What does it mean to Fear the LORD?

We are told that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom. But what does it mean really?

Perhaps you have been misled to think that God is unapproachable, too detached or even too busy to think of you let alone give an ear. The phrase “fear the Lord” has also been misunderstood and makes one flee from the Lord rather than run to him for help.

The fear of the Lord can be defined as having a specific sense of respect, awe and submission to God. To submit to him, you also need to obey and believe in his word and in his power. It sounds pretty straight forward but thankfully the scripture reveals more on this.

How to practice the Fear of the LORD

As believers it is imperative to study scripture thoroughly  and find what the Lord requires of us. After all the Lord promised that his Holy Spirit will help us and even teach us all things!

 Sadly many have confused the fear of the Lord with outward behavior and rituals, forgetting that it is a matter of the heart. Whatever is in your  heart eventually springs forth and will be visible to all. Today, you will see that despite your past, you can really learn how to fear the Lord.

Let’s take a look at a couple of verses from scripture that speak about Fearing the Lord

• Psalms 34:11-14

Come, my children, listen to me;
    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
Whoever of you loves life
    and desires to see many good days,
keep your tongue from evil
    and your lips from telling lies.
Turn from evil and do good;
    seek peace and pursue it.

• Job 1:8

“Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”

• James 3:9 -12

“With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. ¹⁰ Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. ¹¹ Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹² My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

• Matthew 15:17- 20

“Don’t you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? ¹⁸ But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. ¹⁹ For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. ²⁰ These are what defile a person; 

Therefore we can deduce that Fearing The Lord is a matter of one’s Speech and Conduct.

1. Speech
   
   a) Keep your tongue from Evil and Lips from telling lies
   Tame your tongue. The Lord despises a perverted mouth. I’m certain this goes for what we say about others as well as what we say and think about ourselves.
   The scriptures tell us that we should not use our mouths to both praise and curse. It seems that the curses spoken end up defiling the person, because out of the fullness of the heart the mouth speaks. Jesus taught his disciples that the things that come out of a person’s mouth come out of the heart and these defile them.
   
   b) Praise God Alone
   The tongue and mouth should be an instrument with which we should praise God Alone and worship his Holy Name.
   If speaking evil defiles the heart then we can conclude that speaking  truth  sanctifies. Jesus prayed to God “Sanctify them by the  truth, your word is truth.” John 17: 17
   Hallelujah!! Let us use our lips and mouths to praise God and speak the truth.
   
   “Through  Jesus, therefore let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others for with such sacrifices God is pleased”  Hebrews 13:15-16
2. Conduct
   
   a) Turn from evil
   Change your ways and shun evil. In the event that evil hurls itself to your face, do what Joseph of old did (Genesis 39:10 – 12). He avoided Potiphar’s wife and when she caught him, he fled! Don’t try to prove yourself as “strong”enough in such situations.
   b) Do good
   Avoiding evil alone isn’t enough, you need to do good. Do what is good in God’s eyes, not your eyes!
   
    If you follow the story of Joseph, (Genesis 39 – 43) he was wrongly imprisoned by Potiphar. While in the dungeon, he did not become bitter nor did he wallow in self- pity. Infact the prison warden put him in charge of other prisoners. Joseph cared for them and was concerned about their wellbeing. He even asked one of the new in mates  ”Why do you look so sad today”?  This question alone would go a long way in rekindling many broken family relationships that exist today!
   To cut the story short, it  led to a conversation about dreams that eventually caused Joseph to meet Pharaoh who promptly elevated him to Governor of Egypt!
   
   c) Seek Peace and pursue it
   Take the initiative to make peace, take the first step to apologize and  ask for forgiveness. Show grace to those who have wronged you, like Joseph. He made peace with his brothers and did not retaliate though he had the power to do so. He reassured them in his speech and his actions backed what he said.
   
   He  not only forgave them ,but went ahead to invite all his brothers their families and his father to come live with him in Egypt where they would escape the severe famine and death.70 Persons in all he welcomed who later grew into an entire nation, the nation of Israel!
   
   d) Avoid Pride and embrace humility
   The Lord hates pride and arrogance. Pride also always comes before a fall. In today’s world we so often mistake pride for confidence and humility for weakness.

Why Fear the LORD?

• He reveals his ways to those who fear him.
  ”The Lord confides in those who fear him and makes his covenant known to them.” Psalms 25: 14
  
• You will lack no good thing
  “Fear the LORD you his holy people for those who fear him lack nothing. The lions may grow weak and hungry but those who fear the Lord lack no good thing” Psalms 34: 9

• Pathway to wisdom
  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom” Psalms 111:10

• You will be protected and blessed by God
  “But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love to deliver them from death and keep them alive in famine.” Psalms 33:18
  “Praise the LORD .Blessed are those who fear the LORD who find great delight in his commands.” Psalms 112:1

• The Lord loves those who fear him
  “As a Father has compassion on his children so does the Lord have compassion on those who fear him” Psalms 103:13
  “From everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him” Psalms 103:17

I’m sure by now you are convinced that one can learn to fear the Lord, this is only the beginning of wisdom. You should be on track to enjoying a wonderful and intimate relationship with the LORD. God bless you.