Pastor Keith Brown
September 6, 2026
FEAR DOESN’T MEAN BEING TERRIFIED OF GOD.
IT MEANS REVERENCE.
HONOR. AWE. TAKING GOD SERIOUSLY.
SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY, WE’VE GOTTEN TOO CASUAL WITH GOD.
WE WANT HIS GRACE, BUT SOMETIMES WITHOUT HONORING HIS AUTHORITY.
The fear of the Lord is not merely knowing something about God.
It is allowing what we know about God to affect how we live before God.
What Godly fear of the Lord produces in my life :
- I take God seriously.
- I honor God too much to live as though what He says does not matter.
- I recognize His rightful authority over my life.
- I remember that God is God, and I am accountable to Him.
If God speaks about my life, He is right.
If God speaks about my relationships, He is right.
If God speaks about my choices, He is right.
If God speaks about my purpose, He is right.
He is God — and I am not.
The Scriptural Benefits of Fearing the Lord
1. The Fear of the Lord brings DIRECTION.
“Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.” Psalm 25:12
- When I reverence God, He teaches me how to walk.
2. The Fear of the Lord brings REVELATION.
“The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.” Psalm 25:14
- Reverence positions me to know God more deeply.
3. The Fear of the Lord brings LONGEVITY.
“The fear of the LORD prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.” Proverbs 10:27
4. The Fear of the Lord brings CONFIDENCE.
“In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence…”
Proverbs 14:26
- Fearing God doesn’t make you insecure—it gives you security.
5. The Fear of the Lord brings LIFE and SATISFACTION.
“The fear of the LORD leads to life, and he who has it will abide in satisfaction…” Proverbs 19:23
THE FEAR OF THE LORD BRINGS…
DIRECTION — Psalm 25:12
REVELATION — Psalm 25:14
LONGEVITY — Proverbs 10:27
CONFIDENCE — Proverbs 14:26
LIFE & SATISFACTION — Proverbs 19:23
Ephesians 5:15 -16
“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”
The word circumspectly literally means to "look around" or look where you are stepping with intentionality Reverence!!
THREE AREAS WHERE WE NEED TO COME BACK
1. Come back from believing the lie that you are in control of your life more than God.
2. Come back from living an unrepentant life.
3. Come back from mixing the sacred with the profane.
Come back to the Lord. He is ready to receive, restore, and lead you.
