Matthew 10:28 “Fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell”. All sorts of fear obsess believers. Many are vague, nameless feelings of apprehension. They rob us of confidence and joy, and keep us from spiritual health and effectiveness.
The Bible has the solution to this problem. When we learn the fear of God, we will not be controlled by earthly terrors.
A boy living in Nazi-occupied Holland during World War II wrote the following in his journal: Last week three German officers stopped my dad in the hallway. They held him at gunpoint and forced him to open the steel door leading to the basement. One of them ordered Dad to show the crawl space under the hallways. He said if he didn’t tell where the hidden weapons are, he will be shot. Dad usually is not a great hero. He’s even afraid of the dentist.
But this time he is not afraid at all. One of them cocked his Luger and held it against my Dad’s temple. Dad recited the Bible verse that was on his mind, ‘And fear not them who kill the body… but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell ‘. The Germans looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and left “.
Having a God-fearing attitude like that boy’s father will help us put all our fears in perspective.
Many people like to be scared, but only in the world of make-believe. They watch horror movies, but they don’t like to be faced with legitimate causes of fear. A writer who warns of the threat of communism is accused of using scare tactics. A Christian leader who suggests that some diseases may be God’s judgement on sin is scorned. The general attitude is: “Never say anything about God’s judgement to scare people into doing what’s right”.
Isaiah didn’t hesitate to use fear in addressing God’s people. Isaiah 66:4 “So will I… bring their fears on them; because, when I called, no one answered”. They accused Isaiah of treason because he warned the king against making an alliance with Assyria.
Isaiah warned that they had far more reason to be afraid of God than of Assyria. He told them that if they made an alliance with Assyria, God would punish them. The Almighty God would take away their freedom.
The Bible declares that those who reject Jesus and continue in their wicked ways will find God to be their enemy. If this frightening thought motivates a person to trust Christ Jesus for salvation, it has served a purpose. Similarly, if fear causes a Christian to serve the Lord with new zeal, it has fulfilled a positive function. The fear of God is good because it leads to right living – even if it scares us.
Fear God And You Will Have Nothing Else To Fear. The Fear Of God Is The Beginning Of Wisdom And The Knowledge Of The Holy Is Understanding.(Proverbs 9:10)
Pastor Paul Okonkwo
Independent Baptist Bible Church (IBBC),
New Haven,
Enugu
