“See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, ‘Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ The words ‘once more’ indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain. 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 12:25-29).
If we are entering the most exciting time in all of history, why are so many of us walking in secret fear? Why is anxiety and fear on the top on the list of human problems? Fear is growing worldwide. People fear everything from snakes and scorpions to earthquakes and famines. There is the fear of man, fear of shame, fear of pain or danger, and fear of great loss. The list is endless. What we should fear is not ISIS or the stock market, but the LORD. God is speaking loudly in these days. He is warning us and shaking everything. But the Kingdom of God cannot be shaken. Let us not fail to realize that those who truly follow the Lord are part of that unshakable Kingdom.
When we truly learn to walk in the fear of the Lord, our other fears will fade into the background.
How we walk in these days is extremely important. Our every step counts. I had an experience a few years ago that affected my entire life. I was upstairs in my house and was hurrying to answer my doorbell. It all happened so quickly when I slid on the top step. I had a great fall down my stairs, landed on my wrist, and broke my heel. Four months in a wheelchair and a couple years of recovery showed me how important walking is! We must walk carefully and consciously moment-by-moment in the fear of the Lord. A fall can be extremely painful and costly. The fear of the Lord protects us.
So often we fear man because we fear God so little. But we are moving into a time where the fear of the Lord will be a vital necessity for all of God’s people, so that we can arise victoriously as the Bride of Christ and stand fearlessly in the face of a very fearful end-times world. We will walk in a supernatural peace that will attract the lost by the 1000’s. We will finally be living the supernatural life that God intended all along.
There are three kinds of fears that we must be aware of - harmful, healthy and holy fears. Harmful fears are those that hinder us. Paul said to Timothy, “God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind” (2 Timothy 1:7). Timothy was struggling against those fears that hindered his ministry and life such as the fear of failure, rejection, inferiority, and inadequacy. Instead of being God-conscious, harmful fears cause us to be self-conscious. These are not helpful fears! But healthy fears are good because they can keep us from dangerous situations. A young child learns to avoid playing in the street or jumping from a roof. These fears are safeguards in our life.
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).
Seeking the fear of the Lord leads us to wisdom. It’s a fear we must seek daily. It’s a fear that will motivate us towards holy living, reverence of God, and righteousness.
Walking in the Fear of the Lord
“Many of us yearn for a return to the supernatural glory of the early church - healing, angelic protection, earthshaking prayer meetings, mass conversions and missionary adventure. I want all of that. But I want the real thing, not a poor imitation. If we want the presence of God, we need the reverence of God.”
As we evaluate our life, most of us have to admit that we are just beginning to learn about the fear of the Lord. We want the presence of God, but we know that we need to grow in our reverence and fear of God. Our flesh naturally wars against our spirit so we must put in effort by exercising our rightful authority over our flesh. Here are ways to help you to walk in the fear of the Lord:
- Choose to fear the Lord - You have a choice and are not in bondage to sinful desires. Love what God loves and hate what He hates. Learn to hate evil. Over time your emotions will line up with your spirit.
“To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech” (Proverbs 8:13).
- Be aware of God’s presence during the day - Learn to practice God’s presence. Speak to God all throughout the day with little phrases. ”Jesus, I love you.” “I stand in awe of your greatness.” “Thank You for being so good.”
“Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord” (Psalm 89:15).
- Learn to trust the Lord daily - When you are fearful, confess it as sin and ask God to help you walk in His peace. He is your refuge.
“Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge” (Proverbs 14:26).
- Highly value and respect the Bible - Know that the Bible is under attack and make a personal commitment to stand on God’s Truth. Take time for Bible reading and study (Proverbs 2:1-5). Commit to applying what you read and pray it back to God, slowly internalizing the verses. You will learn more about the nature of God, His ways, and how to obey.
“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
- Worship God during the day - Study the attributes of God in His Word and worship Him through His Word. Sing and proclaim His attributes. When people in the Bible encountered God, they responded in deep reverence and submission. Let worship permeate your life.
“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker” (Psalm 95:6).
- Welcome and embrace God’s discipline - Don’t run from God’s refining fire. He is a loving Father and deals with us as sons. We are not to despise His chastening because He delights in us. Though it may be painful, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11).
“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in” (Proverbs 3:11-12).
- Avoid circumstances that are not of God - Proactively look at what circumstances lead you into sinful thinking and actions. i.e. internet, movies, bad relationships, etc. Go the way of righteousness.
“Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice (Proverbs 16:9).
- Repent of any personal sin that God reveals to you - Live a repentant life style daily. See David’s example in Psalm 51:4-10.
“Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me (Psalm 51:9-10).
As revival comes into the Church around the world, a holy fear of God will be known as in previous generations. God’s terrifying presence will wash out all sin and reveal each heart to the core. We shall truly fear the Lord and His burning presence will be in our lives. Let’s let His searchlight penetrate our plans, our agendas, our possessions, and our lives. His very presence will shatter all that is in our carnal life styles. God wants our relationship with Him to not merely be belief and doctrine, but His burning presence in our lives.
The world is looking for a people who fear the Lord and know His glorious power. Let us be the ones who live in the fear of the Lord. Let us stand for Truth and let God’s consuming fire touch everything in our lives. It’s time to live in awesome reverence and respect of the Lord. Just as God said to the children of Israel through Joshua, I believe He is saying to us:
“So fear the lord and serve him wholeheartedly. Put away forever the idols” (Joshua 24:14a).
It is time to fear the Lord.
“Those first-century miracles flowed amidst a praying church that preached repentance and practiced holiness. The early disciples had been baptized with fire (see Matthew 3:11) – a cleansing flame that burns up sin and produces the fear of the Lord… The early disciples weren’t playing. Real revival is serious stuff. Not only does it bring joy and peace; it also has the power to crush inflated egos, expose selfishness and kill pride. Do we want that?” Quotes by J. Lee Grady
By Debbie Przybylski
Intercessors Arise International
deb@intercessorsarise.org
Comments