You know the Bible commands us to “fear not”. But it also says we should fear God. Can you know the difference? 

When the Bible refers to the fear of the Lord, it is not talking about being frightened of him. The English word “fear” in these cases is an inaccurate translation of the Hebrew and Greek words that were originally used. A more accurate translation would be “reverence”. To reverence God means we honor, respect and we are in awe of Him. He is the most High God. And we honor him not because he is big or bad but because he is our father and we love him. In our desire to honor and reverence him, we do what he says we obey his word.  This is walking in the fear or “reverence” of the Lord.  

You may ask “What about the wrath of God?  First Thessalonians 5:9 says that God has not appointed us to wrath. If you are a believer, you have escaped his wrath through your faith in Jesus. Romans 5:9 

When you accepted Jesus, you became part of the family of God. Romans eight verse 15 says: you have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, “Abba Father”. That means daddy. You have been adopted. You’re a child of the Most High God and He has made a covenant with you. 

You see God loves everyone on the face of the earth the same, but he is not in a covenant relationship with everybody. Because of his promises and the shed blood of Jesus, God only honors his covenant to born-again believers. 

As a believer, you have been made the righteousness of God in Christ. (2 Corinthians 5 verse 21). Righteousness is defined as the God-given ability to stand in the presence of a holy God without a sense of guilt or inferiority. When you get the revelation of who you are in Christ and begin to walk in the covenant you have with God, you can live a life that’s carefree, fear-free, and far from terror. 

Isaiah 54 versus 14 and 15 sums it up. God has said to us “in righteousness you shall be established you shall be far from oppression, you shall not fear and no terror shall not come near you.” 

And remember God is love. There is no fear in love. Perfect love casts out fear.  1 John 4 versus 16 and 18 

So don’t be afraid of God. He loves you. Renew your mind to the truth that God is love, meditate on his promises to you his child, and begin to believe the love.   The revelation of the love of God in your life will literally flush out all fear.