the National Accord Newspaper or its staff.
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