The Fear of God Pt. 2
Selected Scriptures
Luke 12:4-5
"I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him."
Luke 12:6-7 (NIV)
Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
How Do We Live in Godly Fear?
1. Repent of those things that are displeasing to God and do
whatever is necessary to stop doing them
2. Cultivate the fear of God in your life
3. Recognize the damnable consequence of living a spiritually careless life
Matthew 7:21-23 (NLT)
"Not everyone who calls out to me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'
How do we live in the fear of God?
4. Maintain a clear conscience
Hebrews 10:22 (NIV)
let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
ESV: with our hearts sprinkled clean from and evil conscience.
It is the Holy Spirit and his efficacious work that are denoted by “pure water,” as is frequently promised. Wherefore, this sprinkling of our hearts is an act of the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost.”— John Owen, An Exposition of the Epistle to the Hebrews, Chapter 10:19-23
Psalm 139:23 (KJV)
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.
5. Consecrate yourself
Consecration: the separation of oneself from things that are unclean, especially anything that would contaminate one’s relationship with a perfect God. Consecration also carries the connotation of sanctification, holiness, or purity.
Genesis 35:2-5 (NIV)
So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, "Get rid of the foreign gods you have with you, and purify yourselves and change your clothes. Then come, let us go up to Bethel, where I will build an altar to God, who answered me in the day of my distress and who has been with me wherever I have gone." So they gave Jacob all the foreign gods they had and the rings in their ears, and Jacob buried them under the oak at Shechem. Then they set out, and the terror of God fell upon the towns all around them so that no one pursued them.
Exodus 19:10-20 (NIV)
And the LORD said to Moses, "Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the LORD will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. After Moses had gone down the mountain to the people, he consecrated them, and they washed their clothes. Then he said to the people, "Prepare yourselves for the third day. Abstain from sexual relations." On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. The LORD descended to the top of Mount Sinai and called Moses to the top of the mountain.
Hebrews 12:21 (NIV)
The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear."
Joshua 3:5 (NIV)
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do amazing things among you."
2 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV)
Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial (devil)? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty."
6. Sensitivity to God
Ephesians 4:30-32 (NLT)
And do not bring sorrow to God's Holy Spirit by the way you live. (ESV: And do not grieve the Holy Spirit) Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 (ESV)
Do not quench the Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 5:19 (MSG)
Don't suppress the Spirit.
Hebrews 12:14 (NLT)
...work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord.
