This document discusses the fear of God based on passages from the Old and New Testaments. It defines the fear of God as worshipping and serving God alone. It explores how encountering God leads to fearing him, and how both positive and negative circumstances can cultivate fear of God. Fear of God is characterized by making right choices, and has benefits like long life. The document urges continuing to work out salvation with fear and trembling, using fear of God as motivation for ministry and persuading others. It concludes that fearing God by keeping his commandments is the duty of all people.

1. – A NEGLECTED TRUTH
By Rev Colin Hurt
SSMC
SUNGAI WAY-SUBANG
METHODIST
C H U R C H
19 APRIL 2015

2. 2 Chronicles 26:5 (HCSB)
5 He sought God throughout the lifetime of Zechariah, the teacher of the fear
of God. During the time that he sought the LORD, God gave him success.
2 Chronicles 26:5 (NLT)
5 Uzziah sought God during the days of Zechariah, who taught him to fear God.
And as long as the king sought guidance from the LORD, God gave him success.
2 Chronicles 26:5 (GW)
5 He dedicated his life to serving God in the days of Zechariah, who taught him
to fear God. As long as he dedicated his life to serving the LORD, the LORD gave
him success.
2 Ch 26:5 (NIV )
He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of
God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.
This was king Uzziah. He was a successful king.
His kingdom was built on the fear of God

3. Matthew 4:10 (NASB)
10 Then Jesus *said to him, "Go, Satan! For it is written, 'YOU SHALL
WORSHIP THE LORD YOUR GOD, AND SERVE HIM ONLY.'"
Deuteronomy 6:13 (NKJV)
13 You shall fear the LORD your God and serve Him, and shall take
oaths in His name.
Worship and the fear of the
Lord are synonymous.
INTRODUCTION

4. Jacob
Gen 28:17 NIV He was afraid and said, "How awesome is this place! This is
none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven."
Moses
Heb 12:21 NIV The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling
with fear."
Isaiah
Isa 6:5 NIV "Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean
lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the
King, the LORD Almighty."
Revelation 1:17 (NASB)
17 When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right
hand on me, saying, "Do not be afraid; I am the first and the last,
HOW TO OBTAIN THE FEAR OF GOD -
ENCOUNTER WITH GOD

5. NEGATIVE EVENTS
Act 5:11 NIV Great fear seized the whole church and all who heard about
these events.
Act 19:17 NIV When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in
Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was
held in high honor.
POSITIVE EVENTS
Act 9:31 NIV Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria
enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the
Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
HOW TO OBTAIN THE FEAR OF GOD -
CIRCUMSTANCES

6. SOLOMON THE TEACHER OF THE FEAR OF GOD
THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS A CHOICE
Pro 1:28-29 NIV "Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will
look for me but will not find me, 29 since they hated knowledge and did
not choose to fear the LORD.
Pro 2:1-5 NIV My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands
within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to
understanding-- 3 indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for
understanding, 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for
hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find
the knowledge of God.
Pro 23:17 NIV Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for
the fear of the LORD.
OLD TESTAMENT TEACHING
ON THE FEAR OF GOD

7. Pro 1:7 NIV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Pro 9:10 NIV The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
The most common definition of wisdom is, that it is the
choice of the best end and the selection of the most
appropriate means for the accomplishment of that end.
(Charles Finney)
THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE FIRST
EDUCATIONAL PRINCIPLE

8. THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS
CHARACTERISED BY RIGHT CHOICES
• Pro 3:7-8 NIV Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear
the LORD and shun evil. 8 This will bring health to your
body and nourishment to your bones.
• Pro 8:13 NIV To fear the LORD is to hate evil; I hate
pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse
speech.
• Pro 16:6 NIV Through love and faithfulness sin is
atoned for; through the fear of the LORD evil is
avoided.

9. THE FEAR OF THE LORD HAS BENEFITS
• Pro 10:27 NIV The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but
the years of the wicked are cut short.
• Pro 14:26 NIV Whoever fears the LORD has a secure
fortress, and for their children it will be a refuge.
• Pro 14:27 NIV The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life,
turning a person from the snares of death.
• Pro 15:16 NIV Better a little with the fear of the LORD than
great wealth with turmoil.
• Pro 19:23 NIV The fear of the LORD leads to life; then one
rests content, untouched by trouble.
• Pro 22:4 NIV Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are
riches and honor and life.

10. NEW TESTAMENT TEACHING
ON THE FEAR OF GOD
PAUL THE TEACHER OF THE FEAR OF GOD
FEAR IS OUR MOTIVATION TO GROWTH
Php 2:12-13 NIV Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--
not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to
work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who
works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
The power to will and the power to act must necessarily come from God… but
the act of volition and the act of working come from the man. God gives power to
will, man wills through that power; God gives power to act, and man acts through
that power. Without the power to will, man can will nothing; without the power
to work, man can do nothing. God neither wills for man, nor works in man's
stead, but he furnishes him with power to do both; he is therefore accountable to
God for these powers.
Adam Clarke's Commentary.

11. FEAR IS OUR MOTIVATION TO MINISTRY
2Co 5:10-11 NIV For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ,
so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in
the body, whether good or bad. 11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear
the Lord, we try to persuade others. What we are is plain to God, and I
hope it is also plain to your conscience.
This is ministry in evangelism.
Act 26:28 NIV Then Agrippa said to Paul, "Do you think that in such a short
time you can persuade me to be a Christian?"
It is also ministry in discipling.
Act 13:43 NIV When the congregation was dismissed, many of the Jews
and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked
with them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.
This was at Antioch in Pisidia.

12. THE CONCLUSION
Ecc 3:14 NIV I know that everything God does will endure forever;
nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so
that people will fear him.
Ecc 5:7 NIV Much dreaming and many words are meaningless.
Therefore fear God.
Ecc 8:12 NIV Although a wicked person who commits a hundred
crimes may live a long time, I know that it will go better with those
who fear God, who are reverent before him.
Ecc 12:13 NIV Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the
matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of
all mankind.