MEET GOD AND BE CHANGED (fear of God)

What Is the Fear of the Lord?

Revelation 1:17 shows that even the most intimate relationship with Jesus does not diminish His glory. He is Abba, yet His glory is so great that we cannot stand before His throne in our own strength. John, who leaned on Jesus at the Last Supper, fell prostrate before Him in Revelation. Let us not be blind to the greatness of His glory and power, but come trembling before His throne as true worshippers. True worship is standing before His throne, aware of the vast gulf between our wretchedness and His majesty, allowing His holy presence to overtake the darkness and expose what is hidden in our lives. The fear of the Lord is not fear of punishment rather it is fear of hurting God. It restrains us from speaking, acting, or even thinking in a way that grieves His heart.

Israel was in Egyptian captivity. Pharaoh, threatened by their growth, commanded the midwives to kill every newborn male. Exodus 1:17 says, "But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live." Pharaoh’s threat was real. He held power over their lives. In the natural, no fear seemed greater. Yet they obeyed God. This is how sin and fear are overcome. In this life, we may be afflicted by fear of the future, fear of the past, fear of men, fear of lack. These are overcome by the fear of God. The midwives could not countenance destroying the children of the living God. They were ready to sacrifice themselves rather than act against Him. Today, our bodies are the temple of the living God. How then can we countenance compromise against the law of the Spirit?

Where Does the Fear of God Come From?

It is a manifestation of the Holy Spirit. Isaiah 11:2 says, "The Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord." When we ask the Holy Spirit for the fear of God, He draws us into God’s presence. The fear of God is the presence of God made real to the heart. Just as fear of people arises when people are around us, the fear of God grows as His presence becomes more real to us than anything else.

Two Levels of the Fear of God

Level 1 - Fear of hurting Him. "I fear speaking something that will hurt His heart."

Level 2 - Fear of consequences. Matthew 10:28 says, "Do not fear those who destroy the body, but fear Him who can destroy both soul and body." This level is a safeguard for times when we are spiritually numb, but it is not where we are meant to remain.

We should desire the fear of God to be active in our lives, because it makes us obedient to Him.

The Result of the Midwives’ Profound Reverence for God

Exodus 1:21 says, "And because the midwives feared God, He established their families and households for them."

There is a way God establishes us, and there is a way the world establishes us. If the women had done what Pharaoh asked, perhaps they would have been rewarded on earth. But what about eternity? We must choose which reward we want.

In this world we may not always have much, but when we walk with God, we are storing up for eternity. The posture of a life surrendered to the fear of the Lord looks like this: "God, what is the work You want me to do? Who do You want me to marry? I have my dreams and desires, but I bring everything to You. Remove what You want. Add what You want."

When God draws a heart close to Himself, fears and apprehensions begin to dissolve in His presence. Prayer does not always change circumstances immediately, but it repositions the heart before God.

Moses at the Burning Bush

From Palace to Wilderness

Moses, raised in Pharaoh’s palace, believed God had chosen him to set His people free and acted in his own strength. He killed an Egyptian, was exposed, and fled. Many times we act in our own strength and it backfires. We move away from God’s presence and then find ourselves surrounded by consequences.

Exodus 3:1 says Moses was keeping the flock of his father in law Jethro and led them to Horeb, the mountain of God. The man who was once a prince, meant to lead the people of God, was now leading sheep. The world would look at his life and call it finished.

The Burning Bush

Exodus 3:2 says, "The angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed." In the desert, fire signals a person. Approaching the fire introduced Moses to the Person. He met God who was waiting for him, the great I AM, who transformed him.

The burning bush carries a double meaning. For Israel, the bush burning yet not consumed shows that though they were afflicted and suffering, they would not be destroyed. God was with them in the fire, sustaining them through it. For Moses, the bush also reflected his own life. It may have seemed as though everything had burned down to nothing. Yet God’s message was not that he would be burnt away, but that he would burn for God.

Turning Away from the Flock

Exodus 3:3 says, "I must turn away and see this great sight." Moses’ eyes were fixed.

To meet God, Moses had to turn away from the flock, from responsibilities, from thoughts, and from desires. We often want to hold on to everything and still come to God. But we cannot hear His voice while other voices are ringing in our heads. Either the world will fill our mind, or God will. When our mind is filled with God, the world loses its hold.

Jesus too turned away from the crowds, the demands, and even His disciples to be alone with the Father. Moses asked, "Why is the bush burning and yet not consumed?" This points to a secret of growth: those who desire to go deeper must learn to ask questions. Such hunger comes only from a true desire to know Him. Go near and see.

When God sees that the heart has turned toward Him, He begins to communicate.

Holy Ground

Exodus 3:5 says, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." Holy ground is wherever God is. Our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and when we pray, it becomes holy ground. Removing sandals means laying down our own walk, our own plans, and our own way of doing things. When we remove those, God gives us His plan and places His peace upon our feet.

God is Father, but He is also Lord above us. We cannot take His glory for granted. Exodus 3:6 says Moses hid his face, afraid to look at God. When we truly encounter His glory, all we can say is, "I cannot stand before You without Your blood."

God Sees, Hears, and Knows

Exodus 3:7 says, "I have seen the affliction of my people... I have heard their cry... and I know their suffering."

To say, "I know your pain," is true only when it has been entered into. God can say He knows our pain because He is with us and in us. Exodus 3:8 says, "I have come down to rescue them." He did not remain distant. He came down.

The land flowing with milk and honey points to the fullness of life in Him. Milk speaks of purity and nourishment. Honey speaks of tasting and seeing that He is good. When the Holy Spirit fills a person, He surrounds and strengthens them, and fear loses its grip.

The Commission

God heard the cry of His people and answered through Moses. Exodus 3:10 says, "Come now, and I will send you to Pharaoh." God hears the cry of the lost, but He often comes to us in order to answer them through us. Those in darkness and pain around us may find their answer through a life first filled by Him.

Exodus 3:11-12 reveals the exchange: Moses says, "Who am I?" God answers, "I am with you." Our inability is not the issue. The question is whether our eyes are fixed on Him. The cry that follows such an encounter is, "Show me Your glory." That is the cry the fear of God produces in us.

How to Respond

Ask questions - desire to know. Desire to understand, not merely observe. When we bring our questions to God, about Scripture, about life, about what He is saying, He answers.

Respond when God draws near. There are seasons when God comes close and invites us to prayer. When there is a burning bush, sit there in prayer, in study, and be changed by His glory.

Turn away and fix your eyes. We will not hear God’s voice while holding on to everything else. We must turn away from noise, responsibilities, desires, and thoughts, and give Him undivided attention.

"God, I want Your fear upon my life, because Your fear will cause me to walk in obedience to You."