WHAT IS THE FEAR OF GOD?
The word in the Hebrew means to be frightened
and to revere. Reverence is to defer to, to give place to with profound
honor and respect. Irreverence is to disrespect and disregard. One part
of our definition then, is to give place to.
God is Spirit. The Holy Spirit is
the person of God with whom we have contact. Another part of our definition
is the Holy Spirit.
God is love (1Jn.4.16), and the connection
we have with God is through faith (Rom.5.1,2). So let's put it all together.
The fear of God is constantly acknowledging
and giving place to the Holy Spirit to be led by Him, so that we are always
living in the love of God, toward God and toward all people, and always
believing and obeying God's Word of promise, so that we are always affirming
and demonstrating the Word of truth of all the good things that we presently
have in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is truly giving place
to and reverencing God. This is the fear of God.
When I read in the scriptures "fear of God",
I like to read it as "give place to the Holy Spirit".
Ps. 34. 9 O fear the Lord (give place to, defer to, reverence
the Holy Spirit), ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear
him (who give place to, defer to, reverence the Holy Spirit).
Acts 2. 43 And fear (giving place to, defering to, and
reverence to the Holy Spirit) came upon every soul: and many wonders and
signs were done by the apostles
This is an excerpt from the message of the Discipleship Series entitled
"Discipleship:
The Fear Of God"
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