~ To be inclined to fear; to be full of fear; Apprehensive, suggesting a state of mind and implies a premonition of evil or danger; Afraid, often suggesting weakness or cowardice and regularly implies inhibition of action or utterance ~
The Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 8:13 wrote, "Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread."
The Saints are given a way in which to be free from fear. Jesus, through His Death, Burial and Resurrection took on Himself ALL of our sins and ALL maladies that we might ever face.
In order to receive this deliverance we must ask Jesus to come into our heart and let Him take control of our lives.
In Job 3:25 we read, "For the thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, and that which I was afraid of is come unto me."
If the way of thinking that Job experienced brought on the trouble that he had to endure is applicable to us today then, we need to have the fear of Lord in order to be free from the devastation of fear. Think of it like this, if we have the fear the Lord then, the thing that we fear “in this case, Jesus” will come upon us.
King Solomon in Proverbs 10:24 wrote, "The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted."
A Wicked person or sinner receives the fruit or results of that which they plant or they do ~
A Righteous person’s desires are motivated by and through the love of Jesus ~
One might say, “Job wasn’t a wicked person but yet the thing that he feared came upon him.” Perhaps, Job put too much emphases or thought on the thing that he feared, in a negative sense thus, the devil used it against him.
We read in 1st John 4:18, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
Here’s a good key to keep close at hand: perfect Love “Jesus” that delivers from fear. It would be good here to remember the 12th Chapter of 1st Corinthians that defines Perfect Love. If one of the attributes attributed to Love is missing in your life then, the Love that you possess is not complete or Perfect and it takes a Perfect Love to cast out fear.
In Psalms 34:7, King David wrote, "The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them."
Isn’t it wonderful to know that when our life is well pleasing to God “YHWH” that he sends His angel to protect and keep us from harm and loss.
King Solomon in Proverbs 8:13 (in part) wrote, "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate."
Here’s another good thing to think about. The Fear of the Lord is to Hate Evil. When we hate evil or when we are grieved because of evil then, we are demonstrating the Proper Fear of the Lord.
I have found in reading the Bible when I come across the phrase, “Fear of the Lord” that I can replace that phrase with, “Hate Evil” and it seems to always work well and / or sounds right.
The Apostle Paul in Philippians 2:12 wrote, "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling."
Let’s look at this phrase, “work out your own salvation” like this. If someone puts a thousand dollars in your pocket or bank account, the money doesn’t really do its greatest good for you until you take it out and use it.
In like manner Jesus Saves our sinful Soul; we are then expected to work out or allow this Salvation to come out from within us and begin to change our physical lives. We are to change from Glory to Glory, (2nd Corinthians 3:18) and this is accomplished by purposely working out our Salvation.
In Revelation 21:8 we read, "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death."
We cannot afford to be fearful; not only does being fearful cause problems in this life but the angel of the Lord told John that the Fearful will be counted right along with the Unbelieving and the Abominable and every other Sinner.
Could being Fearful really keep us out of God’s Heavenly Kingdom? It would seem that it can.
In Proverbs 1:20-33, King Solomon wrote, "Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets: *She crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates: in the city she uttereth her words, saying, *How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? and the scorners delight in their scorning, and fools hate knowledge? *Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you. *Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; *But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: *I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when your fear cometh; *When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you. *Then shall they call upon me, but I will not answer; they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me: *For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD: *They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. *Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices. *For the turning away of the simple shall slay them, and the prosperity of fools shall destroy them. *But whoso hearkeneth unto me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil."
God, “YHWH” through His Prophets and Apostles has done everything possible to instruct His Children, “the Saints” on how to live a Righteous sinless life. He, “YHWH” through the Precious Blood of His Only Begotten Son Jesus has provided the means whereby we have the ability to be free sin and fear and have the right to enter in through the Gates of His Holy White City, New Jerusalem. Praise His Holy and Righteous Name!
We must walk in and live by every Word that is Written in God’s “YHWH” Holy Book, the Bible ~
The Apostle Paul in Romans 8:38-39 wrote, "For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, *Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
When the Saints are accustomed to observing the Written Word of God, they, like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego will stand true to the Way that is Right. They need not Fear, for Jesus by the Power of the Holy Ghost will see them through. Praise His Holy Name!
Derwood A. Stewart, Minister
House of Prayer Sabbath Ministries
Comments? Email Us: hope@preachersteacher.org
