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God the Father delivers us from fear by His Word and His love. If we walk in fear then we have a “Word” problem and a “Love” problem. We can never be free from fear if we continue to justify it or excuse it as normal.
1 John 4:18 ESV There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 2 Timothy 1:7 ESV for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. First, in this study, I will list the fears that we should be free from then over the upcoming weeks I will go into Scriptural detail on each. 1. We should be free from the fear of MAN: 2. We should be free from the fear of DEATH: 3. We should be free from the fear of the FUTURE: 4. We should be free from the fear of DANGER: 5. We should be free from the fear of IDOLS: 6. We should be free from the fear of DREAMS: 7. We should be free from the fear of EVIL: 8. We should be free from the fear of WAR: 9. We should be free from the fear of IMAGINATIONS (Fearful Thinking): 10. We should be free from the fear of our ENEMIES: 11. We should be free from the fear of PUNISHMENT: 12. We should be free from the fear of DARKNESS: 13. We should be free from the fear of SPIRITS: 14. We should be free from the fear of the SPIRIT OF FEAR:
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Hebrews 11:17-19 ESV By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, (18) of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” (19) He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.
As we have seen in earlier studies, true worship requires... (1) Walking hand-in-hand daily with God, (2) Dealing correctly with sin, (3) Bringing an acceptable sacrifice before the Lord and, (4) Walking in total obedience. Of course we cannot separate true worship from faith. It takes faith in a Holy God to walk out all four of these requirements for true worship. Even though Abraham was to sacrifice his only son, he stood on faith that God would raise him from the dead to fulfill His covenant promises. This is the type of worship many believers are totally unfamiliar with. Abraham told his servants that he and Isaac were going up to worship and that they would both return. Remember, this is the first time the word "worship" is used in the Bible. It is worth mentioning that although animal sacrifice was the means of a blood covering for the sins of the people, it is totally out of God’s character to demand a human sacrifice, unless He were teaching us something. Isaac was a “type,” or a “shadow” of the New Testament substance, of Christ and the cross. Our Lord Jesus Christ was the only HUMAN sacrifice that the Father approved of. What He asked of Abraham was a test of Abraham’s “fear” or “Awe” of God. It was the most costly sacrifice asked for by God as a means to worship in the Old Testament. It was a perfect picture of the Father giving up His only Son that we may walk daily with Him. Obedience is a measuring tool of our “fear,” or reverence for God. Genesis 22:12 ESV He said, “Do not lay your hand on the boy or do anything to him, for now I know that you fear God, seeing you have not withheld your son, your only son, from me.” We find David here on this same mount many years later when he purchases the threshing floor. Hear David’s words as he refused to offer a sacrifice that cost him nothing… 1 Chronicles 21:24 ESV But King David said to Ornan, “No, but I will buy them for the full price. I will not take for the LORD what is yours, nor offer burnt offerings that cost me nothing.” The Prophetic Mantle:
John the Baptist was MUCH MORE than a Prophet. He was one who was a messenger who knew the importance of standing before God first, so that he could stand before men with boldness. We need those who claim to be Pastors, Teachers, Evangelists, Prophets and Apostles to learn how to be before the throne of God first until they receive a message for the people that causes them to leave their beautiful buildings of worship and go out into the desert places to hear a Word from heaven. The spirit of prophecy today is starting to raise up a mantle likened unto John. There will be those who have the fear of God as they stand and kneel before a Holy God. Stand fearful before a Holy God and you will stand before man without fear. Luke 7:25-28 KJV But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, they which are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings' courts. 26 But what went ye out for to see? A prophet? Yea, I say unto you, and MUCH MORE than a prophet. 27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he. There is a lot of preaching about what we are to "GO AFTER" and get in the Christian life.
Some groups would say that we need to get healing over everything. Some groups would say that we need to get riches and prosperity over everything. Some groups would say that we need to get Bible knowledge over everything. Some groups would say that we need to get Christian disciplines over everything. Some groups would say that we need to get Church attendance over everything. All of these have a place in the Christian life but they are not the key things that we are to seek after. In fact, many are a result or by-product of seeking the right things. We need to seek the KNOWLEDGE of God and His ways: Hosea 4:6 ESV My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge; because you have rejected knowledge, I reject you from being a priest to me. And since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. We need to seek the WISDOM of God and His ways: Proverbs 4:5-7 ESV Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. (6) Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. (7) The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. We need to seek the FEAR of God and His ways: Psalms 111:10 ESV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! WARNING: We can become so well-adjusted to our culture that we just FIT into it without realizing that we have become worldly. We are to fix or set our attention on God. Doing this will cause us to be changed from the inside out. We will then readily recognize what HE wants from us, and we will be in a position to quickly respond to it. If we are fixed on the culture and society around us we will need to get its permission to do God's will because it will always be dragging us down to its level of immorality and darkness. Only a life committed to the will and ways of God will bring the best out of us and develop well-formed true maturity in us. A Strong confidence in God and a place of refuge
I have seen many believers either fall away from the faith or fall back into a life of fear and defeat. This should not be. We are called to walk as overcomers. As we learn to receive God's love we are also learning to fear Him. In fearing our Heavenly Father we find a place of refuge and a confidence that He not only holds our hands, but He holds our life and our very existence. Proverbs 14:26 ESV In the fear of the LORD one has strong confidence, and his children will have a refuge. This is the last post of this study. Here is a recap of each one. The complete list of rewards for walking "in the fear of God" which we have studied so far. What is the Fear of the Lord (See Parts 1-2) Reward #1 is "Riches, Honor, and Life" (See Part 3) Reward #2 is "Turning from Evil" (See Part 4) Reward #3 is "Wisdom and Knowledge" (See Part 5) Reward #4 is "A Prolonged Life & A Fountain of Life" (See Part 6) Reward #5 is " A Place of Contentment" (See Part 7) Reward #6 is "True Healing and Refreshment to the Body" (See Part 8) Reward #7 is "True Biblical Worship" (See Part 9) Reward #8 is "Having God’s Provision" (See Part 10) Reward #9 is "Access to God’s salvation" (See Part 11) Reward #10 is "A Strong confidence in God and a place of refuge" (See Part 12) I am not homophobic for I don't fear man no matter what condition he finds himself. In fact, that argument is even to stupid to address. Just because I do not condone the ungodly sinful lifestyles of the sexual impure, the world would try to redefine me with their definitions and labels.
However, I am Theos-phobic, because I do fear God. This means that I position myself in a Biblical awe of the One and True God, who is the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Israel. THEOS-Greek for God PHOBIA-Greek for fear Matthew 10:28 KJV And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. God directs us NOT to be alarmed at the prospect of temporal death by those who can kill us physically. Instead, we are to fear God, who can destroy both soul and body forever in hell. This passage proves that the bodies of the wicked will be raised up to be punished forever. So why do I hate sin which includes the current flood of sexual immorality? I believe in the Word of God over the changing morally of an immoral society. I fear God and what He says more than I fear the name calling of man and the pressure to compromise and to be tolerant. My prayer is that the fear of God would once again come back to the house of God and believers would no longer bend the knee and bow to the ways of the world. Oh God, we cry for mercy. Access to God’s salvation
Psalms 85:9-10 ESV Surely his salvation is near to those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land. (10) Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other. The complete list of rewards for walking "in the fear of God" which we have studied so far. What is the Fear of the Lord (See Parts 1-2) Reward #1 is "Riches, Honor, and Life" (See Part 3) Reward #2 is "Turning from Evil" (See Part 4) Reward #3 is "Wisdom and Knowledge" (See Part 5) Reward #4 is "A Prolonged Life & A Fountain of Life" (See Part 6) Reward #5 is " A Place of Contentment" (See Part 7) Reward #6 is "True Healing and Refreshment to the Body" (See Part 8) Reward #7 is "True Biblical Worship" (See Part 9) Reward #8 is "Having God’s Provision" (See Part 10) Having God’s Provision
There is s great difference between want and need, although sometimes it can get cloudy when we are walking with covetousness in our heart. However, when we have great need, we also have a great promise, if we are walking in the fear of God. Psalms 34:9 ESV Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! Psalms 111:5 ESV He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever. The complete list of rewards for walking "in the fear of God" which we have studied so far. What is the Fear of the Lord (See Parts 1-2) Reward #1 is "Riches, Honor, and Life" (See Part 3) Reward #2 is "Turning from Evil" (See Part 4) Reward #3 is "Wisdom and Knowledge" (See Part 5) Reward #4 is "A Prolonged Life & A Fountain of Life" (See Part 6) Reward #5 is " A Place of Contentment" (See Part 7) Reward #6 is "True Healing and Refreshment to the Body" (See Part 8) Reward #7 is "True Biblical Worship" (See Part 9) WORSHIP: The most misunderstood and misused word in the Bible.
Explained in a minute-with a Biblical challenge. So far we have covered: Defining the Fear of the Lord (See Parts 1-2) Reward #1 is "Riches, Honor, and Life" (See Part 3) Reward #2 is "Turning from evil" (See Part 4) Reward #3 is "Wisdom and Knowledge" (See Part 5) Reward #4 is "A Prolonged life & A Fountain of life" (See Part 6) Reward #5 is " A place of Contentment" (See Part 7) Reward #6 is "True Healing and Refreshment to the Body" (See Part 8) Now back to "WORSHIP." Reward #7 is True Biblical Worship Just as an quick statement and a challenge for you to use the Word of God and not "what you believe" or "how you feel" to prove my next statement right or wrong. The first time the word worship was used in the Bible was when Abraham was about to ascend the mountain to sacrifice Isaac. Genesis 22:5 ESV Then Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.” The Hebrew word is shâchâh (shaw-khaw') and is used 171 times in the O.T. It means to depress, to prostrate, to bow in homage to royalty or God, to bow down, crouch, fall down flat, and to do reverence. Now to touch all those religious spirits: There is NOT ONE VERSE were worship is used denoting music or having anything to do with music. There are over 20 words for praise. To sing, to dance, to clap, to leap, to shout, to herald, to run, to spin violently, to play an instrument, etc. is all tied to PRAISE. But worship, is to do something physically that is tied to the heart spiritually. It is to bend, to bow, to kneel, or to lay before the Lord. The reason we don't mind calling the team a worship team with worship songs for our worship time is because we don't understand Biblical worship, nor do we understand the Biblically, the fear of God. The challenge: Use your word studies, your concordances, and your Bible and prove me wrong. But please don't respond with, "well, I feel", or "well, I believe." We are staying with the Word of God only. By the way, the Greek words for worship mean the same... to bend, to bow, to kneel, or to lay before the Lord. Psalms 5:7 ESV But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. Who wants healing? Available through the fear of God.
So far we have covered: Defining the Fear of the Lord (See Parts 1-2) Reward #1 is "Riches, Honor, and Life" (See Part 3) Reward #2 is "Turning from evil" (See Part 4) Reward #3 is "Wisdom and Knowledge" (See Part 5) Reward #4 is "A Prolonged life & A Fountain of life" (See Part 6) Reward #5 is " A place of Contentment" (See Part 7) THE REWARDS FOR WALKING IN THE FEAR OF GOD: part 8 True Healing and Refreshment to the Body Proverbs 3:7-8 ESV Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil. (8) It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones. So far we have covered:
Defining the Fear of the Lord (See Parts 1-2) Reward #1 is "Riches, Honor, and Life" (See Part 3) Reward #2 is "Turning from evil" (See Part 4) Reward #3 is "Wisdom and Knowledge" (See Part 5) Reward #4 is "A Prolonged life & A Fountain of life" (See Part 6) Now in reward #5 we see that the fear of God can bring into a place of Contentment Proverbs 15:16 ESV Better is a little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble with it. So far we have covered:
Defining the Fear of the Lord (See Parts 1-2) Reward #1 is "Riches, Honor, and Life" (See Part 3) Reward #2 is "Turning from evil" (See Part 4) Reward #3 is "Wisdom and Knowledge" (See Part 4) Reward #4 A Prolonged life & A Fountain of life Proverbs 10:27 ESV The fear of the LORD prolongs life, but the years of the wicked will be short. Proverbs 14:27 ESV The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. RECAP:
Definition of "The Fear of God" (See Parts 1-2) Reward #1 is "Riches, Honor, and Life" (See Part 3) Reward #2 is "Turning from evil" (See Part 4) NOW REWARD #3 Wisdom and Knowledge Proverbs 1:7 ESV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 9:10 ESV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. REWARD #2 Turning from evil
The rewards of developing the fear of the Lord are emphasized throughout Scripture. Having the fear of God gives strength to turn away (truly repent) from evil. I have people tell me all the time that they have repented of such-and-such sin, only to have them fall back into it in the matter of a short time. The problem was that they did not really repent, but confessed. The word "confession" means to come in agreement with. When the Holy Spirit convicts us of a sin and we confess it, we are coming in agreement with the Holy Spirit that we had unconfessed sin in our lives we needed to deal with. When we confess our sins to the Father we are not telling Him something He does not know. When we confess we are coming in agreement with what He knows and has revealed to our heart. The same is true about a spiritual truth we read from Scripture. When we confess that we are a royal priesthood, an overcomer, and a child of the King we are not confessing what originated with us. We are confessing or agreeing what the Word of God has already said about us. But repentance is different. To truly say we have repented means we have made an about face and headed away from the sin and to the opposite, which is what God says in His Word. Repentance is a change of mind that results in a change of heart, which results in a change of behavior. The greatest asset to true Biblical repentance is having the fear of God. The fear of God causes to hate the sin within us the way the Father hates it. One of the problems among many believers is that they have a love/hate relationship their sin. I have been in to many services when the preacher will mention a sin he does and then makes a joke about it. This si especially true when it comes to gluttony. The issue is that the sin is either nor really regarded as sin or there is no fear of God concerning it. Proverbs 16:6 KJV By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. Proverbs 8:13 KJV The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Proverbs 14:16 KJV A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. 2 Corinthians 7:1 KJV Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. REWARD #1 Riches, Honor, and Life
Okay, God's Word says this. The rewards of developing the fear of the Lord are emphasized throughout Scripture. Having the fear of God is a requirement for riches, honor, and life. A person may have worldly riches, honor and life, but they are a fleeting pleasure that will wane away. This may not mean that we will be millionaires, but it does mean that we will not suffer lack or need of any good thing. Proverbs 22:4 ESV The reward for humility and fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life. Psalms 34:8-10 ESV Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! (9) Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! (10) The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Psalms 112:1-3 ESV Praise the LORD! Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in his commandments! (2) His offspring will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. (3) Wealth and riches are in his house, and his righteousness endures forever. |
AuthorCharles Morris. Founder and Senior Pastor of RSI Ministry, RSI School of Ministry, and RSI Publishing L.L.C.. Archives
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