Taking the Fear out of Fear

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverb 1:7)

I find it interesting how some Christian teachers attempt to dumb down the word “fear” as it relates to God. Often we are told this use of the word “fear” does not mean to terrify or scare; rather, it means to reverence or respect, as if any of these words are antonyms; they are actually synonyms. The closest ideal to God in this life is our dad. This is one reason God is called The Father. A child, rightly so, does respect his or her dad; however, the fact is when a father is doing a good job, there are some things his children will not do because they are afraid of incurring dad’s chastening. Sometimes taking the right course is fostered by avoiding the painful strap of correction. Ironically the book of Proverbs is written by a father to his son, laying out the principles of human nature and their behavioral causes and consequential effects. The effects of unrighteous behavior are meant to be a terror to us. If we would be honest with ourselves, at some point in life each of us did right, not because it was right, but we were just downright scared to do wrong. That fear preserved us until we came to understand why right is right and wrong is wrong.

Yuri Solomon (Devotion 101313)

The Daniel Discipline iii

Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. (Daniel 3:19)

God wants to put your faith on display for others to see how much you fear Him and love Him. Fire in the bible often is indicative of one’s faith being judged. Did you study the word, pray, fast, attend church and take advantage of opportunity to strengthen your faith by using it while you had a chance? God never sends us any challenges, which He did not first send us opportunity to prepare for.

Paul states that we move from faith to faith (Romans 1:17) and glory to glory (2Co 3:18). Each faith level is only completed after having stood a testing of your faith and passing it by trusting God in matters that opposed your faith. In other words, no one can see faith in your heart; it can only be seen by what you do in test and trial.

Here, these three young Hebrew boys (around the age of 14 years old) had resist eating the king’s meat in chapter 1, overcame the king’s madness in chapter 2, and now would not bow to the king's music in chapter 3. Here, they are not only met with a fiery challenge to their faith, but the furnace is heated seven times hotter than normal. Their faith is tested to the 7^th power. The number “7” is the number of perfection, maturity, or completion, indicating that their faith was tested to its fullest extent. And what further extent is there when you are faced with death because you live for Jesus? How did these children stand? They determined that the outcome was ASSURED by God’s promises, regardless of the king's determination. God would either deliver them from the fire or through the fire to heaven. The ultimate goal was only AGREEMENT with God's word, will, way, and work. Thus their course was ABSOLUTE: "We will never serve thy gods!"

Yet as Christians, we could never have known the fullness of Christ without the cross. Jesus had His own fiery furnace experience in the Garden of Gethsemane. He says, “Father, I know you are able to make this bitter cup pass from me, but if not, not my will but thy will be done.” And God did not deliver Him. He went on to the cross so that humanity could see all the vigor, vitality, and virtue that adorned His love for God the Father. The cross squeezed out of Him every drop of the saving beauty that calls us to worship Him, like a wine press squeezes the juice out of the grape. John says, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

A young lady told me “Pastor I really want God to use me!” I said to her “You must be talking about use on your terms rather than His; because, every time the enemy’s music plays, you dance; every time the enemy voices a threat, you’re bending and bowing. Sweetheart, just don’t bow at standing time and God will be using you.” The old hymnologist wrote,

Stand up, Stand up for Jesus
Ye soldiers of the cross
Lift high His royal banner
It must not suffer loss
From victory unto victory
His army shall He lead
Till every foe is vanquished
And Christ is Lord indeed

Faith is not easy. Obedience rarely feels good in the moment. Your friends may not like it. Your family may not understand it. But if your faith in God never takes you out of your comfort zone, you don’t have any faith. Crosses always come before crowns, and crowns always come after crosses.