Learning to Fear God

Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv

Introduction

It’s good to be back in St. Louis, and we had a great vacation with the family in Door County, Wisconsin. Cell phones rarely worked and there was no internet, but we enjoyed the beauty of beaches on Lake Michigan, a cabin in the woods, hiking, biking, and kayaking. We were also grateful for the temperatures, being in the 80s and low 90s, and being able to fellowship in some other Assembly of God churches during our time away.

Don’t take a vacation from God this summer, but stay connected, both personally and by attending church during your time off. We’re ready to keep moving together with the great plans He has for us and our church family at Life Church. God desires consistency in our walk with Him, regardless of where we are or what season of life we are in.

How many learned something last Sunday from Dr. David Bailey’s message on Running the Race? As a church, we are going to continue to expand our partnership with Dr. Bailey and StarBridge going forward. I encourage you to come out for a Praise and Worship gathering tonight at StarBridge at 6:30 pm, and directions are in your bulletin.

Today, we’re going to conclude our message series, “The Power of God’s Word.” This series could go on for quite some time, but next Sunday we’re going to begin a new message series called “Teach Us To Pray.” God’s Word and prayer go together, because without prayer God’s Word has no power for your life, and prayer without God’s Word becomes dry, self-centered, and ineffectual.

Today, my message is called “Learning to Fear God.” Everyone talks about loving God, but there is not a lot of talking or teaching today about the fear of the Lord. Yet God’s Word has many references to fearing God, both in the Old and New Testaments.

I would say that the loss of the fear of the Lord in the modern church has led to the loss of God’s power in our churches. When reverence for God fades, obedience weakens and spiritual authority diminishes. This is why understanding the fear of the Lord is essential for a vibrant and faithful church.

Psalm 111:10 (NIV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.

Here we see some key principles revealed clearly in God’s Word. First of all, the fear of the Lord is where wisdom comes from, not human intellect or experience. Secondly, the fear of the Lord is tied directly to obedience to God’s Word, showing that reverence and action always belong together.

Proverbs 1:7 (NIV) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

If you don’t fear God, you won’t be wise, but foolish instead. The world is full of people who don’t fear God and therefore live lives characterized by foolishness. This lack of reverence leads to choices that oppose God’s design and result in brokenness.

What is the fear of the Lord? Some of you may be thinking that because you love God, you don’t fear Him. However, as we will see this morning, loving God and fearing God are not mutually exclusive, and in fact, if you don’t fear God, you don’t really love Him.

To fear God is to fear Him alone and to have no other fears competing in your heart. To fear God is to have awe and reverence for a holy God who dwells in heaven. To fear God is to recognize that Jesus is the only way to be rescued from an eternity in hell, and that God will punish those who break His laws and reward each person according to their actions in life.

We’ve looked at Old Testament scriptures about the fear of the Lord, but let’s see what Jesus Himself had to say about fearing God. Speaking to His disciples, Jesus made this very clear and direct statement. His words remind us that eternal realities matter far more than temporary circumstances.

Matthew 10:28 (NIV) Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

Jesus taught that His disciples should live in fear, not of death, but in the fear of God. God alone holds the power to determine eternal destiny, and that truth should shape how we live. A healthy fear of God brings clarity to our priorities and strengthens our faith.

Why should we fear God? The fear of God leads people to live holy and righteous lives. The fear of God causes people to run away from sin and toward the good things God has planned for them. Reverence for God produces obedience, and obedience opens the door to blessing.

Today, we’re going to look at a passage that talks about God’s Word and the fear of God. In Deuteronomy 5, we read how God gave the children of Israel the Ten Commandments. In this passage, we see God expressing His heart for His people and His desire to bless future generations.

Deuteronomy 5:29 (NIV) Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!

God wants to bless you and your children, and His desire is clear in this verse. The only way that blessing flows is through fearing Him and keeping His commands. These two things are inseparable in the life of faith.

Obey the Lord Our God

Deuteronomy 5:32a (NIV) So be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you;

These are the words of Moses after God gave the Ten Commandments to Israel. Are the Ten Commandments still binding on us today? Yes, they are, because they reflect God’s holy character and moral will.

Notice how Moses says to be careful to do what God has commanded. When are we most careful in life? We are most careful when the consequences of failure are serious and lasting.

On our vacation, when we were standing on top of a rock cliff with waves pounding into the base many feet below, we were very careful with the children. In the same way, God wants us to be careful to obey His commands because the consequences of disobedience are serious. Obedience protects us and those we love.

Don’t Be Distracted from Obedience

Deuteronomy 5:32b (NIV) do not turn aside to the right or to the left.

Obedience is following the path that God has laid out for your life through His Word. God’s direction is clear, but it requires focus and commitment. When we wander from His path, confusion and compromise follow.

When we get distracted from following Jesus, we are tempted to turn aside onto paths of our own choosing. The Bible calls that sin, and it leads to serious negative consequences in our lives. Staying on God’s path requires intentional obedience and daily surrender.

Expect to Receive God’s Blessing

Deuteronomy 5:33 (NIV) Walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.

What are the results of walking along God’s path of obedience? God promises life, prosperity, and longevity to those who follow Him faithfully. These blessings are not accidental but flow directly from obedience.

Isn’t that what everyone desires in life? The blessings of God come from simply obeying the commands He has given us in His Word. Obedience is not a burden but a pathway to God’s best.

Choosing Obedience in a Rebellious Culture

It seems clear that there is an increasingly rebellious spirit in our society today. This spirit claims that God’s Word and obedience to its commands are outdated and irrelevant. Many believe we have advanced beyond the authority of Scripture.

We also see widespread disrespect for authority of all kinds, not just God’s authority. There is disrespect toward parents, pastors, and leaders of every kind. Everyone wants to do their own thing regardless of what God’s Word says.

But we don’t need to follow the spirit of our age. We want to be blessed and prosper, and that is exactly what God desires for those who obey Him. Obedience sets us apart and positions us to receive His promises.

Fear the Lord Your God

Deuteronomy 6:1–2a (NIV) These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you to observe … so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live …

The first thing we learn from these verses is that God uses people to teach others His Word. In this case, God taught the Israelites through Moses, and today He teaches through pastors and church leaders. Teaching is part of God’s design for spiritual growth.

Do you need someone to help you understand God’s Word? The simple answer is yes. Those who think they can make it on their own without teaching are mistaken and miss an important part of God’s provision.

Secondly, the impact of keeping or ignoring God’s commands extends beyond your own life. Your obedience affects your children and your grandchildren. By fearing God, you are leaving a spiritual legacy for generations to come.

Fear God Through Obedience

Deuteronomy 6:2 (NIV) so that you, your children and their children after them may fear the LORD your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life.

How do you fear God for your entire life? You do so by keeping His commands through obedience. Obedience is the ongoing expression of reverence for God.

This principle applies not only to you but also to your children and grandchildren. A life of obedience produces lasting influence and enduring blessing. God’s ways bring life to every generation.

The Fear of the Lord Brings Blessing

Deuteronomy 6:3 (NIV) Hear, O Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your fathers, promised you.

Notice again the emphasis on being careful to obey. Careful obedience flows from a healthy fear of God. Reverence leads us to take God’s Word seriously.

We should be afraid of things not going well with us, afraid of drifting off God’s plan for our lives, and afraid of our children not walking with God. That fear should motivate us to obey and to teach our children to obey. We do this not just because parents say so, but because God’s Word says so.

Recovering a Proper Fear of God

Can we really expect people who are not believers to fear God? The answer is no, because only believers can truly understand and reverence Him. Yet even among believers, the fear of God is often lacking.

Many people wrongly believe that because they are Christians, sin does not really matter. They think they can simply ask for forgiveness and continue as before. This attitude reflects a complete lack of fear of God.

True repentance leads to forgiveness, but forgiveness does not erase the consequences of sin. Sin still damages lives and families even when God restores relationship. We need a return to the fear of the Lord in our homes and in our church.

Love the Lord Your God

Deuteronomy 6:4–5 (NIV) Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God …

We are commanded to fear God and also to love Him. If God’s Word commands both, then we know it is possible to do both at the same time. Fear and love are not opposites in the life of faith.

As our knowledge of God grows, both our fear and our love for Him increase. We develop a respectful reverence for His holiness and a deep affection for His goodness. This balance shapes mature faith.

Love God with All You Have

Deuteronomy 6:5 (NIV) Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

We are called to love God with every part of our being, not just part-time or on Sundays. Loving God means complete devotion every day of the week. Our faith must shape all of life.

When you truly love God, you will not want to hurt Him through sin. Love motivates obedience just as fear does. Together they keep us aligned with God’s will.

Keep His Commands in Your Heart

Deuteronomy 6:6 (NIV) These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.

It is one thing to know God’s commands intellectually and another to carry them in your heart. God desires internal obedience, not just outward compliance. His Word must shape our desires.

God wants to write His commands on our hearts so that we obey out of love and reverence. This internal transformation produces consistent obedience. It reflects a deep relationship with Him.

Raising Children Through Love and Reverence

As parents, we are responsible to teach our children to obey and honor us. We want them to fear wrongdoing because of consequences. But we also want them to obey because they love us and want to please us.

Fear and love work together in raising God-honoring children. In the same way, fear and love work together in our relationship with God. Both are necessary for true obedience.

How can you keep God’s commands in your heart? You must read God’s Word daily, think about it, and apply it consistently. A heart shaped by Scripture leads a life shaped by obedience.

Teach Your Children God’s Word

God repeatedly mentions children in these passages because they represent the future. One of the most important responsibilities in life is teaching children God’s Word. Faith must be intentionally passed on.

Many people think teaching children is solely the church’s responsibility. While church teaching is important, a few hours a week are not enough. Parents must take the primary role in spiritual formation.

As a parent, your responsibility is to teach your children yourself. Your daily example carries more weight than any lesson at church. Children learn faith by watching lived-out obedience.

Teach Your Children to Obey, Fear, and Love God

Deuteronomy 6:7a (NIV) Impress them on your children.

Impress God’s commands on your children through repetition and consistency. The Hebrew meaning implies saying God’s Word again and again until it is deeply embedded. Faith is formed through daily practice.

Children need to learn obedience, fear, and love for God from the heart. This happens when they see these qualities lived out by their parents. Your life becomes the lesson.

Talk About God’s Word Continually

Deuteronomy 6:7b (NIV) Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Talk about God’s Word during everyday moments at home and on the road. Talk about it at bedtime and in the morning. These ordinary moments shape extraordinary faith.

This is a challenge because we often talk more about sports, weather, or schedules than God’s Word. Our children notice what matters most to us. Consistent conversation reveals our true priorities.

Committing to Teach the Next Generation

Let’s ask God to help us teach our children His Word faithfully. Some may not have children at home, but there are many opportunities to teach children at church. Every believer can contribute.

As our church continues to grow, more opportunities will arise to invest in the next generation. Teaching children is an investment in the future of the church. God honors those who faithfully pass on His truth.

Conclusion

God wants to prosper and bless your life and your family. His blessing is reserved for those who are learning to fear Him. Reverence for God aligns us with His will.

Obeying, fearing, and loving God all work together as we grow in knowledge of Him. These are not separate ideas but a unified way of life. Spiritual maturity flows from this balance.

Teach your children what you are learning from God each day. May our church, like the church in the book of Acts, grow strong and live in the fear of the Lord.

📘 Continue the Journey

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