What does it mean to Fear God? How can we learn to fear Him?

Fear is defined as “an unpleasant emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain or harm."

To fear God, however, is a completely different matter.
"Fearing God" refers to a specific sense of respect, awe and submission to God the Deity.

Let us look at who God is.
God is Omnipotent (all-powerful), Omnipresent (present everywhere), Omniscient (all-knowing), Immortal (can't die) and Eternal (existing forever).
Human is the opposite.

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Psalms 33:6,9,8 says, ​"By the word of the Lord were the heavens made and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.  For He spake,
And it was done, He commanded, and it stood fast.
Let all the world fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him." 
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God is the Creator. He is the giver and sustainer of our lives. Therefore, we need to fear Him.
Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; let him be your fear, and let him be your dread. Isaiah 8:13

When we fear God, we will love what He loves and hate what He hates.
Ecclesiastical 12:13 says "Fear God and keep his commandments for this is the whole duty of man.
David in Psalms 111:10, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. A good understanding has all they that do His commandments." 

So to fear God is to be obedient to His commandments

God demonstrated His infinite love and mercy to us. John 3:16 tells us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
When we see how sinful we are and how holy He is, and how He died in our place, we should approach Him with worship, awe and respect.

​Hebrews12: 28, 29 Paul wrote: "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire."

Lastly, "Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment is come: and  worship  him that made heaven and earth, and the sea and the fountains of water, "  Revelation 14:7

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​God is in judgment now. We are sinful, and only Jesus can present us with His righteousness before His Father.
 Therefore we need to fear God by repenting of our sins, surrendering to His will and being obedient to Him, giving Him the homage and worship due to Him.

Jerry Bridges says "We cannot separate trust in God from the fear of God. We will trust him only to the extent that we genuinely stand in awe of Him."

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"And unto man He said, behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding," Job28:28.
 

Keep on reading to learn more to help you be more like a jewel on God´s crown
¨ The LORD their God will save his people on that day as a shepherd saves his flock. They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.¨ Zechariah 9:16 NIV
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Author

Charmaine Cameron