Fear of the Lord

The LORD of hosts, Him you shall hallow;
Let Him be your fear, And let Him be your dread.
Isaiah 8:12-13 (NKJV)

In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence,
And His children will have a place of refuge...
The fear of the LORD leads to life,
And he who has it will abide in satisfaction;
He will not be visited with evil...
By humility and the fear of the LORD
Are riches and honor and life.
Proverbs 14:26; 22:4; 19:23 (NKJV)

The LORD is with me as a mighty, awesome [terrifying] One.
Therefore my persecutors will stumble, and will not prevail...
O LORD of hosts, You who test the righteous,
And see the mind and heart ...
I have pleaded my cause before You.
Jeremiah 20:11-12 (NKJV, amplified)

My husband is a police officer—a civil warrior. As confident as our children are of his love for them, they fear his anger, for it brings unpleasant consequences to their wrong behavior. Criminals run from him in fear, but those seeking his protection call him to run to their side.

The Lord of Hosts—Commander of the powerful hosts of angelic warriors—is to be feared by His children. Our nature is to please ourselves rather than Him, and then reap the consequences of such folly. Fear of His loving discipline encourages us to humbly trust His way is best and to walk in it, and to thereby grow in confidence, satisfaction, riches and honor and life.

To walk in His way is to abide with Him. With the mighty, terrifying God of the universe at our side, we need fear NOTHING else. Neither physical nor spiritual enemy can touch us apart from His will to work all things for good.

Father in Heaven, You are mighty, awesome and terrifying. Your perfect and complete goodness—Your holiness—is without limit. Thank You for calling us to Your side. Your Word says that perfect love casts out fear. Please perfect Your children in both fear and love.

Feedback invited. Post to BuildingHisBody.com "Comments" or e-mail to BuildingHisBody@gmail.com. Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy