Awe and Respect
The fear of God is a vital aspect of a believer's life, providing power to maintain victory in wicked times and resulting from a conscious decision to obey God's Word.
David Wilkerson emphasizes the necessity of cultivating a true fear of the Lord, which encompasses awe and respect but extends beyond that to a recognition of sin and a call to holiness. He references Psalm 36:1 to illustrate that a lack of godly fear leads to indulgence in evil, while Jeremiah 32:39-40 assures believers that God will instill His fear in their hearts through His Word. This fear is not magically bestowed but is developed through a conscious decision to obey God's commands, as exemplified by Ezra in Ezra 7:10. Wilkerson highlights that the fear of God is a theme present in both the Old and New Testaments, urging believers to cleanse themselves and pursue holiness in reverence to God.
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The Bible makes it clear that there is a fear of the Lord that every believer is to cultivate. True fear of God includes awe and respect, but it goes much further than that. David tells us, "The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes" (Psalm 36:1). David is saying, "When I see somebody indulging in evil, my heart tells me that such a person has no fear of God. He doesn't acknowledge the truth about sin, or about God's call to holiness."
The fact is, godly fear gives us power to maintain victory in wicked times. So, how do we obtain this fear? Jeremiah answers with this prophecy from God's Word: "I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: and I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me" (Jeremiah 32:39-40).
This is a wonderful promise from the Lord. It assures us he will provide us with his holy fear. God doesn't just drop this fear into our hearts in a supernatural flash. No, he puts his fear in us through his Word.
Does that mean God's fear is planted in our hearts when we merely read the Bible? No, not at all. It comes when we consciously decide that we are going to obey every word we read in God's Word. Scripture bears this out. It tells us this is how godly fear came upon Ezra: "Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it" (Ezra 7:10).
The fear of God isn't just an Old Testament concept. We see godly fear mentioned in both Testaments. The Old tells us, "Fear the Lord, and depart from evil" (Proverbs 3:7). Likewise, the New declares, "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Romans 3:18). Paul adds, "Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Corinthians 7:1).
Sermon Outline
- The Fear of God
- Obtaining Godly Fear
- The Importance of Godly Fear
- Godly fear is mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments
- Godly fear is essential for maintaining holiness
Key Quotes
“When I see somebody indulging in evil, my heart tells me that such a person has no fear of God.” — David Wilkerson
“I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:” — David Wilkerson
“Let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- We must consciously decide to obey God's Word in order to obtain the fear of God.
- The fear of God is essential for maintaining holiness and living a victorious life in wicked times.
- God will provide us with his holy fear through his Word, and it is available to all believers.