Right Fear

Read Deuteronomy 2-3
 
Deuteronomy 3:19-22 However, your wives, your children and your livestock (I know you have much livestock) may stay in the towns I have given you, 21 At that time I commanded Joshua: “You have seen with your own eyes all that the LORD your God has done to these two kings. The LORD will do the same to all the kingdoms over there where you are going. 22 Do not be afraid of them; the LORD your God himself will fight for you.”
 
ISRAEL is in the final camp before entering the Promised Land. God is using Moses and Joshua to help Israel to not be afraid. Israel’s heavenly Father knows before his children could conquer the land, they had to conquer their fear of the obstacles before them. After all, for 40 years fear had kept this generation’s parents from God’s Promised Land.
    Fear does that. This stifling emotion keeps our self-focused minds from trusting in God’s benevolent assurance, “Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28). Fear keeps us exposed to temptations as our minds wander from Truth to wonder, “Did God really say?” (Genesis 3:1b). A fear-filled mind expels faith.
    That’s why it is difficult to understand the Bible’s use of “fear” to point us to God.  Indeed, there are many verses such as Proverbs 1:7a The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. And Luke 1:50 His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. If fear keeps us from God, how do we understand fear is necessary to know God?
    Essentially, it’s putting fear into proper, God-centered use. A good definition of God-revealing fear comes in the book “The Joy of Fearing God” by Jerry Bridges. He writes, “The fear of God is a worshipful awe toward God that comes from such emotions as dread, reverence, admiration and amazement.” We can illustrate this in the disciples’ experience with Jesus in a storm on Galilee. The 12 fearfully called on Jesus, “Lord, save us! We're going to drown!” The Lord’s response, “Why are you so afraid?” spoke to their lack of trust in him. His will for them was to come to him and say, “Lord, we know you will calm the storm.” In response to their fear, Jesus identified himself. Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.  
    How then did the disciples respond? The men were fearfully amazed, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!”
    With dread, reverence, admiration, thankfulness and amazement, the disciples realized Jesus had their lives in his hands. Through this experience, they began to more personally know Jesus as LORD. One day their knowledge would become wisdom to preach God’s power over death and life to the world.
    The faith-blocking fear in Israel and in too many of our lives is the result of looking to the world and to ourselves. The fear that enriches our minds with wisdom looks to God’s sovereign power to judge and to redeem.
 
Psalms 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”