Fear of God
Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
Psalm 15:12
“Embracing Godly fear as our most prized treasure empowers us to remain under submission to Truth, and so doing, it keeps us on the path of life, which brings remarkable rewards.” 1
He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure. (Isaiah 33:6) The fear of God is to have the utmost respect and knowing he is our judge for eternal life, therefore we live to please him.
“To fear God is to esteem Him, respect, honor, venerate, and adore Him above anyone or anything else.” 2 Nothing is impossible for God, he created the universe, he created people in his image, he knows the thoughts and actions of every human that ever lived; and he is omnipresent. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (Isaiah 55:9) God’s ways and thoughts are so far above our ways and thoughts; and how can we not fear God, because God is in total control of all creation.
“Fear of God is to hate sin.”3 When we have healthy fear of God, then we will overcome any sinful habits, because there are earthy consequences to sin. When we have fear of God we are closer to God, because of the great respect and love we have for God. “The fear of God is to walk in authentic humility before God and mankind.”4 The Lord is friend to those who fear Him.” (Psalm 25:14)
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:28-29). Our God is described as a consuming fire and none should go near him without reverence and awe. God is love (1 John 4:8), and those who have received Christ as their Savior will experience God’s perfect love. Our fear of God gives us a humble, serving heart and an awesome respect that draws us closer to him. His loving power is a blessing to us, and it draws us to him. At the same time this power commands us to respect him, worship him, and to come to him with a humble and loving heart. This is the fear that motivates us to never turn away from God and to overcome sinful habits. “Holy fear is not to be scared of God and thereby withdraw from Him. It is to be terrified of being away from Him.”
Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father (John 14:9). Jesus revealed the heart of God, and if someone accepts Jesus, the Father is pleased to accept that person. We can relate to Jesus in this earthly life and also in our heavenly lives. We will be raised from the dead just like Jesus, in human form with an eternal body. It is the Father’s pleasure to bless us with his infinite power, wisdom, and love, because we have accepted his Son who sacrificed his life on the cross for us.
Today when you pray to God, come to him with a humble and thankful heart, because through Christ’s sacrifice we have the awesome privilege to speak to the creator of the universe.
Prayer: Thank you Lord that I can come to the Father with a reverent fear that draws me closer to Him, and enables me to overcome any sinful habits. In Jesus name, Amen.