Fear of God and the Holy Spirit

The Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord (Isa.11:2-3). The mark of a Spirit-filled person is that he/she will be only find delight in the fear of the Lord (Isa.11:3). When the fear of God is not a terror but a joy, then that fear is from the Spirit of God. The fear of God is not a sign of weakness but of power in the Spirit; for, a man who fears God and not man, relies in God and not in self or situation. Thus, fear of God makes room for the power of faith (1Cor.2:3,4).

However, He is not the spirit of timidity (2Tim.1:7), but the Spirit of courage, boldness, and power (Acts 4:31).

Also, He is not the spirit of bondage that leads to fear, but the Spirit of adoption that helps us draw near to the Father as sons and not as slaves (Rom.8:15,16).

Fear and Love: Filial Vs Servile Fear

"Your fear rules over my thoughts night and day,
And my love is incomplete till fear leads the way..."

Love involves the element of fear. But, it is not the fear of being hurt; it is the fear of offending the one we love.

When the Bible commands us to fear God, it does have the two aspects of fear in mind:
1. Fear that is attached to the love of God (Deut.10:12; cf. 2Cor.7:11,15). This is what is usually referred to as filial fear. It is also reverential.
2. Fear that is attached to the justice of God, especially with regard to punishment (Deut 4:23,24; Heb.12:28,29). This may be referred to as servile fear

The Bible never encourages servile fear, which involves servitude in order to avoid displeasure of God. (Rom.8:15; 2Tim.1:7; 1Jn.4:18).

A man who loves God has filial and reverential fear for God and keeps away from evil because evil offends God (Prov.8:13).
A man who only keeps away from evil to avoid punishment will resort to evil when he begins to believe that the danger isn't there (Rom.6:1,2; 2:4; Exo.8:15).

1 John 4:18 tells us that "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love."

This refers to servile fear. It involves torment. It does not edify because it doesn't transform a person inside out. It doesn't perfect love. However, servile fear at least works as a negative deterrent.

Filial love, however, is a positive deterrent of evil.

We must remember that servile fear anywhere (whether at home, at office, or at school) is not going to build healthy relationships. It is tyrannical. But, where love is not lighthearted but is given depth by the seriousness of filial fear (and filial fear does have intense depth, for it affects the depths of one's consciousness of self in juxtaposition with the other), then, love becomes self-giving.

A husband who loves his wife and doesn't say things or do things that may offend and hurt her has filial fear. A child who obeys his parents, even when they are not around or may not find out what he has been doing, honors his parents through filial fear, because he knows that even if they didn't find out what he had been doing, the prohibited thing is hurtful to his parents, and because he loves them, he cannot bear to do the hurtful thing. From both these examples, we realize that true love involves fear and reverence.

Filial fear is not fear of being hurt by God. God cannot hurt us, for God is Love (1Jn.4:8). It is we who hurt ourselves when we try to fight against the ground of our being, and this grieves God (Eze.33:11).

Servile fear is not fear of grieving God; it is the fear of displeasing God and being hurt by His displeasure. It is servile, tyrannical, and legalistic. It involves bondage (Rom.8:15). It does not belong to perfect love; for perfect love casts away all fears.

Filial fear is clean and pure (Psa.19:9). It purifies the soul (Pro.16:6)

Fear

Fear can either be positive or negative, healthy or unhealthy, helpful or hindering.

Fear is positive when one fears what one is meant to fear.
Fear is negative when one fears what one is not meant to fear.
Fear is healthy when fear keeps our body, soul, and spirit sound.
Fear is unhealthy when it hurts our physical, mental, and spiritual health.
Fear is helpful when it helps us to move forward.
Fear is hindering when it stops us from growing and moving forward.

Examples of Positive Fear
Fear and reverence of the Lord (Departing from evil, Job 28:8; Prov.16:6)
Fearing foreseen danger (Hiding from evil, Prov.22:3)
Fear of authorities in the sense of proper honor and respect is positive and expected (Rom.13:7)

For example, if I hear the horn of a car behind me, I jump off; this protects me from an accident.

Examples of Negative Fear
Fear of the non-existent enemy (Prov.22:13; 26:13)
Fear of false danger (Matt 10:28; Luke 12:5)

For example, if someone fears that he may get cancer just because he saw someone got cancer; that is a negative form of fear, even if it seems that he is able to see some evidence.

Someone has defined negative FEAR as
False
Evidence
Appearing
Real

Spirit of Fear
The Bible tells us that God has not given us the spirit of fear (2Tim.1:7). There is a spirit of fear that rules those who live under the control of the devil (Heb.2:15), who follow his rebellious spirit. But, those who are in Christ are not ruled by such a spirit (Rom.8:15). The fear of man brings a snare (Prov.29:25), but those who trust in the Lord and live in His presence can boldly say "The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?" (Heb.13:6)

Deliverance from False Fear
1. By Knowledge of Truth (John 8:32)
2. Through the Presence of the Spirit of God, the Helper (2Tim.1:7; 1John 4:4; Psalm 23:4)
3. Through Godly fear (Heb.5:7)
4. By Courageous Faith (Rev.2:10)
5. Through Love (1John 4:18)

Blessings of Fearing the Lord
1. Cleanses us from sin (2Cor.7:1)
2. Keeps us from moral evil (Prov.8:13; 16:6)
3. Protects us from physical evil (Prov.19:23)
4. Helps us to work out our salvation (Phil.2:12)
5. Enables us to rightly serve the Lord (Psa.2:11)
6. God's secret are revealed to those who fear the Lord (Prov.25:14)
7. God's eye is upon those who fear the Lord (Psa.33:18)
8. Gives wisdom (Prov.1:7; 9:10)
9. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life (Prov.14:27;19:23)
10. Keeps us from pride (Rom.11:20)

Courage (2Timothy 1): Reasons to Be Fearless

2 Tim.1:3-7

Fear is the mega killer. Fear cripples, paralyses, torments, kills.

Gary Whetstone: False Evidence Appearing Real

Roosevelt: The most fearful thing to fear is fear itself.

Timothy might have been a timid person (1Cor.16:10-11; 1Tim.4:12)

Reasons to be Fearful
1. Background: Acts 16 (Cf. Judges 6. Gideon had the same problem)
2. Age: Timothy was a youth (1Tim.4:12). Such was the problem also of Jeremiah.
3. Loneliness: Timothy was alone in Ephesus. (Cp. Elijah’s loneliness, Moses’ loneliness)
4. Context: Ephesus was a big city. There was the huge Diana’s Temple, one of the Seven Wonders of the world. Timothy was from a small town.

Reasons to be Fearless
1. A Legacy of Faith (2Tim.1:4-5). He had the heritage of saints. He was surrounded by a cloud of witnesses (Heb.12:1).
2. Gift of God Inside (2Tim.1:6).
3. Spirit of Power, Love, and Self-Disciplines (2Tim.1:7).

Enemies of Courage
1. Immediate Perception. What we see, hear, sense. Threat, Panic. (e.g. The Anakites)
Conditional Association. Sensation overtakes and amnesia results. (e.g. Israelites at Red Sea)
2. Imagination. What we visualize. Pictures, images. Worry, Anxiety.
3. Intimidations. Threatening (e.g. Goliath, Rabshekeh..)