The Fear of the Lord

[Esther4:14]

I am so blessed by your opening post Zion.  It is so very true and I was reading through Revelation again a few days ago, and that same verse that tells us that John falls down dead stood out to me as well.  I would like to share my reflections on this passage if I may. 

John, a disciple of Jesus, isolated on the island of Patmos to try to stop him from preaching the Gospel, falls down as dead in His presence.  This made me realize how deep a counterfeit fear exists in us because of sin nature.  This fear is what makes it impossible for us to see His face and live (Exodus 33:20). 

Thus, John is healed when he is told "Do not fear," (Revelation 1:17). 

Two verses came to mind when I thought about this. 

"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love," (1 John 4:18). 

And,

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth," (2 Timothy 2:15). 

Then, I thought about what Christ said, "No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him, " (Matthew 11:27). 

In other words, what He is basically saying is, "I fear nothing," which is just exactly what I needed to hear the other day.

Anyways, somehow, I think a fear of the Lord still comes from an understanding of fear according to the present punishment of sin.  He teaches us to fear the Lord because He knows we understand fear better than we understand Him.  He uses what we understand in our fallen state. 

Hypothetically, without this understanding of fear that comes from the presence of sin, we would otherwise be perfected in love; and, God is love (1 John 4:8), which essentially means we would be perfected in all the things that He is; or, able to see Him as He is (1 John 3:2).  This is then the fear of the Lord, to be made like Him. 

After getting lost in my thoughts for a while, I came to my senses and was amazed that even chapter one of Revelation could be so completely profound. 

Bless you a whole bunch. 
 

[post]

don't misunderstand what the Teacher says in Proverbs. Jah is not to be a terror to us -- 

Do not be a terror to me; you are my refuge in the day of disaster.
(Jeremiah 17:17) 

but to fear Him is to give Him the respect and honor that He is due -- in every facet of our lives, remembering Him. wisdom begins with the fear of God, but it does not end there -- the great commandment is to love Him, and others, as He loved us - and the work of God is to believe in the One who He sent, who came and acted in love, as our example of how we also must love. and what does this Love do? 

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.
(1 John 4:18) 

so fear Him, yes - and obey Him - obey Him when He says "do not be afraid"
cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you; and honor Him in everything, because all that you are, and all that is, belongs to Him. 
perhaps we are driven to Him in fear - but once in Him, we are being perfected in love - and there is no fear in love; there is security and joy.

[other one]

I think we are to fear his capabilities, but because he has done the things he has for our well being, we really have no reason to fear him as long as we are his.  If he is/was willing to come here and die for me, why should I fear him personally......    Fear him if I am not his......   ohhhhh  yeah, one should do that.

[enoob57]

We are in His presence every moment and yet how do we live? I believe the reverence due Him and what He receives from
me is not balanced in my life... I can be carefree and so enamored with what He has done here yet I know He says to me

Ecc 5:2-5

2 Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few.

3 For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words.

4 When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.

5 Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.
KJV
We have all vowed that our lives our His to live within.... is this not the fear of The Lord?
Love, Steven

 

[ezekiel]

 One day as I was going about my work and I demanded to understand something myself had said. I was on a road then this Chair liken one of a King, on the left was a spirit that was, I think Enoch, on the chair Father Spirit that talk with me and corrected me. I was as a dead man not to breath, move, time has stop, fear has taken hold of me. I will never demand things I will wait from now on. Do I fear God you bet. Many nights rather not a night goes by that I don't ask for His mercy. The truth, I don't ever want to stand before God again. Maybe you don't understand but that's how I see it.

[*Zion*]

I think what I am really after here is that God would be every reality to me.  That I would just actually be aware of Him, and respond to Him as I should, and not be so easily distracted away from Him as I currently am.  I need to reverence Him more.  Not just because of His glory, power, mercy; but above, simply because He IS the I AM.  He lives!  He was and is and is to come!  And He is holy, holy, holy!  I need this. I'm not talking necessarily about a sign or an experience, but just that I would live Him out much much more.

Do I make sense to anyone out there?  I feel very isolated in this somehow - almost like I'm going crazy, except I know I'm not.  This is really weird and vulnerable, but if anyone at all feels the same PLEASE let me know.  

Thank you.

[*Zion*]

1 hour ago, ezekiel said:

 One day as I was going about my work and I demanded to understand something myself had said. I was on a road then this Chair liken one of a King, on the left was a spirit that was, I think Enoch, on the chair Father Spirit that talk with me and corrected me. I was as a dead man not to breath, move, time has stop, fear has taken hold of me. I will never demand things I will wait from now on. Do I fear God you bet. Many nights rather not a night goes by that I don't ask for His mercy. The truth, I don't ever want to stand before God again. Maybe you don't understand but that's how I see it.

Thank you for this.  I am very demanding, in that I am impatient and want things done quickly - not so much of God, but definitely of others.  Yes we need to repent daily.  Somehow, this encourages me even more to seek Him out even more - like Moses on that mountain top admidst the thunderings and lightnings of God's presence and His voice.  And even then, he wanted to see more of Him.  

I want to brave the storm too.  Maybe that's crazy, but that's the desire I have.

[Esther4:14]

34 minutes ago, *Zion* said:

I think what I am really after here is that God would be every reality to me.  That I would just actually be aware of Him, and respond to Him as I should, and not be so easily distracted away from Him as I currently am.  I need to reverence Him more.  Not just because of His glory, power, mercy; but above, simply because He IS the I AM.  He lives!  He was and is and is to come!  And He is holy, holy, holy!  I need this. I'm not talking necessarily about a sign or an experience, but just that I would live Him out much much more.

Do I make sense to anyone out there?  I feel very isolated in this somehow - almost like I'm going crazy, except I know I'm not.  This is really weird and vulnerable, but if anyone at all feels the same PLEASE let me know.  

Thank you.

I think I understand what you are saying to a extent Zion.  My exact experience is a little different maybe, but I remember a few years ago when I was going through something similar.  I believe it can take several years of self discipline before we are able to recognize distraction and respond in a way that is worthy of our calling.  I still feel like I stumble before I realize that I have gotten distracted and act accordingly by doing what I know I need to do, which is grow spiritually to avoid stumbling. 

But, I guess you could say more toward the beginning of this experience, what I did personally was fast in different ways.  One time, I even fasted for 5 hours per day for over a year, which really only is like refusing snacks between a meal, so it might not seem significant.  But, when it is every day for 6 months and then a year that you have to remember that you have made a commitment to do this, it was really beneficial in strengthening my spiritual muscle.  Kind of like training to be a long distance runner.  At a certain point, there is a sort of endorphin high similar to that of increased physical activity when you pursue ways to discipline the flesh. 

I don't believe there are any rules to how one should go about implementing ways to discipline the flesh.  I basically just copied principles from the Old Testament.  I am fascinated with the Nazarite vow and the spiritual intention behind remembering when God delivered the people out of Egypt.  So, I made something like a vow to discipline the flesh in a way that could be accomplished and would not be rash.  Picking 5 hours instead of 8 because I didn't want to be guilty of saying I would do something that I wasn't able to do.  Hypothetically, according to scripture, I could have picked one hour per day because the act of remembering may be more of a spiritual sense than a physical capability. 

Anyways, some type of discipline of the flesh might just be the spiritual jump start you need to a closer walk with Him. 

I am weak but Thou art strong
Jesus keep me from all wrong
I'll be satisfied as long
As I walk let me walk close to Thee

 

Just a closer walk with Thee
Grant it Jesus, is my plea
Daily walking close to Thee
Let it be dear Lord, let it be

 

"Just a Closer Walk With Thee" by Patsy Cline

[ezekiel]

On 3/7/2016 at 3:14 PM, *Zion* said:

Thank you for this.  I am very demanding, in that I am impatient and want things done quickly - not so much of God, but definitely of others.  Yes we need to repent daily.  Somehow, this encourages me even more to seek Him out even more - like Moses on that mountain top admidst the thunderings and lightnings of God's presence and His voice.  And even then, he wanted to see more of Him.  

I want to brave the storm too.  Maybe that's crazy, but that's the desire I have.

I say to you Ezekiel as to say may God make you strong.

[*Zion*]

I think I understand. Thank you