There’s a life-giving fear and a crippling fear. It’s funny how the Word of God prescribes that we fear Him. This fear does not carry the same definition and perception of those who do not have a personal relationship with God. This fear is something a Spirit-filled believer cannot do without. It is reverence and the acknowledgment of the awesomeness of The One who created ALL things.
It is fear that is generated by love- one’s love for God. It is not to be deemed as fearing a tyrant. The God I worship is anything but a tyrant. He IS love. If a believer fears God as they would a dictator, it is indicative that the person does not know who God truly is. That person has a crippling fear like that of the one-talent man whom the Lord called wicked (Matthew 25:24-30).
Let all the earth fear the Lord;
Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.
For He spoke, and it was done;
He commanded, and it stood fast.
Psalm 33:8-9
Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope in His mercy,
To deliver their soul from death,
And to keep them alive in famine.
Psalm 33:18-19
I will bless the Lord at all times;
His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
2 My soul shall make its boast in the Lord;
The humble shall hear of it and be glad.
3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
And let us exalt His name together.
4 I sought the Lord, and He heard me,
And delivered me from all my fears.
5 They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces were not ashamed.
6 This poor man cried out, and the Lord heard him,
And saved him out of all his troubles.
7 The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him,
And delivers them.
8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
9 Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints!
There is no want to those who fear Him.
10 The young lions lack and suffer hunger;
But those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing.
11 Come, you children, listen to me;
I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
12 Who is the man who desires life,
And loves many days, that he may see good?
13 Keep your tongue from evil,
And your lips from speaking deceit.
14 Depart from evil and do good;
Seek peace and pursue it.
15 The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,
And His ears are open to their cry.
16 The face of the Lord is against those who do evil,
To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth.
17 The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears,
And delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart,
And saves such as have a contrite spirit.
19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
But the Lord delivers him out of them all.
20 He guards all his bones;
Not one of them is broken.
21 Evil shall slay the wicked,
And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned.
22 The Lord redeems the soul of His servants,
And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
Psalm 34:1-22
If the fear you hold is the fear of the Lord, glory in the fact that you are His. If you hold to a crippling fear like that of the one-talent man, I am sorry to be the bearer of bad news. That fear is a good indicator that something needs to be made right. You are still in need of a Savior. Ask Jesus to deliver you from that crippling fear today.
