Why the World Needs to
Fear God
Study Series on the Fear of God
Proverbs 22:4
Pastor
Craig Ledbetter
DATE: 19
Oct, 2008 AM
PLACE:
I.
Introduction
A.
The entire year we have been
focusing on knee exercises – bowing the knee that is. Learning how to live the
yielded life towards God
B.
This month we are looking at
another attitude that is vital in bowing the knee – that if the fear of God
C.
We spend too much time
worrying about what people think
D.
What does God think, and more
importantly, what should our attitude be towards God’s power – He is GOD last
time I checked!
E.
Three things we will look at
this month:
1.
Last week we looked at the
Humility in the Fear of the Lord
2.
This morning, The Honour of
the Fear of the Lord
3.
Next week, The Horrors of Not
Fearing the Lord
F.
This morning I want to show
you the benefits of fearing God. They are broadly listed in Proverbs 22:4
1.
Riches
2.
Honour
3.
Life
G.
Sounds like the things we all
seek for, but never find!
H.
In this day and age, the fear
of God is almost completely GONE, and so people instead fear almost everything
else: fear of the dark, fear of failure, fear of being fat, fear of ridicule,
fear of germs, fear of alien abductions, fear of bugs, fear of rejection, fear
of losing your hair, fear of nightmares, fear of Satan and demons, fear of black
cats, fear of enemies, fear of ghosts, fear of the future, and even the fear of
being hurt in relationships!
I.
Some people worry about
Fashion, Friends, Future careers, Foes, Funds, Fun
J.
It’s funny how one single
proper fear can fix all those messed up fears… The fear of the Lord!
K.
The benefits of right fear
towards God
II.
Message
A.
Two Kinds of Fear
1.
The Fear of Life
a.
Fear, or Worry about
people, possibilities, about life’s problems
b.
Whether we admit it or
not, we fear loads of things, some more than others
c.
But according to God, they
are not worth worrying about
d.
What do people naturally
fear?
1)
People Fear False gods and
religions (2Kings 17:38)
a)
False gods of death and
diseases
b)
False god of war
c)
False god of hell
d)
False gods of education
and government
e)
It is very hard to stand
up to these because they seem very powerful, and are usually very popular
2)
People Fear People
(Proverb 29:25)
a)
Abraham feared people
(Genesis 12:11-13)
b)
Peter feared people
(Matthew 26:69-74)
3)
People Fear Life’s
troubles and calamities (Luke 21:25-28)
a)
World disasters
b)
Unexpected things
c)
To the majority, life is
scary
d)
Death (Heb 2:15)
e)
To the believer, it causes
us to get excited!
2.
The Fear of the Lord
(Hebrews 10:31)
a.
Deuteronomy 13:4
b.
Proverbs 23:17
c.
Acts 9:31
d.
What is the Fear of the
Lord? (Hebrews 12:28,29)
1)
Simple Definition: "The
continual awareness that I am in the presence of a holy, just and Almighty God,
and that my every thought, word, and action is open before Him and will be
judged by Him."
2)
It simply means to worry
about GOD getting upset with you
a)
If your friends are upset
at you, or your girlfriend, or your boss, then that is nothing to worry or be
fearful about
b)
But, if GOD is angry with
you, then THAT is something to be worried about
3)
People don’t like to think
that God gets angry – but He does!
4)
And people don’t WANT to
allow Him the right to be very upset with them and how they live – But He does
e.
EVERYBODY, no matter where
they live, should fear God!
B.
Why Fear God?
1.
Because the Lord will judge
you and me. 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10, 12
2.
Because the Lord will expose
all my secret sins. Luke 8:17; 12:3
3.
Because, since He is GOD,
He has the final say about our lives and how we lived them (Luke 12:4,5)
4.
Because one fear is
better, and cancels out the other! I’ll
give you ONE guess, which fear is more powerful, and better for you than the
other one!
a.
Genesis 15:1
b.
Luke 2:9,10
c.
Luke 12:32
d.
Revelation 1:17
5.
Because the
fear of the Lord causes smart people to
run to Jesus for salvation!
6.
So, it is obvious that we
should simply Fear God instead of anything else
a.
We should Fear going against
His word – clear instructions should never be disobeyed (i.e., like in a machine
shop)
b.
We should Fear going against
His will – Jonah
c.
We should Fear going against
His warnings – Adam and Eve
d.
We should Fear missing out on
God’s blessings (Hebrews 4:1)
C.
The Peril of Wrong Fear
1.
People who fear things in
life, and people, and troubles, live dangerously
2.
Some people live like they
have no fears at all – but they lie
3.
Wrong Fears Can Trap You
(Proverbs 29:25)
a.
Abraham, for fear of man,
denied his wife – and was trapped watching another man take her into his home!
b.
Peter out of the fear of
man denied his Master and was trapped watching helplessly as they led away and
beat Jesus
c.
Many a man has denied his
God and his own faith, just because of fear
d.
And then you are trapped
by those people you are afraid of
4.
Wrong Fears Can Limit You
a.
Fear of failure is big
enough to stop most people from attempting great things for God
b.
Many a man has missed
God’s will because of being afraid of rejection
c.
It’s like the young man
who wouldn’t go up to a young lady to ask her out on a date because he was so
sure she would say, “Drop dead!”
d.
My motto is, pray, and get
the peace of God, and then see what happens!
5.
Wrong Fears Can Damn You
(Revelation 21:8)
6.
Wrong fears are a tool of
the devil to control and destroy you!
D.
The Blessings of JUST
Fearing God
1.
They are broadly listed in
Proverbs 22:4
a.
Riches – more than just
physical riches
b.
Honour – more than just the
praises of man
c.
Life – more than just a long
life
2.
Let’s look at the benefits:
a.
It will make you smart
(Proverbs 1:7; 9:10)
b.
It will simplify your life
(Proverbs 15:16)
c.
It will save your soul (Acts
13:26, 38-41; Acts 10:1,2, 34,35)
d.
It will remove all other fears
(Psalm 27:1-4)
e.
It will break your sinful
habits (Proverbs 3:7; 16:6)
f.
It will lengthen your life
(Proverbs 10:27)
g.
It will cause God to protect
you (Psalm 34:7,8)
h.
It will unlock God’s provision
for you (Psalm 34:9,10), and will satisfy you (Proverbs 19:23)
i.
It will help you worship God
right (Psalm 5:7)
j.
It will honour you (Proverbs
31:30)
k.
It will bless your home and
family (Psalm 128:1-6)
l.
It will strengthen your
confidence (Proverbs 14:26; Heb 4:16)
m.
It will get you out of trouble
with God (Psalm 103:11)
n.
It will please the Lord (Psalm
147:11)
III.
Conclusion
A.
There is not another truth
that is connected with so many promises in God's Word as the fear of God.
1.
But we should not fear Him
only for the promises.
2.
Our relationship with Him is
not a trading transaction, but a fellowship of love whose aim is to know Him
through the door that is called Jesus Christ. It is
He that prepared everything that was
required for our entrance to the throne. Without Jesus, we would only have
righteous judgment against us
3.
In other words, if you would
just worry about obeying God, then He will take care of the rest (Proverbs
16:7)!
B.
What are the Two Kinds
of Fear that People Experience?
1.
The Fear of Life - worries
about people, possibilities, and life’s problems
2.
The Fear of the Lord
(Hebrews 10:31)
C.
What is the Fear of the
Lord? “To
worry about GOD getting upset with you”
D.
Why Fear God?
1.
Because the Lord will judge
you and me.
2.
Because the Lord will expose
all my secret sins.
3.
Because, since He is GOD,
He has the final say about our lives and how we lived them (Luke 12:4,5)
4.
Because the
fear of the Lord causes smart people to
run to Jesus for salvation!
5.
Because one fear is
better, and cancels out the other! I’ll
give you ONE guess, which fear is more powerful, and better for you than the
other one!
E.
What Happens When People
have the Wrong Fear?
The devil uses that fear
to control, limit, and dame you!
F.
There are almost Unlimited
Blessings of JUST Fearing God - They are broadly
listed in Proverbs 22:4
1.
Riches – more than just
physical riches
2.
Honour – more than just the
praises of man
3.
Life – more than just a long
life
G.
What do you and I constantly
need to do? Draw nigh to God, and ask God to teach us how to properly fear Him
1.
First as God Almighty
2.
Then as God your Saviour
3.
Then forever as God your only
joy and life