What is the Fear of the Lord?

Jul 10

How can fear bring wisdom, understanding, and a fulfilled life? In this blog, we explore the misconceptions of “the Fear of the Lord” and how this fear is actually part of God’s liberating and life-giving nature that illuminates our hearts. We examine the transformative power of holding God in deep awe and reverence and what that looks like in a believer’s life.

The Fear of the Lord

What if I told you that having the right kind of fear was the secret to having wisdom and the key to knowing a full life?

You might say, well, I don’t like fear. I agree with you; I’m not keen on fear either.

However, the fear I’m referencing is not something to be afraid of, but God’s illumination in our hearts that leads to a greater understanding and reliance on Him as our source.

This fear isn’t a grim alternative reality. Instead, it’s the kind of understanding that permeates our hearts and minds and is liberating, illuminating, life-giving, and loving.

“The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life; that one may turn away from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:27

This phrase, or a derivative of the phrase, appears no less than 27 times in the Bibles. It’s found in both the Old and New Testaments and is also one of the greatest misunderstood teachings of the Bible. This may sound a little heavy, but we fail to understand this teaching from Scripture at our own demise.

Let’s start by explaining what “The fear of the Lord” is not.

Three Things “The Fear of the Lord” Is Not:

1) It’s Not Natural Fear

Some fears are healthy, such as a fear of rattlesnakes, poisonous spiders, and falling off the ledge of a skyscraper. Those are normal things to be afraid of. Thus, fear of the Lord is not based on that type of fear.

2) It’s Not Demonic Fear

In 2 Timothy 1:7, Paul writes to Timothy, a young man in ministry, and he shares that God has given believers a spirit of love and self-control, not one of fear. That verse tells us that fear can and does operate like a spirit with an infectious move upon the life of a believer. It was paralyzing Timothy in his walk with God.

“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.” 1 John 4:18

3) It’s Not Fear of What People Think

“The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.” Proverbs 29:25

When we are governed by the opinions of what other people think, we’re being controlled. Take pleasure in how God wants to free you from codependency tendencies or other people’s opinions so that you can be set free.

Guarding Against a Distorted “Fear of the Lord”

We need to realize that there is a distorted fear of God that doesn’t produce good results. This terrifying and paralyzing fear is likely the type of fear that comes to mind for many. The Bible shows several examples of fear gone wrong.

Now that we’ve established what fear of the Lord is not let’s guard against that becoming distorted.

1) Fear That’s Rooted in a Distortion of God’s Image

In Matthew 25, Jesus shares the Parable of the Talents (bags of gold). One person is given five talents, another is given two, and the last is given one. One is faithful with the five, so God doubles his talents. Person number two is also faithful, and the Lord blesses him by doubling his talents.

However, the last person, with one talent, when called upon to give account, responds, “Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground.”

The man with one talent has a distorted view of God, and because of that, he also has a distorted fear of God. The fear is rooted in seeing God as hard. However, God is holy, but apart from His holiness and compassion, His nature includes love and mercy.

2) Fear That’s Rooted in a Distortion in One’s Heart

Sometimes, a person can have a foothold, or as the Bible refers to it, as a stronghold, of fear. Fear cripples you and sometimes can even be sinful. Scriptures describe that kind of sinful fear as paralyzing your spiritual development. This kind of fear separates people from God.

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8

That verse recognizes that fear is rooted in distortion in one’s heart, and that’s not the kind of fear God describes as fear of the Lord. The fear described above doesn’t have a positive outcome.

What Kind of Fear Is God Talking About?

The Greek word for fear is Phobos. (That’s where were get the English word phobia.)

When Phobos is used in conjunction with the phrase “the fear of the Lord,” it refers to holding God in awe and having a deep reverence for Him.

“Reverence is a response to the revelation of God.” Derek Prince, Bible teacher

God reveals Himself in many ways, namely through the Scripture and Holy Spirit. These revelations are Him making Himself known to us. In Isaiah 6, Isaiah experiences a revelation of God, and when he does, he falls to his knees and cries, “Woe is me. I am a man of unclean lips.”

Isaiah’s shortcomings come into the light of God’s radiance and glory, so he bows in reverence and awe. God makes way for Isaiah to be in his presence by commissioning an angel to take a lump of hot coal to Isaiah’s lips in purifying power. It’s through that Isaiah experiences restoration, forgiveness, cleansing, and purity. It was out of His father’s love.

Most of us have not had an experience at that level. However, all believers have had moments where God’s revelation was alive in us. God reveals Himself to us when we commune with Him in prayer and through worship.

“For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” Isaiah 57:15

What this passage shows us is that a submissive attitude toward God is an expression of the fear of the Lord.

Author John Bevere wrote, “When we are high-handed, arrogant, self-sufficient, self-proclaiming—there is no fear of the Lord in a person who conducts themselves in this fashion.”

There is a sense that whatever we fear, it controls us. If you fear poverty, you spend your life fighting against the potential of being poor. If you fear disease, you’ll think of ways to overcompensate for your health.

Fear is a lie. That’s why we read in Proverbs 14:27 that the fear of the Lord is a fountain of life and that the Lord is communicating that when we have a proper reverence for God, we are free from earthly fear that controls us.

The person who holds Christ in awe and reverence and declares Him over his life they have a secret source of growth and life from the inside out.

However, also notice that one must turn away from the snares of death. That’s strong language! The wages of sin is death, a separation from God.

“The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with his justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.” Isaiah 33:5-6

What does Scripture say about those who Fear the Lord?

God has declared that He will never leave nor forsake you. God has called you son or daughter, and He wants to work in you when we hold Him in reverence and awe. Our heavenly Father loves us, despite our sins, and He made way for us to become His children through His son, Jesus Christ. There is a higher way: fear and reverence of the one true loving God. Your heart can be cultivated to discover the beauty of the fountain of life that supernaturally flows from the inside out.

TL;DR

The fear of the Lord is not a negative or natural fear but rather a deep reverence and awe for God.
It is not based on demonic fear or fear of people's opinions. The fear of the Lord leads to wisdom, understanding, and a full life.
It is rooted in a correct understanding of God's character and a submissive attitude toward Him.
Those who fear the Lord are close to Him, experience His revelations and receive His provision.
By cultivating reverence for God, we tap into a supernatural source of life and discover the beauty of a relationship with Him.

Related Reading

Restored Into God’s Image by Rev. Paul Lawler

A Caution For How We Approach God by Rev. Paul Lawler

Why Does God Want Our Hearts Enlightened? by Rev. Paul Lawler