Holy Fear

There's certain stories in the Bible that don't get a lot of attention, but to wrap up Dead Vibes, Good Times, we're honing in on of those stories in Acts chapter 5 - the story of Ananias and Sapphira, a couple in the early church. At that time, it was common for members of the church to sell their property and bring the money they made from the sale to the apostles as an offering to God. In verses 1-11, we read that Ananias and Sapphira sold a piece of land, and Ananias brought only a portion of the amount they sold it for as an offering, pretending it was the full amount to make himself look better. The apostle Peter saw through his lie and because of his irreverence for God, Ananias fell down dead. When his wife came to the apostles not knowing her husband was dead, she lied about the price of the land too. Because she conspired with her husband to lie to the Holy Spirit and hold back part of the offering, she fell down dead as well. (Acts 5:1-11)

This may seem like a really harsh consequence. Why did it really matter that much if they only gave away part of the profit? Did them holding back some of the money really warrant being struck dead? Well, it really wasn’t about the money at all; the real issue here was that Ananias and Sapphira were walking in the fear of man, not the fear of the Lord.

In the Bible, fear falls into one of two categories:

1. The Fear of Man (or Earthly Fear/the Spirit of Fear): a negative mindset that makes you act as if God is not in control. It causes confusion, anxiety, and uncertainty. It is not of God - it is directly from our sinful nature.

- In Genesis 3:8-9, Adam and Eve experience earthly fear for the first time. They knew they were exposed, so they ran. Earthly fear makes you hide from God.

2. The Fear of the Lord (Holy Fear)

- Holy fear is different from just being afraid. It’s the desire to dwell in God's presence— longing to have a close and intimate relationship with God through obedience, deep reverence, and awe. Holy fear means loving what God loves, hating what God hates and taking on His heart. Oftentimes, we think of holy fear as just being in awe of God, but really it’s so much more than reverence. Holy fear makes you run to God because you know that He is a God of grace.

Why should I want the fear of the Lord?

⁃ Intimacy with God (Deutoronomy 10:12-13)

⁃ Wisdom and Understanding (Proverbs 9:10)

⁃ Protection from Evil (Proverbs 14:26)

⁃ Fountain of Life (Proverbs 14:17)

⁃ Generational Blessings (Psalm 112:1-3) - these blessings are often about influence and wisdom, not necessarily money!

When can I experience holy fear?

- First, you need to be saved to fear the Lord.

- You can't have an intimate relationship with someone you don't know.

- Salvation doesn't stop with just saying yes to Jesus. Faith is a muscle; work it out!! Cultivate faith and watch it grow!

What is the consequence of not having holy fear?

- It’s important to know that you can be saved and not have holy fear, but fearing the Lord isn’t something that can be faked. God is too gracious to let sin run rampant; it cannot exist in his presence. Trying to fake the fear of the Lord can only end in getting caught in a lie.

How do I grow in the fear of the Lord?

- The fear of the Lord is developed in the sanctification process.

- Sanctification - the process of being made holy, or set apart - becoming more like God

Practical ways to grow in the fear of the Lord:

1. Honor God in everything

2. Hunger - grow closer to Jesus

3. Humility - lay down your pride, run to Jesus

4. Holiness - let Him make you more like Him

5. Health - develop a healthy relationship with Him