You have likely heard it said that the Bible says, “Fear not” 365 times, one for every day of the year. And we think in our heads, yes, I won’t fear. We want to stand our ground and just be brave as if the thing is not really fearful. But when you go to the original Greek or Hebrew, the word for fear in this phrase means essentially being afraid of something more powerful than you. It is the giants in our lives that come at us. To just say, “don’t be afraid” is not accurately what the Bible is teaching; it is actually teaching to not be afraid BECAUSE your God is bigger. The fear you have is real, the giant is real, but the Bible is telling you not to fear but instead to trust something even bigger, as David did with Goliath.
There is another root word for fear used in Proverbs 29:25, “the fear of man is a snare”. Here it is talking about a fear of something that is not more powerful than you, a fear that is silly and ultimately a snare or trap in your life. These types of fears are things like “worrying about what someone will say” or “worrying about what someone else thinks”. When you go to the root of this word fear, it is essentially saying it is foolish to worry about such things. It doesn’t tell you not to be afraid of it because there is nothing to be afraid of; it is a silly fear that should not be entertained. It is like the Bible is dismissing it as unimportant. How many times do we allow the fear of what people might say or think to stop us? According to the Bible, that is such a silly thought that it is not even worth being fearful at all. It is a trap, and we do not have to go far to see how this fear of man is indeed a trap. Interestingly, the root word of fear in the Bible verse, “The Fear of the Lord,” is the same root word as the root word in all the verses that say “fear not”. It speaks of being afraid of something stronger than you. Interesting right?
We often say the fear of the Lord is a reverential fear, and we think of it like respect. Like
respecting your elders. But the original Hebrew and Greek clearly said, we need to have a fear of God that is real. In Matthew 10:28, Jesus said, “ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” This Guy brought you into the world. He can take you out, literally. It is not OK for you to call yourself a Christian and then do whatever you want because God is love and there are no repercussions. There IS a Judgment Seat of Christ, there IS a God in heaven, and the only reason He has not taken you out IS His great love. But I would strongly encourage you not to keep pushing the “sin” envelope, thinking He is not watching, He does not care. He is watching, He does care, and He may discipline you if you keep it up. A good father does discipline His child. It will be for your good, but discipline can happen. According to Jesus, you need to be fearful of that. It will keep you on the right track. Have a great week!
Pastor Brian
| P.S. The purpose of the Great Awareness Church is to get Christians ready for Jesus’s coming. We preach Scripture and challenge our congregation to grow that relationship with Jesus. Join us won’t you? It is a real “coffee house” type feel. Please join us this Sunday at 10:30…we will have coffee and donuts for you! Get to know each other better as we walk through this thing called life. 900 Cripple Creek Drive, Lawrenceville. Or Stream it live on our YouTube channel @TheGreatAwarenessChurch . See you then!!!!! P.P.S. My book, “The Last Instructions of Jesus (Before He Comes Again),” is a deep dive into Revelation 2 and 3, Jesus’ last words and it is a game-changing book. You can click on this link to order or go online to Amazon, Barnes and Noble, etc. Click the link below and get yours today! https://www.westbowpress.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/867418-the-last-instructions-of-jesus |
| “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.”2 Corinthians 13:14 (NKJV) |
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