Description

The Fear of The LORD has certain features and descriptive characteristics: 

1. The Fear of the LORD is a hatred of evil – Proverbs 8:13 “The Fear of the LORD is to hate evil.”
   
2. The Fear of the LORD is Wisdom – Psalm 111:10 “The Fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom.”
   
3. The Fear of the LORD is a Treasure – Proverbs 15:16 “Better is little with the Fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.” – The Fear of the LORD is the Believer’s treasure. (Isaiah 33:6).
   
4. The Fear of the LORD is the Fountain of Life – Proverbs 14:27 “The Fear of the LORD is the Fountain of Life.”
   
5. The Fear of the LORD is Clean – Psalm 19:9 “The Fear of the LORD is clean.” It has the Sanctifying Power.
   
6. The Fear of the LORD endures forever – Psalm 19:9 “The Fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever.” 
   
7. The Fear of the LORD is Godly – Hebrews 12:28 “Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and Godly Fear.” There is a difference between Reverence and Fear.

Motivation

What motives cause us to Fear the LORD, and walk in the Fear of the LORD:

1. God’s Holiness causes us to Fear Him – Revelation 15:4 “Who shall not Fear Thee, O Lord, and Glorify Your Name? for You are Holy.”
   
2. God’s Greatness causes us to Fear Him – Deuteronomy 10:12-17 “And now Israel, what does the Lord your God require of thee, but to Fear the LORD your God….”
   
3. God’s Goodness causes us to Fear Him – 1Samuel 12:24 “Only Fear the LORD and serve Him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things He has done.”
   
4. God’s Forgiveness causes us to Fear Him – Psalm 130:4 “But there is forgiveness with Thee, that You may be Feared.” Praise the LORD for this, too.”
   
5. God’s Wondrous Works causes us to Fear Him – Joshua 4:23-24 “Joshua reviews these works.” 
   
6. God’s Coming Judgement causes us to Fear Him – Revelation 14:7 “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give Glory to Him; for the hour of His Judgement is come.”

Necessity

The Fear of the LORD is necessary for Growth and God’s Presence and Favour:

1. The Fear of the LORD is necessary for Worship – Psalm 5:7 “In Your Fear will I worship.” (Psalm 89:7).
   
2. The Fear of the LORD is necessary for Service – Psalm 2:11 “Serve the LORD with Fear and rejoice with trembling.”
   
3. The Fear of the LORD is necessary to keep us from Sin – Exodus 20:20 “Fear not: For God is come to prove you, and that His Fear may be before you face, that you sin not.”
   
4. The Fear of the LORD is necessary for Good Government – 2Samuel 23:3 “He that rules over men must be just, ruling in the Fear of God.” This is lacking in Governments today.
   
5. The Fear of the LORD is necessary for Administration of Justice – 2Chronicles 19:6-9 “And said to the Judges, ‘Take heed to what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the LORD, who is with you in the judgement.’ Now, therefore, let the Fear of the LORD be upon you; take care and do it, for there is no iniquity with the LORD our God, no partiality, nor taking of bribes. Moreover, in Jerusalem, for the judgement of the LORD and for controversies, Jehoshaphat appointed some of the Levites and Priests and some of the Chief fathers of Israel, when they returned to Jerusalem. And he commanded them, saying, ‘Thus you shall act in the Fear of the LORD, faithfully and with a loyal heart.” 
   
6. The Fear of the LORD is necessary for the Perfecting of Holiness in our Christian lives – 2Corinthians 7:1 “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the Fear of God.”

God’s Promises

The Fear of the LORD (God) comes with His Promises – no single aspect of the Christian life carries with it greater of God’s Promise of Blessings than to the Individual Believer and the Church who walks in the Fear of the LORD (God):

1. The Fear of the LORD brings Pleasure to the LORD – Psalm 147:11 “The LORD takes pleasure in them that Fear Him, in those that hope in His Mercy.”
   
2. The Fear of the LORD causes the LORD’S Pity to increase upon the child of God – Psalm 103:13 “Like as a father pities his children, so the LORD pities them that Fear Him.”
   
3. The Fear of the LORD brings acceptance with God – Acts 10:35 “But in every Nation he that Fears Him, and works righteousness, is accepted with Him.” Peter to Cornelius and friends.
   
4. The Fear of the LORD brings God’s Mercy – Psalm 103:17 “But the Mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that Fear Him.”
   
5. The Fear of the LORD brings blessings – Psalm 112:1 “Blessed is the man that Fears the LORD.”
   
6. The Fear of the LORD brings confidence – Proverbs 14:26 “By the Fear of the LORD is strong confidence.”
   
7. The Fear of the LORD brings separation from evil – Proverbs 16:6 “By the Fear of the LORD men depart from evil.” Today there is little Fear of the LORD and an abundance of evil. God’s Judgement on Ananias and Sapphira, resulted in great Fear of the LORD came among the people (Acts 5:1-11 {vs11}).
   
8. The Fear of the LORD brings Christian Fellowship – Malachi 3:16 “Then they that Feared the LORD speaks often one to another: and the LORD hearkened and heard it.”
   
9. The Fear of the LORD supersedes the Fear of man – Isaiah 8:12, 13 “…. Neither fear you their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of Hosts Himself; and let Him be your Fear.”  
   
10. The Fear of the LORD brings Answer to Prayer – Psalm 145:19 “He will fulfil the desire of them that Fear Him: He also will hear their cry and will save them.” 
    
11. The Fear of the LORD brings long life – Proverbs 10:27 “The Fear of the LORD prolongs days.”

Let us pray that God will teach us to Fear Him – Psalm 86:11 “Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth: unite my heart to Fear Your Name.” (Proverbs 15:16; Proverbs 19:23).

• Walking with God