Who we fear determines how we live and how we live determines the legacy we leave to generations coming after us.
Fear assigns the resources of your life. Your time, energy and money will be spent according to your fears. The fear of being rejected can cause you to spend a lot of time, money and energy on fashion. Fear of being alone can drive you to spend a lot of time, money and energy on online dating.
Lesser fears sabotage your ability to be who God created you to be. Some of the top fears in society:
1. Rejection
2. Loneliness
3. Failure
4. Change
5. Loss of freedom
6. Being judged
7. Something bad happening
What kind of fear is in operation in your life today? This is why it is so important for us to understand the fear of the Lord. Recently I shared the illustration of the train. Imagine that you and your friend are crossing a bridge on train tracks and you get midway when your friend decides it’s a good idea to jump in. You’re standing there wanting to jump in but afraid of jumping from that height.
Suddenly a train rounds the corner and you realize there is no way to make it off the bridge before the train gets to you, so you jump. You didn’t need prayer to get past your fear. The greater fear simply did its work and had its way because it existed in your heart.
This is all about perspective. Growing in the fear of the Lord positions all other fears in their place as lesser fears. The fear of man, the fear of failure, the fear of a shaky economy, the fear of the wrong person elected to office are all lesser fears than the fear of God.
The fear of the Lord is the awe filled awakening of the human heart to the overwhelming majesty of our creator God.
Isaiah 33:6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.
So many times people will quote Philippians 4:13 declaring how they can do all things through Christ referencing how they can face difficulty in a way that calms the storm or kills the giant. There is incredible power from God available to our lives but interestingly the context of this particular verse is aligning in a different direction.
Proverbs 14:26 says the fear of the Lord is a strong confidence. This produces a perspective that cannot be shaken by the things of this world circumstances and opinions.
Do other people’s opinions have an effect on your life?
How does the praise of man affect you? Ever had somebody refuse your Facebook friend request or unfollow you on Instagram? How much did this control your thinking for how long?
John 12:42-43 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. 43 For they loved praise from men more than praise from God. BSB
Your reputation is who others think you are while your character is who you truly are. Character truly matters! Ask any Rabbi what most important confession of Bible, “The Lord our God is one” speaks of God’s character of holiness. We are created in God’s image.
Genesis 1:26 Says God made man in His image and then He said let man (rule and have dominion)… NIV
In God’s image you are one (the essence of character) and this positions you to THEN be trusted with rule and dominion. Character is about being somebody without being somebody else because you are one person in the image the Lord our God, One God. The use of the word, “character” in different ways reveals something interesting for us to understand.
In theater, you don’t break character, or your acting reveals a different person in the moment. Alphanumeric characters never change. It doesn’t matter if it is a casual note or a formal letter to the President. Your character should remain the same no matter who you are in front of, without changing. Perhaps you’ve known somebody who acts one way with one group of people and another with another group.
This kind of person changes depending on who he or she stands in front of in life. Some would call this person, “two faced” never really knowing which person you’re going to get. If I know there is only one of you, I can trust you. When there are two of you it lends toward great confusion and tremendous mistrust.
Who we fear determines how we live. There is a fear of man that is normal, healthy and even Biblical. My boss is an earthly authority over my life and I’m told to respect that authority. But my God is a greater authority. If my boss ever violates my God in his directives in my life, then my confidence in my God as my true source of provision will produce in me the confidence not to waver in my character.
A boy was playing in the back yard and accidentally broke his mother’s plant. His older sister saw the whole thing and she came to his rescue helping him clean up the message. She even took the time to explain how they could keep their mom from ever finding out. In exchange, she demanded he do some of her chores or she would tell on him. After a few days of his sister using this against him he finally broke down and went to his mom. She responded, “I was watching through the window when it happened. I was waiting to see how long it would take you to come tell me the truth.”
Because the boy feared his manipulative sibling, he was sifted into pressures and requirements that should not have been taking place. Many of us are just like this. Because we carry guilt for bad decisions and even sin that we aren’t bringing before the Lord the enemy has been manipulating us costing us time, energy and money.
Fearing anybody or anything more than you fear God positions you in a very vulnerable place. Great strength comes from knowing who you are before your God.
When you bow down in humility you rise up in boldness. This is true boldness not some fabricated courage that is born from an insecure reaction.
You really can trust Jesus. He has your best interests in mind and wants you to become all God has designed you to be. Anything else is simply unfulfilling and disappointing.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Pray and ask God to reveal what is truly taking place in your heart this week as you pay attention to your reactions and responses.
Discussion Guide for Community Leaders
TRUE TREASURE: WHO WE FEAR DETERMINES HOW WE LIVE
Click here for a downloadable pdf file of this guide.
UNDERSTANDING THE SEASON: Our pursuit of God has, in many ways, been reduced to the pursuit of asking God to give us worldly treasure. The Kingdom of God is a sacrificial Kingdom that is built on the sacrifice of Jesus and the continued sacrifice of God’s sons and daughters.
Isaiah 33:6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.
Kingdom Treasure is found in a deeper pursuit of the things that truly matter. This true treasure of God’s Kingdom is central to the understanding that we are blessed to be a blessing!
We want to start our group meetings making room for conversation that brings confirmation that God is speaking to us all as we discuss what we are hearing from the Lord as a family:
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Where are you reading in your Bible and what are you sensing from God?
2. What are some ways other people’s opinions have had an effect on your life good or bad?
3. What do you believe are the primary differences between your reputation and your character?
John 12:42-43 Nevertheless, many of the leaders believed in Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue. For they loved praise from men more than praise from God. (Berean Study Bible)
Who we fear determines how we live and how we live determines the legacy we leave to generations coming after us.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
4. Can you think of a time when fear led you to a decision in your life that you now regret and are you willing to share this?
The context of one of the most used verses of all time is Phil 4:13 declaring that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. This verse is commonly used to face and to change adversarial circumstances and situations.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
5. When you read this verse in context what do you notice about what Paul is saying?
Philippians 4:11-14 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength. Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. NIV
Take some time this week in your place of prayer and truly ask God to help you address the deeper fears that exist in your life. Rehearse our key verse for this season embracing the fear of the Lord as the only fear that will truly control the decisions you make.
Isaiah 33:6 He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.
We Bring GP2RL Action Point:
Pray and ask God to reveal what is truly taking place in your heart this week as you pay attention to your reactions and responses.