The Fear Of The Lord

Below is but a small measure of revelation that my father had received from the Lord. I hope this will be a blessing to you. All that is written below are the words of my father.

The Fear Of The Lord 

In loving memory of my father
Robert Louis (Bob) Padgett
July 28, 1931-May 22, 2023

Love is a word that is very commonly talked about in Christian circles. Jesus said,

A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. John 13:34

No serious Christian could ever argue about the genuine love of God for us and that we should also love one another as Christ loves us. The apostle John also said,

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. 

1 John 4:18

However, we need to be very careful here. Fear and love, in the above verse, appear to be opposites. But we need to examine ALL of scripture and we need to understand what Jesus and the Holy Spirit through John are saying. 

NO ONE is maturing in the Lord without the proper fear of the Lord made real within him. The enemy knows this; therefore the enemy distorts many scriptures to try to dispel the fear of the Lord. Most of the "modern" translations change the word "fear" of the Lord to "respect" or "reverence." That kind of change is a tragedy! We should NOT fear anything or anyone EXCEPT the Lord Himself.

A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is Mine honour? And if I be a master, where is My fear? saith the Lord of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise My name, And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Malachi 1:6

But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. Malachi 4:2

Just in case someone may say that scripture is in the Old Testament and no longer applies, consider what Jesus said:

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. Matthew 10:28

Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell? Only the Lord Himself! There are MANY verses in the New Testament that talk about the fear of the Lord. Here again, we need to be very careful. The fear of the Lord does NOT invoke a picture of Someone who has a big stick and is ready to pounce on us if we make a mistake. Moreover, just because something "bad" happens does NOT necessarily mean that we have done something wrong. Losses and sufferings happen to good people. We must always ask the Lord what we need to hear from Him regarding our difficulty. Then, let us journey on in the Lord. What God takes away from us is not important; what is important is WHAT WE DO WITH WHAT IS LEFT! A very familiar verse is:

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever. Psalm 19:9

This "clean" fear is the awe and reverence which a man feels in the presence of God. It also includes a determination not to grieve the Lord through our thoughts or actions. 

The verse in Malachi 1:6 indicates that the people no longer had a fear of the Lord. The reason was because they had become apostate ... everything had been reduced to a form, a ritual, a tradition. These two events go together ... apostasy and a lack of a fear of the Lord. Moreover, when there is no fear of the Lord, the door is opened to all manner of sin, off-center doctrines, and worse. That is what happened to the Church at Corinth. That is what we see TODAY in His church ... sin, off-center doctrines, and worse. Could it be that we have lost the understanding of the fear of the Lord? Perhaps the most important key to understanding the ways of the Lord is the fear of the Lord.

Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways.

Psalm 128:1

That verse clearly shows a relationship between fearing the Lord and understanding His ways. For until we understand His ways we cannot walk in His ways.

The fear of the Lord is also intimately related to wisdom. Oh how the body of Christ today needs the wisdom of God!

And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. Job 28:28

Solomon is generally regarded as a man who had much wisdom from God.

Lo, I [the Lord] have given thee [Solomon] a wise and understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. 1 Kings 3:12

And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. 1 Kings 4:29

Listen to what Solomon had to say about fearing the Lord:

Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13

The fear of the Lord is also closely related to obedience.

And he [the angel of the Lord] said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. Genesis 22:12

Now we need to have some understanding concerning what IS the fear of the Lord. Certainly one big aspect of the fear of the Lord is:

The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogance, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. Proverbs 8:13

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

So the fear of the Lord means we hate that which the Lord hates, desiring to walk only in His ways. We stand in awe of the holiness of God. God is love, life, and light. The Light of God represents His holiness, which includes His judgment of sin.

Let not thy heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. Proverbs 23:17

Hating that which God hates should govern our thoughts, our actions, and our lives. We should hate anything that is not God's truth. The REASON we should hate sin is because the fear of God has gripped our lives. No one readily does what they hate. We will stop sinning when we hate it. The first verse in the Bible that addresses this fact occurs after Cain had killed Abel.


6 Then the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen?

7 If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must master it. 

Genesis 4:6-7 (New American Standard)

Immorality runs rampant in the world today. People in the world do not have the fear of God within them. Therefore it is now an accepted way of life for a man and a woman to live together and even have children together outside of marriage. Americans today sing "God Bless America" at many events. Can God really bless America when there is so much sin in this country?

The November, 2001, issue of Maoz Israel, published by Messianic Jews, states:

Is America aware that one of the things that gives fuel to extremist fanatical Islamic sects is the loose sexual and materialistic lifestyle of the American people as exported by movies, videos, TV, music, magazines and books? And now Internet! America has introduced the world to hi-tech sin. Many Muslim regimes do not allow Western television in their country. They explain that they do not want their people exposed to the West's degrading morality.

Unfortunately this same immorality has invaded even charismatic circles. I remember a young woman and a young man kissing and almost fondling each other during a formal house church meeting many years ago. Christians also need to be very careful of how they dress. Some young Christian woman dress very provocatively. The fear of the Lord is the answer to all problems with respect to the opposite sex.

11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?

13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.

14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace and pursue it.

Psalm 34:11-14

When the fear of God grips you, you will be supernaturally natural, godly, and walk in holiness.


2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:2-5

The Lord promises a multitude of blessings if we walk in the fear of the Lord. The following are only a few of those blessings. There are MANY more!

(1) Salvation

Surely His salvation is nigh them that fear Him; that glory may dwell in our land. Psalm 85:9

(2) Mercy

For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward them who fear Him. Psalm 103:11,17

(3) Companionship of God

I am a companion of all them that fear Thee, and of them that keep Thy precepts. Psalm 119:63

(4) Prolonged days

The fear of the Lord prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. Proverbs 10:27

(5) Provision for all needs

O fear the Lord, ye His saints: for there is no want to them that fear Him.

Psalm 34:9

(6) Guidance

What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose. Psalm 25:12

(7) Protection

The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them. Psalm 34:7

(8) Revelation

The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him; and He will shew them His covenant. Psalm 25:14

(9) Riches, honor, and life

By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honour, and life.

Proverbs 22:4

(10) Blessed

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in His commandments. Psalm 112:1

(11) Fulfilled desires

He will fulfill the desire of them that fear Him: He will also hear their cry, and will save them. Psalm 145:19

(12) Acceptable to God

But in every nation he that feareth Him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with Him. Acts 10:35

(13) God takes pleasure in us

The Lord taketh pleasure in them that fear Him, in those that trust in His mercy. 

Psalm 147:11

(14) Know the goodness of God

Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee. 

Psalm 31:19

(15) Taught of the Lord

What man is he that feareth the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose. Psalm 25:12

(16) Healing

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings. Malachi 4:2

There is a need for healing in the body of Christ. That verse gives the prerequisite for healing ... the fear of the Lord. May His Son arise upon us!

(17) Place of refuge

In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge. Proverbs 14:25

(18) A fountain of life

The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.

Proverbs 14:26

(19) Wisdom

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

Let us consider Solomon, whose heart was so "right" when he first became king (although he was still involved, unknowingly, in mixture, according to 1 Kings 3:1-3). The Lord appeared unto Solomon in a dream and said, "Ask, what I shall give thee" (1 Kings 3:5). Solomon's response was:

9 Give therefore Thy servant an understanding heart to judge Thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this Thy so great a people?

10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.

11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment;

12 Behold I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.

13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

14 And if thou wilt walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. 1 Kings 3:9-14

Note that a wise and understanding heart is intimately related to the ability to discern between good and bad or to discern righteous judgment.

(20) Discernment and salvation

16 Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that thought upon His name.

17 And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

18 Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth Him not.

Malachi 3:16-18

The last blessing above, concerning discernment and salvation, is one that our fellowship used to read together every Sunday night, as a group. When we walk in the fear of the Lord, when the fear of the Lord is real in our hearts, Malachi 3:16 says that the Lord hearkens and hears us. The Lord hearkens to us! Note also that they who fear the Lord speak OFTEN one to another. This is not talking about a formal meeting. This is talking about lifting up the Lord in our conversations within day-to-day activities.

There is a clear relationship between the fear of the Lord and discernment, as stated in Malachi 3:18. Discernment is sadly lacking in the body of Christ today. All you have to do to prove that is look around at all of the tens of thousands of charismatic believers who have been pulled into one off-center doctrine after another. Many genuine believers have been sorely wounded because of their participation in so many off-center doctrines and "movements." We spoke about that lack of discernment in our last two messages.

All of the word and all of the verses we have shared clearly indicate that we CANNOT progress in the Lord unless the fear of the Lord is real within our hearts. Lord, open our eyes, our hearts, and our understanding that we might fear You! that we might discern between the righteous and the wicked, and between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. Lord, we stand in your presence with awe and reverence.

In our next few messages we plan to share with you on the much-needed topic of hearing the voice of the Lord for yourself.

Until then, may you continue to seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Amen.