Faith Producing Fear?
Typically, our fears are a result of a lack of faith. I know that is a broad, sweeping statement...but, it is true. Think about the things we fear...heights, public speaking, failure, spiders, large crowds etc. Most of the things we fear on a daily basis are irrational in the sense that nothing bad is going to happen to us because of these fears, right? And, if submitted to, these fears have the power to control our lives and keep us from living the full lives that God has for us. Even the fear of death, which is more rational because it happens to everyone at some point is irrational to let control and rule our daily lives because most of us will live many more days and years (even decades) before our time comes. So, to live in fear of death is a tool of the enemy to rip us off and keep us ineffective. Again, our typical fears are the result of a lack of faith.
Now, faith in God (trusting in Him) is the weapon that we have to fight the fears of the enemy. King David is a great example of how this looks practically. When faced with the giant of Goliath, he did not cower back in fear (as did the rest of the Israeli army), but he ran towards Goliath (fear) as he trusted in the Lord according to His Word. See, David knew that God had promised victory over their enemies if they would trust in Him, so David ran to Goliath based upon the promise of the Word of God. Didn't matter how big Goliath was, God was bigger and God was for them, and that settled it!
So fear, in all it's irrational forms...is simply a matter of not trusting God. I say irrational because it is healthy and right to fear a bear or a lion if it is charging after you. Or, to fear an icy road if you are traveling. But, most of our fears are not actual "life and death" situations...they are the "what if's" that probably will never happen, but paralyze us As If they will.
So, these kinds of fears are not good, healthy or from God and only seek to destroy faith in child of God. But, there is a fear that is not only good and healthy and Godly, but that also produces faith in our lives. That is the FEAR OF GOD! What? Did I just say that there was actually a fear that produces faith in the life of a child of God? Yep! What an irony, huh? Fear that produce faith!?! One of the many paradoxes we find in the Christian life!
How does it happen? Think about it...as you and I consider and meditate upon the truth of who God is, the result is an AWE and WONDER and REVERENCE. That awe, wonder and reverence produces something too...FAITH and FAITHFULNESS.
When I consider who God is (Creator, Sustainer, Giver of Life, Eternal, Sovereign, All Knowing, All Powerful, Ruler of All, Lover of All...), my heart's response is "Who am i, Lord? I am just a little, tiny man! You are AWESOME! You are worthy of my praise, my life, my all! Let me life a life worthy of You, submitted to You, FAITHFUL to You!" Isn't that how we all respond when we get a glimpse of who God truly is? FEAR, AWE, REVERENCE that leads to FAITH or FAITHFULNESS!
What an interesting dynamic at work here. That is why it is rational to fear God! Not only is He worthy of our fear (unlike any other form of fear), but when we do stand in awe of Him, the result is faith not irrational, binding, stifling, chocking fear...but rather life giving, freeing FAITH! This is an awesome truth and one that needs to be meditated upon and shared with others!
This is what we find in Hananiah. We find a man who stood in the presence of Almighty God. And, as he did, he stood in AWE and REVERENCE. That AWE and REVERENCE produced a FAITHFULNESS in him that caused him to be a promotable leader! For Hananiah, fearing God didn't keep him back. It didn't control him or bind him up. On the contrary, the fear of God actually produces a faith and faithfulness that made him into a leader of Israel! And guess what? The same can be true in our lives, as well.
So, faith producing fear? Only when we FEAR GOD! Maybe now we can see "Fear God" as a good thing? How could anything that God asks us to do be bad for us? Unfortunately, that is what the enemy has done (even within the church) to this important doctrine. Let's take it back! Let's get ourselves before God, and let ourselves respond to the Truth of who He is, standing in awe of Him and living in Reverence for Him...then we will see a nation of Faith-filled/faithful men and women who could change the world!
Created over 1 year ago
