Fear of the Lord
Wisdom Hunter 11/21/2016
“Who will not fear You, Lord, and bring glory to Your name? For You alone are holy.” – Revelation 15:4
The fear of the Lord is fundamental to finding wisdom. Without awe of the Almighty, there is no access to His insight. Where reverence for His holiness is void, there is lack of understanding in the ways of God. The first step in acquiring wisdom from almighty God is to fear Him (Proverbs 9:10). There is a worship of the Lord’s majesty and a dread of His judgment. Once a healthy fear of the Lord has been embraced, the result is peace and knowledge in submission to, and love for, the Holy One.
“Praise the Lord! Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in His commands.” – Psalm 112:1, NIV
If you are driven by guilt or shame, or feel the need for perfect behavior to be accepted by God; you will always believe you fall short and that the Lord is probably not pleased with you. But if you see your heavenly Father’s love and holiness as a refuge in a world of chaos and confusion, you will learn to rest in Christ and learn from Him. You fear God by fearing the consequences of sin, but you freely receive His forgiveness when you do sin. Fear of the Lord draws you closer to the Lord.
The fear of God is the pathway leading to willing worship and praise to God. Those who have experienced salvation in Jesus – who have been rescued from the wrath of the Almighty – have a holy cheerfulness in gratitude and thankful praise to the Lord. Joy in Jesus is the language of heartfelt worship. The more we fear the Lord in His holiness, the more we are free to love and worship Him for who He is – our heavenly Father, the Maker of heaven and earth. Hell has no fury – nor flames of fear – for those who revere God and are not afraid!