Fear of the Lord

I have recently been studying the subject of the fear of the Lord from the book of Proverbs. But I feel led to share two verses on the subject of the fear of the Lord from 2 Corinthians.

If we are honest we all have to admit the American church is lacking the power and anointing of Jesus Christ. I am convinced that the lack I see is certainly not with Jesus  because we know He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. I also know that the anointing of Jesus did not stop with the apostles. Because Jesus said that the church should do greater works than He did. The anointing is available it's the will of God that the church do greater things than even the apostles and Jesus did while here on earth. From my study in the book of Proverbs and from these two verses in 2 Corinthians I believe the lack of anointing comes from the churches lack of the fear of the Lord.

I believe to have the fear of the Lord is to have respect, reverence for God. I believe to have fear of the Lord is to dread not pleasing God. I also believe to have the fear of the Lord is to understand His holiness and His hatred of sin and the consequences of sin.

We are so consumed with the here and now we don't even give thought to one day soon standing before a Holy God and giving an account for every thing we have done while here on earth. The Bible is clear we will all stand before Him and give account for every thing, every word, every thought,  and every deed. We should tremble at the thought of standing before a Holy God. 

Let me assure you every time I read in my Bible of some one encountering the presence of God they feared, they trembled, they cried out and fell down on there face. They understood that our God is awesome.

Awesome- inspiring an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or fear; causing or inducing awe.

My prayer is that the church in America would truly encounter this awesome God whose name is Holy. Lord open up our eyes that we may truly see You and How awesome You are.

Two essential elements missing in the church due to the absence of the fear of the Lord.

II Corinthians 5:11 NKJV Knowing, therefore, the terror (Fear) of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences.

1. Evangelism, outreach, sharing the gospel outside of the church walls. The fear terror of the Lord motivated the apostles and should motivate us. I believe the apostles understood the fear of the Lord and the reality that they would one day give account for there life and ministry. But I also believed they understood the  terror of the Lord concerning the lost and that everyone who isn't born again will face eternity in a literal hell.

II Corinthians 7:1 NKJV Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

2. Holy living. When we have a proper fear of the Lord our perspective on sin and the penalty of sin drives us to turn from our sin and turn to God. Much more could be said about holiness but without the fear of the Lord men live self seeking, self pleasing, evil and sinful lives but with the fear of the Lord men will depart from evil. They when begin being more focused on seeking and pleasing God than they are themselves. There thoughts go from earthly, temporal and the here and the now to heavenly and eternal thoughts and perspectives.

(I want to insert right here a thought many may be having as they read this post. We should be driven by love not fear. I believe we can only encounter the love of God when we first fear the Lord. Fear of the Lord is the beginning of... starting point for our relationship with the Lord. Without a proper fear of the Lord we can't have a biblical love for God.)

I believe the way the church begins having a proper fear of the Lord is the same as it was for the men of God in the Bible. Encounter, when people encountered God in the Bible the response was always a fear and reverence. We must daily encounter God through prayer, the Word, and worship. If you find yourself lacking the fear of the Lord in your life right now begin praying a prayer of repentance and asking God to fill you with the Holy Spirit and  to reveal His holiness to you.