Fear of God Does Not Mean Being Afraid of God (3) By Babatunde Olugboji
This week, we will conclude the three-part series on the seemingly bewildering concept of fear.
How can fear be bad and good at the same tiime? Inherently, fear is what we pray against. At the same time, the Bible encourages us to embrace fear. Proverbs 9:10 pointedly tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Confusing, isn’t it?
It is true that fear can creep up on us when we least expect it. Sure, there’s fear we can expect when we walk through one of the most haunted places in our community. For some of us, walking through the cemetery in the dark could be akin to walking through the valley of the shadow of death. Or watching a scary movie. You will surely jump out of your skin if you find a scorpion crawling up in your shoe. There is also the fear of death and suffering. Like watching a loved one go through cancer treatment, or the potential of losing a job, having a miscarriage, or being involved in a car accident. Unfortunately, there isn’t a limit to what our brains can concoct that is potentially fearful, some of it legitimate and some of it irrational.
Either way, we can find hope and an anchor in the storm that is our fear in Jesus, because He has a lot to say about fear in scripture. “Fear not…” is a common reminder in the Word, because we are often forgetful, and we can try to imagine the future before it has even happened, leading to a lot of fear and anxiety.
Jesus reminds us that we can trust God as our good Father. He will fight for us. He will cover and protect us. He will calm the storms in our minds and hearts. All He asks is that we turn our eyes from our fears to Him.
The fear of God is a good fear. Until we understand who God is and develop a reverential fear of Him, we are missing out on a lot of good things, including gaining true wisdom.
True wisdom comes only from understanding who God is and that He is holy, just, and righteous. “And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name. He is your praise; He is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes.” (Deuteronomy 10:12, 20-21)
The fear of God is the basis for our walking in His ways, serving Him, and, yes, loving Him. That’s why we shouldn’t shy away from talking and thinking about the fear of God. The loss of the fear of God is what ushered in our age of anxiety, and the fear of God is the very antidote to our fretfulness.
Have a great week.
Kingdom Dynamics, a weekly column written by Dr. Babatunde Olugboji, the President, Kingdom House, a non-profit organization in New Jersey, USA.
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