Jesus says Fear God

Luke 12:4-7 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into @#!*% ; yes, I say to you, fear Him! Are not five sparrows sold for two copper coins? And not one of them is forgotten before God. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” NKJV

Fear is an emotion that we all grapple with at various points or stages in our individual human lives. The original disciples were no different men than you and I are today. These men lived during a time when the Roman Government was in control over their country as well as most of the known world at that time. The Romans were vicious, brutal, and barbaric men who would kill just for sport. Today we have what is called Ultimate Fighting where two men are put into a cage to fight until one surrenders or submits or is injured so bad that he cannot continue. However, we know from recorded history that the Roman Emperors like Julius Caesar and the successors that followed him in rule and authority made me fight one another until one killed the other while the Emperor and the ordinary Roman citizens watched on for entertainment.

Romans 3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” NKJV

Psalms 9:17 The wicked shall be turned into @#!*% , And all the nations that forget God. NKJV

These were the type of people our Lord was going to send His disciples among carrying His gospel of grace. It is easier understood when He said to them on another occasion, “I send you out as sheep amongst wolves, therefore be as wise as a serpent but as innocent as a dove.” Our Lord knew the wicked heart of all men but He knew in particular the people the Apostles would encounter on a daily basis and the Jewish people would also oppose them and attack them physically at every opportunity. Now with this back drop painted we can get a very clear picture of why our Lord spoke to them and the multitude about placing their fear in the proper place and that is to fear God. The Bible speaks of the fear of God or the fear of the Lord many times in the Scripture from the Old to the New Testament.

Deuteronomy 10:20 You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name. NKJV

Job 28:28 And to man He said, “Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.” NKJV

Psalms 33:8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. NKJV

Revelation 14:7 “Saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.’” NKJV

Our Lord knew what was ahead for His disciples but He also was speaking to the large crowd that gathered knowing that they needed to hear these words even more than His disciples. The message of fear God rather than man is not one that is easily received by human nature. In this case of the disciples and the crowd listening to our Lord they had witnessed all their lives the Romans hanging men on crosses for their rebellion and sedition (men trying to overthrow the Roman authority) and other crimes. The people would have been witness to many such cases of brutal killings of Jews that opposed the Roman Government. It was by very fear and intimidation that the Romans kept the Jewish people under their thumb. They could not see God and so went about their daily lives minus the fear of God controlling their conduct and behavior, but they did see what Roman men did to their fellow Jews. Enter the Son of God on the scene and He walks where He pleases and speaks nothing but the truth everywhere He goes with no thought of attack from the Romans or the Jewish religious rulers. Our Lord by the way He lived every day demonstrated that He did not fear man no matter what level of authority the man held. The fear of man brings a snare or traps and will lead people to forfeit their eternal soul submitting their lives to the pleasure of this world and sin to prevent being hated or persecuted for righteousness sakes.

Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man brings a snare, But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe. NKJV

Jeremiah 1:8 “Do not be afraid of their faces, For I am with you to deliver you, says the LORD.” NKJV

Ezekiel 2:6 “And you, son of man, do not be afraid of them nor be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns are with you and you dwell among scorpions; do not be afraid of their words or dismayed by their looks, though they are a rebellious house.” NKJV

Philippians 1:27-28 Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. NKJV

1 Peter 3:14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.” NKJV

We remember in the parable of the sower that some men’s hearts are so captivated by the pleasures and cares of this world that the Word of God will never be able to get in and produce a change in them by way of the new birth. Our Lord also said on another occasion that the world will hate those who belong to Him and the Apostle Paul said that every true believer who lived a godly life would be persecuted. All of these things turn those away from trusting our Lord and confessing Him before men because of the fear of man and not the fear of God. Then our Lord refers to one of the smallest of creatures (the sparrow) and relays to them how God cares for this little seemingly insignificant creature and how nothing or no one can harm it or touch it unless He (God) gives permission. Therefore, how much more will He (God the Father) protect those of us who love and belong to our Lord Jesus Christ by new birth through His shed blood on Calvary for we are of far more value to our Father in Heaven for He has loved us as He loved our Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:23). We have nothing to fear from any man that would cause us to release our hands from the plow and look back to our life of sin, worldliness, and depravity. For we have not been born again by or given a spirit of fear, but on the contrary a spirit of love, and of power, and of a sound mind, a self-disciplined mind, and a self-controlled mind.

Psalms 34:11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. NKJV

Proverbs 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. NKJV

Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One  is understanding. NKJV

Proverbs 23:17 Do not let your heart envy sinners, But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day! NKJV

Our Lord wanted His own disciples and the crowd to know that they have but one life and one soul and that what men can do to them was temporary but God will render true judgment upon every soul without favoritism and He will cast into @#!*% those not united with Christ by way of the new birth. The fear of God should be far more preeminent and ruling in the hearts of men and women by simply understanding who He is and what He is capable of doing by His mighty power that has no equal. The soul resting in the grace, mercy, and love of God need fear no man’s actions upon his physical tent, house, or body where he lives because our soul (the real us) belongs to our Lord Jesus Christ and at the moment our tent, house, body is killed we go immediately into the presence of our Lord as Paul said, “Absent from the body, present with the Lord.”

Psalms 27:1-4 The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident. One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. NKJV

Acts 9:31 Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied. NKJV

2 Corinthians 7:1 Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. NKJV

“Life is sweet, and death bitter; but eternal life is more sweet, and eternal death more bitter.” Bishop Hooper 1495-1555

“Christian, let God's distinguishing love to you be a motive to you to fear Him greatly. He has put His fear in your heart, and may not have given that blessing to your neighbor, perhaps not to your husband, your wife, your child, or your parent. Oh, what an obligation should this thought lay upon your heart to greatly fear the Lord! Remember also that this fear of the Lord is His treasure, a choice jewel, given only to favorites, and to those who are greatly beloved.” John Bunyan 1628-1688

“We fear men so much, because we fear God so little. One fear cures another. When man's terror scares you, turn your thoughts to the wrath of God.” William Gurnall 1617-1679

“To fear the Lord is to tremble at the thought of offending him by unbelief and disobedience. It is the feeling that God is not to be trifled with... Those who fear God shudder at the thought of speaking that way about their Majestic Father. Anything that dishonors God is anathema to those who fear God.” John Piper

 If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reader, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…