INTRODUCTION:

Sometimes fear can help us walk right.  Fear will cause us to be careful.  Fear of death will cause us to know how to live!  We fear speeding tickets so we drive the speed limit.  We fear car wrecks so we pay attention.   Fear works for safety many times!

THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE WAY TO DEPART DEATH
KJV Proverbs 14:27
27.  The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

MEN LEAVE EVIL FROM FEARING THE LORD
KJV Proverbs 16:6
6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the Lord men depart from evil.

I. FEAR WILL CAUSE ONE TO SEARCH FOR KNOWLEDGE

THE FEAR OF THE LORD CAUSES ONE TO BE WISE
KJV Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

THOSE THAT CHOOSE NOT TO FEAR HATE THE KNOWLEDGE
KJV Proverbs 1:29
 29.  For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord:

FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM
KJV Proverbs 9:10
10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.

THOSE PRESENT TO SEE THE DEATHS OF ANANIAS AND SAPPHIRA HAD FEAR
KJV Acts 5:1-14
1.  But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
 2.  And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles' feet.
 3.  But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
 4.  Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
 5.  And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
 6.  And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
 7.  And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
 8.  And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
 9.  Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
 10.  Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost: and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
 11.  And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
 12.  And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
 13.  And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
 14.  And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)

THE JAILER THOUGHT THAT THE PRISONERS ESCAPED AND WANTED TO KILL HIMSELF  FOR FEAR THAT THEY ESCAPED – FEAR THEN WORKED TO THE ADVANTAGE AS HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT TO DO TO BE SAVED
KJV Acts 16:19-34
19.  And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew them into the marketplace unto the rulers,
 20.  And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city,
 21.  And teach customs, which are not lawful for us to receive, neither to observe, being Romans.
 22.  And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them.
 23.  And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
 24.  Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
 25.  And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
 26.  And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
 27.  And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled.
 28.  But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.
 29.  Then he called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas,
 30.  And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
 31.  And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.
 32.  And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house.
 33.  And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway.
 34.  And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house.

THOSE IN CORINTH RECEIVED WITH FEAR
KJV 2 Corinthians 7:14-15
14.  For if I have boasted any thing to him of you, I am not ashamed; but as we spake all things to you in truth, even so our boasting, which I made before Titus, is found a truth.
15. And his inward affection is more abundant toward you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear and trembling ye received him.

II. FEAR IS COMMANDED

ABLE MEN FEAR GOD
KJV Exodus 18:21
21.  Moreover thou shalt provide out of all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them, to be rulers of thousands, and rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens:

GOD SAID TO FEAR
KJV Leviticus 25:17
 17.  Ye shall not therefore oppress one another; but thou shalt fear thy God: for I am the Lord your God.

FEAR AND KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS
KJV Deuteronomy 5:29
29.  O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!

FEAR AND SERVE
KJV Deuteronomy 6:13
13. Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name.

III. FEAR HIM FOR HE IS ABLE TO DESTROY THE SOUL

HE CAN DESTROY THE BODY AND SOUL
KJV Matthew 10:28
28. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
 

IT WOULD BE BETTER TO LOOSE BODY PARTS THAN TO BE SUBJECT TO EVERLASTING PUNISHMENT
KJV Mark 9:41-48
 41.  For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
 42.  And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
 43.  And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
 44.  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 
 45.  And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
 46.  Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 
 47.  And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
48. Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

CONCLUSION:

OBEDEINCE IS A MUST TO ENTER INTO HEAVEN
KJV Hebrews 5:8-9
 8.  Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9. And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

FEAR HIM ENOUGH TO FOLLOW HIS WILL AND HIS WORD!

HEAR
BELIEVE
REPENT 
CONFESS
BAPTIZED
AND
REMAIN FAITHFUL
 

Copyright 2000 by Brian Yeager may be reproducted for non-commercial purposes at no cost to others.