The Fear of the Lord
The Fear Of The Lord
Pastor Keith Hassell
Proverbs 14:27 “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.”
I. The fear of the Lord is NOT the dread of God
A. Exodus 20:20 “And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.’”
II. The fear of the Lord is NOT believing in God
A. James 2:19 “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe---and tremble!”
III. The fear of the Lord is NOT the fear of man
A. Proverbs 29:25 “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord shall be safe.”
B. If you are doing what is right because someone else is holding you accountable, then you do not have the fear of the Lord
IV. The fear of the Lord is an attribute of the Spirit of God
A. Isaiah 11:2 “The Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.”
V. The fear of the Lord is to hate evil
A. Proverbs 8:13 “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.”
B. Where is the fear of the Lord when: (last page)
VI. The fear of the Lord is evidenced by our reverence for Him
A. Psalm 89:7 “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be held in reverence by all those around Him.”
VII. The fear of the Lord comes from knowing Him
A. 1 John 2:4 “He who says, ‘I know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
B. Do you know Him? Does He know you?
C. Matthew 7:21-23 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.’”
VIII. The fear of the Lord comes from understanding that one day we will stand before Him as our Judge
A. 2 Corinthians 5:9-11 “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.”
B. Hebrews 10:26-27: “For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.”
C. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or bad.”
IX. We need to learn the fear of the Lord
A. Psalm 34:11 “Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord.”
B. Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever.”
C. Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”
X. How do we learn the fear of the Lord?
A. By meditating on who He is
B. By meditating on who we are without Him (how will we stand before Him?)
C. By spending time in His presence in worship and prayer
D. By observing the lives of others who know and fear the Lord
E. By remembering that God will bring every work into judgment
XI. The blessings of the fear of God include
A. Departing from evil (Proverbs 16:6)
B. Escaping the snares of death (Proverbs 14:27)
C. You shall not be in want (Psalm 34:9)
D. Strong confidence (Proverbs 14:29)
E. Life and satisfaction (Proverbs 19:23)
F. Prolongs life (Proverbs 14:26)
G. Refuge for our children (Proverbs 14:26)
H. Fountain of life (Proverbs 14:27)
I. Confidence in the Day of Judgment (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14)
J. Entrance into God’s book of remembrance (Malachi 3:16)
K. Answers to prayers (Hebrews 5:7)
L. Multiplication of the church (Acts 9:31)
Where is the fear of the Lord when:
· A husband can leave his wife for another woman?
· A woman can leave her husband for another man?
· A person can shack up with a person without being married?
· A person sleeps with another person outside of marriage?
· A teenager can curse his own father or mother?
· A person can steal what does not belong to him?
· A person believes in and stands for the right of an individual to kill an unborn child?
· A person can believe in and fight for the union of two people of the same sex to be called a marriage?
· A person practices sexual perversions such as fornication, adultery, pornography, lust, homosexuality, incest, rape, and molestation?
· A person has to be hounded to do what is right or to cease doing what is wrong?
· A person can vote for a candidate based upon politically party alone and not on the basis of his morals, beliefs, and standards?
· A person is judged by the color of his skin rather than by the content of his heart?
· A person willfully robs God of tithes and offerings?
· A person refuses to serve God with his time and talents?
· A person puts others things in his life before God?
· A person destroys with his tongue people, whom God has made in his own image?
· A person walks in a lie?
· A person bears false witness against his neighbor?
· A person cusses and uses perverse language?
· A person takes the Lord’s name in vain?
· A person rebels against authority?
· A person chooses to live a lifestyle of drinking and drugs?
· A person does not honor the Lord’s day?
· A person does not involve himself or herself in the worship of God?
· A person does not show honor and reverence for the Lord in the church assembly?
· A person does not honor the word of God being preached by listening, heeding, and responding to the word?
· A person refuses to receive Christ as Savior and Lord?
· A person chooses to live his or her life according to their own plans and pleasure rather than according to the will of God?
· A person continually chooses to do what is wrong when they have been warned and exhorted to do what is right?
· A person chooses to deface or abuse church property?