Triumphing Over Sinful Fear by John Flavel | Puritan Treasures for Today | A Christ‑Centered Guide to Overcoming Fear Through Faith | Classic Reformed Devotional Quotes

“If we were to understand how dear we are to God, our relation to Him, our value in His eyes, and how He protects us by His faithful promises and gracious presence, we would not tremble at every appearance of danger.”
― John Flavel, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear

“The carnal person fears man, not God. The strong Christian fears God, not man. The weak Christian fears man too much and God too little.”
― John Flavel, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear

“In short, forbidden fear is merely concerned with self-preservation. It does not take God’s glory into account. On the contrary, it actually desires the removal of what it perceives as dangerous, meaning it desires the removal of God.”
― John Flavel, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear

“I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me” (Jer. 32:40b). That is a different kind of fear from the one that startles you. God promises to put it in you—not to shake and undermine your assurance, but to guard and maintain it.”
― John Flavel, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear

“Regrettably, many modern readers grow perplexed at the mere mention of the fear of God. They reject any notion that fear is to characterize the Christian’s approach to God.”
― John Flavel, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear

“The less fear a person has, the more happiness he has—unless, of course, it is that fear which is his happiness and excellence.”
― John Flavel, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear

“Second, we are ignorant of others. We fear people because we do not know them. If we were to understand them better, we would fear them less. We overvalue them; therefore, we fear them. Apparently, the artist often paints the lion fiercer than he is. I am sure our imagination paints people more dreadful than they are. If wicked people, especially multitudes, align themselves against us, our hearts fail and we perceive inevitable ruin. “The floods of ungodly men made me afraid” (2 Sam. 22:5b).”
― John Flavel, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear

“We are inclined to a sinful trust and dependence upon each other, and to an inordinate fear and dread of each other. We act as if the creature were a god rather than a man, a spirit rather than flesh. Thus, our fear magnifies and exalts the creature, putting it (as it were) in God’s room and place. God rebukes this sin in His own people: “I, even I, am he that comforteth you: Who art thou, that thou shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and of the son of man which shall be made as grass; and forgettest the LORD thy maker?” (Isa. 51:12–13a). It is evident that fear exalts people and belittles God. It thinks upon a person’s hamful power so much that it forgets God’s saving power. In this way, a mortal worm, which perishes as the grass, eclipses the glory of the great God, who stretched forth the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth.”
― John Flavel, Triumphing Over Sinful Fear