AWE AND RESPECT (THE LOST FEAR OF GOD - PART# 1)

The Bible makes it clear that there is a fear of the Lord that every believer
is to cultivate. True fear of God includes awe and respect, but it goes much
further than that. David tells us, “The transgression of the wicked saith
within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes” (Psalm 36:1).
David is saying, “When I see somebody indulging in evil, my heart tells me
that such a person has no fear of God. He doesn’t acknowledge the truth about
sin, or about God’s call to holiness.”

The fact is, godly fear gives us power to maintain victory in wicked times. So,
how do we obtain this fear? Jeremiah answers with this prophecy from God’s
Word: “I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for
ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make
an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do
them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart
from me” (Jeremiah 32:39-40).

This is a wonderful promise from the Lord. It assures us he will provide us
with his holy fear. God doesn’t just drop this fear into our hearts in a
supernatural flash. No, he puts his fear in us through his Word.

Does that mean God’s fear is planted in our hearts when we merely read the
Bible? No, not at all. It comes when we consciously decide that we are going to
obey every word we read in God’s Word. Scripture bears this out. It tells us
this is how godly fear came upon Ezra: “Ezra had prepared his heart to seek
the law of the Lord, and to do it” (Ezra 7:10).

The fear of God isn’t just an Old Testament concept. We see godly fear being
mentioned in both Testaments. The Old tells us, “Fear the Lord, and depart
from evil” (Proverbs 3:7). Likewise, the New declares, “There is no fear of
God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18). Paul adds, “Let us cleanse ourselves
from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of
God” (2 Corinthians 7:1).

By David Wilkerson