A CERTAIN KIND OF FEAR IS GOOD. I live with a keen sense of awareness that one day I will stand before the judgment seat of Jesus and give an account of my life, my words and my actions; did I do what God asked me to do in this life? Did I love the way Jesus asks me to love? Did I forgive and give generously? Or was I greedy or selfish?
Did I live according to the Spirit or according to the flesh? Did I turn my back on sin and all else that weighs me down and run the race set before me? I live with a healthy fear of God, so I am quick to repent and quick to humble myself before Him. I live in awe of a holy God. It seems now a days, Christians have a greater fear of man and what man thinks about us, rather than what God thinks. HEAR the words of Jesus,
“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28
Now, you need to have a revelation of who you are in Christ, “you are more valuable than many sparrows”, your identity must be rooted in this knowledge. We live securely by faith in His finished work on the cross and the knowledge of His love, care and provision for His children. However, there needs to be an awareness that HE IS CREATOR and I am His creation. He is God, I am not. His Word is true and I must live by His Word. I cannot do “what is right in my own eyes”.
All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, But the Lord weighs the spirits. Proverbs 16:2
He is weighing the motives and intentions of my heart. You should know and understand that Satan was cast out of heaven because of what was in his heart to do, not his actions. God knew his heart, so he never got around to acting it out. This should produce in you a holy fear of an awesome and wonderful God. He knows the thoughts and intentions of your heart. For some of you, this is reassuring. For others, this should make you tremble.
The fear of the Lord is living in a reverential awe of His greatness. He is God, I am not. If you live with this understanding, “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”, it will open your eyes and change the way you live your life. Yes, most of my obedience to Him is because I love Him. But make no mistake, there are things I stay far away from because I fear Him and I know that He is a just God and must punish all sin and wickedness.
To Learn More About Pastor Crystal please visit the Leadership Page
