Acts 9:31 Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.
This week we are going to study what it means to have 'the Fear of the Lord'. I believe this is a very important concept for us to to grasp. I believe the enemy trembles at the fact that if we really understood this concept (we, including myself), that he would tremble in a different kind of fear. We would understand Who Jesus and Father and Holy Spirit really is/are.... as much as our finite minds can handle. If even the angels - oh, I'm getting ahead of myself. That would be a subject for later this week. Suffice it to say that just understanding the vastness of God is... well, I don't think there is a word for it.
So, after Saul, because Paul (conversion process usually gives new identity - new creation). People wanted to kill Paul. The disciples, got him out of the city and put him safe and sound with them.
The church had a time of peace, no doubt because Saul wasn't going around killing Christians in the name of 'religion'. The church was strengthened - it grew in numbers. In numbers, there is strength. They lived in 'the fear of the Lord' and were encouraged by the Holy Spirit that Jesus sent to be with them.
As a noun, fear - according to Merriam-Webster.com is defined as:
The church had a time of peace, no doubt because Saul wasn't going around killing Christians in the name of 'religion'. The church was strengthened - it grew in numbers. In numbers, there is strength. They lived in 'the fear of the Lord' and were encouraged by the Holy Spirit that Jesus sent to be with them.
As a noun, fear - according to Merriam-Webster.com is defined as:
1 a : an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or
awareness of danger
b(1) : an instance of this emotion (2) : a state marked by this emotion
2 : anxious concern : solicitude
3 : profound reverence and awe especially toward God
4 : reason for alarm : danger
In my humble estimation number 3 above should be first and all the rest follow. We have an profound reverence and awe towards God because of Who He Was, Is and forever will Be.
So the definition could be written:
Because of the fact that God is all-powerful and could squash us in a minute, which is turn causes somewhat of an anxious concern when we are in His Presence, because we really do have a reason for alarm - BUT God in His great mercy and love towards us, does not do any of the above.... so we have a profound reverence and awe of God that goes beyond words and actions.
We will go more into this tomorrow.
Daniel 9 - James Block
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