RETURN TO THE FEAR OF THE LORD

Isaiah 6:1 – “In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple.”

Isaiah 6:2-3 – “Above it stood seraphim, each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said, ‘Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of Hosts, the whole earth is full of His Glory.’”

Isaiah 6:4-5 – “And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said, ‘Woe is me for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.’”

Isaiah 6:6-7 – “Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal which he had taken with the tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and you sin is purged.’”

Isaiah 6:8 – “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I! Send me.’”

Isaiah 44:3a – ”For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground.”

Romans 3:17-18 – “And the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

In the light of God’s overwhelming holiness, Isaiah sees his own sinfulness.

Isaiah 6:5 – “So I said, ‘Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of Hosts.’”

1. Understand the Fear of the Lord
The fear of the Lord is the sense of awe and reverence in His holy, majestic presence.

Psalm 33:8 – “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”

Proverbs 8:13 – “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.”

The fear of the Lord motivates us to walk in holiness.

2. Be Changed by the Fear of the Lord

Revelation 1:12-13 – “Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.”

Revelation 1:14-15 – “His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters.”

Revelation 1:16 – “He had in His right hand seven stars, and out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.”

Revelation 1:17-18 – “And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me saying, ‘Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of death.’”

The mission of John Wesley and the early Methodist, “To reform the nation, particularly the Church, and to spread scriptural holiness over the whole land.”

“Revival must lead to the next step- transformation.” – Loren Cunningham

3. Walk in the Benefits of the Fear of the Lord

Walking in the fear of the Lord brings wisdom.

Proverbs 9:10a – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”

Walking in the fear of the Lord brings His blessing.

Psalm 128:1 – “Blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.”

Walking in the fear of the Lord brings healing.

Malachi 4:2a – “But to you who fear My Name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.”

Walking in the fear of the Lord brings provision and deliverance.

Psalm 34:7 – “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them.”

Psalm 34:9 – “Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.”

Walking in the fear of the Lord brings intimate friendship with the Lord.

Psalm 25:14 (ESV) – “The friendship of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He makes known to them His covenant.”

4. Return to the Fear of the Lord

Repent of any lack of reverence, awe, wonder, respect, honor, or disobedience.

Hebrews 12:28-29 – Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.

Ask the Holy Spirit to increase the fear of the Lord in our lives

Psalm 86:11b – Unite my heart to fear Your name.

Seek His Manifest Presence in worship and surrender.

Discussion Questions:

1. Are you walking in the Biblical fear of the Lord?

2. If not, what is keeping you from the fear of the Lord?

3. Have you encountered the Manifest Presence of the Lord like Isaiah did?

4. If so, what was your response?

5. What are some of the things that hinder us from walking in Biblical Holiness?