Have you ever considered what a proper fear of the Lord is? Perhaps not, but it has a huge impact on our spiritual life. Proverbs 9:10Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom. Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment. [1]
When you submit to God, you do not have to be fearful. Fearing God does not mean being afraid He is going to hurt you because He is a good God! Psalm 46:1God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble.[2]
The fear of the Lord is about honor and respect. It means you follow His directions and recognize His authority in all things. When we fear the Lord, we are listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance. Sometimes that means changing what we are doing or our plans.
Fear of the Lord or Its Lack Affects My Actions
All of us, including myself, are better off when we have accountability. Nehemiah confronted the rich people who were taking advantage of the poor during a famine. They didn’t see their behavior as a problem because they didn’t fear the Lord.
Nehemiah knew the heart of their problem was their lack of relationship with the Lord. When we don’t have a relationship with the Lord, we are often selfish and only think only of ourselves. Nehemiah 5:9 Then I (Nehemiah) pressed further, “What you are doing is not right! Should you not walk in the fear of our God in order to avoid being mocked by enemy nations? [3]
Nehemiah also gives insight into how the fear of the Lord affects the way he governed the people. Nehemiah 5:15 The former governors, in contrast, had laid heavy burdens on the people, demanding a daily ration of food and wine, besides forty pieces of silver. Even their assistants took advantage of the people. But because I (Nehemiah) feared God, I did not act that way. [4]
Fear of the Lord Helps Me Develop Godly Wisdom
Much hardship could have been avoided during the famine that was taking place in Jerusalem as they rebuilt the wall if the wealthy people would have had a fear of the Lord. This fear of the Lord would have resulted in godly wisdom and saved many people from unnecessary hardship.
The same is true in our lives. Fear of the Lord is the first step in godly wisdom. Do you need wisdom? Do you have an important decision to make? Do you face problems that seem impossible to solve? James 1:5 If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.[5]
To hear more about a proper fear of the Lord, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/rebuilding-unfinished-hope-economic-hardship
[1-5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation . Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.