‘ The only answer to the fear of man is the fear of the Lord' Part 2

‘The only answer to the fear of man is the fear of the Lord' Part 2

True love, and true fear of God, are revealed and experienced through the Holy Spirit. God’s love is the power and motivation to do His commandments, and God’s fear is the ability to understand and walk in His righteous judgements, His commandments, and not our own decisions. Like a protective wall the fear of God keeps us walking on the right path. The joy of a clean heart does not come from our own self, rather it comes from experiencing God’s joy when we walk in His love doing His commandments. “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:10-13)

The fear of God leads to obedience of God, which gives us confidence in our heart before God. Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight. (1stJohn 3:21-22) Walking in the fear of the Lord causes us to walk in righteousness, experiencing the joy of a right relationship with our God. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (Psalms 32:11)

The Bible tells us that we perfect holiness in the fear of God.  It is by God’s grace and mercy that He adopts us to be His Children, and we accept Him as our Father in humble honesty of our need for His mercy. Just as with a good human father, his children both love and fear him, the combination of this love and fear causes the children to walk in obedience. The love and fear of the Lord is also needed in our lives to bring about spiritual maturity, that we may fully depart from evil and cling to the One we love. 

People (such as psychologists and counsellors) that study human behaviour know that the most powerful way to control behaviour is with a combination of positive and negative reinforcement, which is reward and punishment. God cares about us, and our behaviour, which is why the Bible is full of positive and negative reinforcement.

Everyone has a fear of something. People that do not have a right relationship with God fear things on earth instead of the God of heaven. People can fear other people, fear situations, and even fear the future when they do not fear God.

People that fear God have confidence on earth because they have no fear of anyone, or any situation, or anything that can happen. In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death. (Proverbs 14:26-27)

Your heart is directed toward the one that you fear, and your loyalty is given to the one that you fear. When you fear God you do not fear man, and when you fear man you do not fear God, you choose whom to fear. There is no fear of harm to those who fear God.

Jesus taught us to fear God and not man. “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows. Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 10:28-33)

Discipline helps us not to repeat mistakes, and the fear of discipline helps us not to make mistakes. The fear of God is clean, and has a cleansing affect upon the child of God, taking us into perfection and holiness before Him, so that we can worship Him in spirit and truth. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them there is great reward. (Psalms 19:9-11) 

We are to desire God’s judgments and thank Him for them for they show His love for us, and they help shape us into the image of Christ.  For those who love God we know that everything happens for our benefit and ultimately for God’s glory. When we walk in the fear of God we also walk in the blessing of God.

The fear of God comes through knowing God, the knowledge of God comes through revelation given by His Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Love. As we become more spiritually mature in Christ our motive for obedience to Him changes from fear of discipline to fear of grieving His Holy Spirit in us. The Holy Spirit is our connection with God, our unity with Him, He is our counsellor that communicates God’s words to us, and He is our connection with God’s heart so that we can experience God’s emotions through the Holy Spirit. “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:9-11) 

As we obey Christ we remain in His love, and His joy will be in us. True love, joy, and peace, do not come from us, they come from experiencing God’s emotions through His Holy Spirit in us. When we sin we grieve the Holy Spirit and we become separated from God’s love, joy, and peace.  When a child becomes mature, they no longer need physical discipline to obey the parent, they then obey out of love and respect for the parent, they have a fear of grieving the parent, because when the parent feels bad the child also feels bad. The same is true with God’s children.

Fear of man and all kinds of fear of situations are prevalent in society.  We need to encourage and support each other on this self-exploring journey. In supporting and encouraging ourselves and others people to have knowledge of God, a deeper relationship with Him through the power of the Holy Spirit, we will come to realise that just as we choose where to place our faith, likewise, we also choose where to place our fear.  It is an important decision made in our heart, because whatever we fear, it has power over us.   

Another person cannot provide an individual with the gift of the fear of God- only God can offer it to him/her through the Holy Spirit.  However, a Christian counsellor, for example, can however can encourage and support the client as he/she journeys on the road to knowing God and then the client can realise the truth that ‘ the only answer to the fear of man is the fear of the Lord.’