The Fear of the Lord: Fortifying and Expanding

Apr 23

Apr 23 The Fear of the Lord: Fortifying and Expanding

Joshua Rivera

I. What is the Fear of the Lord?

a. Having a right view of God

b. yare (H3372) & phobos (G5401)

i. to fear, be afraid

1. An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain

2. Father God is dangerous (Leviticus 10:1-3 & Numbers 16)

3. Jesus is dangerous (Luke 19:27 & Revelation 1:12-18)

4. Holy Spirit is dangerous (Matthew 12:31 & Acts 5:1-11)

ii. to stand in awe of, be awed

1. Thinking sharks are cool, then seeing one at the Camden aquarium

iii. To fear, revere, honor, admire, respect

1. Standing before someone you look up to, admire, honor, and respect and being extremely sensitive about what they think of you

c. The Fear of the Lord drives you toward God and His ways

i. We supernaturally receive the fear of the Lord when we receive Holy Spirit

Isaiah 11:2 New Living Translation
2 And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.

II. The Fear of the Lord is FOUNDATIONAL for:

a. Right relationship with God

i. You cannot have right relationship with God if you don’t see Him correctly

Proverbs 2:5 New Living Translation
5 Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God.

b. Spiritual Growth

i. Strengthens, protects, and motivates the church

2 Corinthians 5:11 New Living Translation
11 Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too.
Philippians 2:12 New Living Translation
12 Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear.
1 Peter 1:17 New Living Translation
17 And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will judge or reward you according to what you do. So you must live in reverent fear of Him during your time here as “temporary residents.”
2 Corinthians 7:1 New Living Translation
7 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.
Hebrews 4:1 New Living Translation
4 God’s promise of entering His rest still stands, so we ought to tremble with fear that some of you might fail to experience it.

c. Aggressive Expansion

Deuteronomy 5:29-33 New Living Translation
29 Oh, that they would always have hearts like this, that they might fear Me and obey all My commands! If they did, they and their descendants would prosper forever. 30 Go and tell them, “Return to your tents.” 31 But you stand here with Me so I can give you all my commands, decrees, and regulations. You must teach them to the people so they can obey them in the land I am giving them as their possession.’” 32 So Moses told the people, “You must be careful to obey all the commands of the Lord your God, following His instructions in every detail. 33 Stay on the path that the Lord your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy.
Acts 9:31 New Living Translation
31 The church then had peace throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria, and it became stronger as the believers lived in the fear of the Lord. And with the encouragement of the Holy Spirit, it also grew in numbers.

III. God EXPECTS and REQUIRES His People to Fear Him

a. Old Testament

Deuteronomy 10:12 New Living Translation
12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases Him, and love Him and serve Him with all your heart and soul.

b. New Testament:

i. Descriptions of those who do not fear God in the NT

1. Luke 18:2, Romans 3:18, Revelation 15:4

ii. NT commands to fear God

1 Peter 2:17 New Living Translation
17 Respect everyone, and love the family of believers.[a] Fear God, and respect the king.
Matthew 10:28 New Living Translation
28 “Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell.
Luke 12:5 New Living Translation
5 But I’ll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power to kill you and then throw you into hell.[a] Yes, He’s the one to fear.
Revelation 14:7 New Living Translation
7 “Fear God,” he shouted. “Give glory to Him. For the time has come when He will sit as judge. Worship Him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea, and all the springs of water.

iii. Descriptions of those who do fear God in the NT

1. Acts 10:2 & 22, Acts 13:6 & 26

IV. What is a Spirit of Fear

a. While the fear of the Lord drives us TOWARD God and His ways, a spirit of fear utilizes fear to drive you AWAY from God and His ways

i. A way of decision making that avoids discomfort, rejection, and death at any cost

b. A spirit of fear NEVER comes from God

2 Timothy 1:7 New Living Translation
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

c. We partner with a spirit of fear when we allow the fear of discomfort, rejection, or death to keep us from hearing God’s voice, connecting with Him daily, or walking with Him in obedience

d. How does the spirit of fear manifest in our lives?

i. Fear of Man

ii. Fear of Rejection

iii. Fear of Failure

iv. Fear of Suffering

v. Fear of Death

e. Over the next four to five sermons Holy Spirit is going to continue to deliver His people from a spirit of fear

Hebrews 2:14-15 New Living Translation
14 Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had[a] the power of death. 15 Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying.

V. How to Fortify and Expand the Fear of the Lord in Our Lives:

Exodus 3:1-6 New Living Translation
3 One day Moses was tending the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro,[a] the priest of Midian. He led the flock far into the wilderness and came to Sinai,[b] the mountain of God. 2 There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a blazing fire from the middle of a bush. Moses stared in amazement. Though the bush was engulfed in flames, it didn’t burn up. 3 “This is amazing,” Moses said to himself. “Why isn’t that bush burning up? I must go see it.” 4 When the Lord saw Moses coming to take a closer look, God called to him from the middle of the bush, “Moses! Moses!” “Here I am!” Moses replied. 5 “Do not come any closer,” the Lord warned. “Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. 6 I am the God of your father[c]—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God.

a. Embrace Humility

i. Moses’ one day

Acts 7:22-25 New Living Translation
22 Moses was taught all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and he was powerful in both speech and action. 23 “One day when Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his relatives, the people of Israel. 24 He saw an Egyptian mistreating an Israelite. So Moses came to the man’s defense and avenged him, killing the Egyptian. 25 Moses assumed his fellow Israelites would realize that God had sent him to rescue them, but they didn’t.

1. 40 years of growing powerful in the palace

2. 40 years growing humble (correctable and teachable) in the wilderness

Deuteronomy 8:2 New Living Translation
2 Remember how the Lord your God led you through the wilderness for these forty years, humbling you and testing you to prove your character, and to find out whether or not you would obey His commands.

ii. Moses faithfulness tending Jethro’s sheep

1. Egyptians despised shepherds yet here Moses was tending his father-in-law’s flock

Genesis 46:34 New Living Translation
34 you must tell him, ‘We, your servants, have raised livestock all our lives, as our ancestors have always done.’ When you tell him this, he will let you live here in the region of Goshen, for the Egyptians despise shepherds.”

2. It is hard to care for another man’s one day when you feel as if you’ve been denied your own

b. Steward Encounters - God appeared to Moses in a blazing fire

Hebrews 12:28-29 New Living Translation
28 Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping Him with holy fear and awe. 29 For our God is a devouring fire.

i. Slow Down - don’t be in such a rush or so busy that you miss out on the opportunities for encounter

ii. Stare long enough to be amazed – we’re so used to be entertained by screens that we forget the wonder of the world around us and the God we serve

1. This is why we linger in His presence, we stare long enough to be amazed by Him

2. This is why we study scripture – Why am not being consumed by a holy God? Why did this crazy thing happen? I must go and see.

iii. Respond – When the Lord saw Moses come closer, He called out to him

iv. Make yourself available – Here I am, nothing is more important than this

1. He seems calls out in the most inconvenient times/situations

v. Obey His leading – Don’t come closer, take off your sandals

1. Sometimes God tells you not to come closer. Don’t move forward, stay in this portion of scripture, stay in this place of gratitude, keep singing me this praise

2. Remove whatever is keeping you from feeling and recognizing the holiness of the ground your standing on

c. Prioritize Experience over Knowledge

i. You cannot study yourself into a right relationship with, or a right view of God

John 5:39-40 New Living Translation
39 “You search the Scriptures because you think they give you eternal life. But the Scriptures point to Me! 40 Yet you refuse to come to Me to receive this life.

ii. You cannot receive the fear of the Lord sitting under excellent teaching/preaching

Job 42:5 New Living Translation
5 I had only heard about You before, but now I have seen You with my own eyes.

ii. You cannot worship your way into a right relationship with, or a right view of God

Matthew 15:7-9 New Living Translation
7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, 8 ‘These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me. 9 Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.’[a]”

iii. You must ENCOUNTER Him in your study, worship, etc…

Matthew 16:13-17 New Living Translation
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?”[a] 14 “Well,” they replied, “some say John the Baptist, some say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the other prophets.” 15 Then he asked them, “But who do you say I am?” 16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah,[b] the Son of the living God.” 17 Jesus replied, “You are blessed, Simon son of John,[c] because My Father in heaven has revealed this to you. You did not learn this from any human being.