The Awe of God: The Astounding Way a Healthy Fear of God Transforms Your Life

by John Paul Bevere

Apart from obedience, there can be no salvation, for salvation without obedience is a self-contradictory impossibility. —A.W. TOZER

While Jesus was here on earth, he offered prayers and pleadings, with a loud cry and tears . . . And God heard his prayers because of his deep reverence for God. (Hebrews 5:7)

Since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. (1 Peter 4:1

The fear of the Lord is what arms us; it maintains a deep resolve in our will to obey God no matter what suffering it may entail.

“It has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake” (Philippians 1:29 NKJV).

For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. He never sinned, nor deceived anyone. He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly. (1 Peter 2:21–23)

“Those who plant in tears will harvest with shouts of joy . . . they sing as they return with the harvest” (Psalm 126:5–6).

Passage: In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge. (Proverbs 14:26 NKJV)

Profession: I am armed by holy fear to obey God even if it means I will suffer in the process. I commit my soul to Him who judges fairly.

Obey God immediately. Obey God even if it doesn’t make sense. Obey God even when you don’t see a personal benefit. Obey God even if it is painful. Obey God to completion.

sin is insubordination to the authority of God.

almost complete obedience isn’t obedience at all.

Insecurity needs to be called out for what it is: a dangerous trap.

“Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” (Matthew 26:53–54)

Now that I understand that Jesus could have avoided the gruesome treatment and brutal death but rather chose to continue in obedience until He could finally say, “It is finished,” it carries much more weight. He set the example for us to fully obey—to finish whatever God entrusts to us.

Passage: Never quit! . . . Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way . . . When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (Hebrews 12:2–3 MSG)

Profession: I choose to obey God’s Word to completion.

When men no longer fear God, they transgress His laws without hesitation. The fear of consequences is no deterrent when the fear of God is gone. —A.W. TOZER

“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life” (Proverbs 4:23).

Cling to your faith in Christ, and keep your conscience clear. For some people have deliberately violated their consciences; as a result, their faith has been shipwrecked. (1 Timothy 1:19)

But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. (James 1:22)

In essence, when we disobey, we deceive ourselves. We weaken truth’s protection, and our sense of moral navigation is compromised. We’re less aware of being in harm’s way.

“He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13 NKJV).

The wise person is always quick to respond with repentance to his or her conscience’s warnings; they know that to delay is dangerous.

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron. (1 Timothy 4:1–2 NKJV)

Passage: Let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean. (Hebrews 10:22)

Our sensitivity is strengthened by holy fear and, conversely, is dulled by the lack thereof.

Profession: I will guard my heart diligently and be sensitive to the leading and voice of my conscience.

I would rather pay the price to hear God’s voice personally, regardless of how difficult the circumstances may be, than to have to settle for always hearing from Him secondhand. —JOY DAWSON

Powerful

O LORD, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. (Psalm 139:1)

You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD. (Psalm 139:2–4)

God’s thoughts toward each one of us outnumber every grain of sand on the planet, and He would never exaggerate, for that would be a lie, and it is impossible for God to lie.

“You have told me, ‘I know [yāḏa] you by name, and I look favorably on you.’ If it is true that you look favorably on me, let me know [yāḏa] your ways so I may understand you more fully and continue to enjoy your favor.” (Exodus 33:12–13)

“Come close to God, and God will come close to you” (James 4:8).

you determine how close you are with God, not God!

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge. (Proverbs 1:7 NKJV)

Fear the LORD, and you will gain knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2:5)

To simply state what’s promised: the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowing God intimately.

Passage: My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” (Psalm 27:8)

Profession: I choose to pursue knowing Jesus as deeply as He has chosen to know me.

“You just spoke with great confidence of your belief of who Jesus is, but almost everything you just said about Him is not true; it’s contrary to what the Bible teaches. I know this because I know Him.”

“Oh, that they had such a heart in them that they would fear Me.” (Deuteronomy 5:29 NKJV)

WOW!!

Passage: It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. (1 Corinthians 15:2)

Prayer: Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask to not only know truth but to love the truth. I choose to embrace Your living Word as final authority and to obey it whether I understand it or not. In doing so I have Your promise that I will not be deceived. As I read and obey Your Word, may it read me; may it reveal to me who I am and who my Lord Jesus is. I ask this in Jesus’ name, amen.

Profession: I choose to believe the Word of God whether I understand it or not.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21 NKJV)

We can be sure that we know [ginṓskō] him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know [ginṓskō] God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. (1 John 2:3–4)

Intimacy with God is promised to those who walk in holy fear.

Passage: May God give you more and more grace . . . By his divine power [grace], God has given us everything we need for living a godly life . . . he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. (2 Peter 1:2–4)