27th Mar 26 | 16:08
Studies by Book
01 Acts 05 01-11 THE FEAR OF GOD IN HIS CHURCH 18 Acts 05 11 Walking in the fear of God
📖 Acts 05:01-11
18 – 03Apr2023 – *Walking in the fear of God* - _Acts 05:01-11_ - THE FEAR OF GOD IN HIS CHURCH - Bible reading: _Jeremiah 32:38-40_
“Lord Jesus, teach us to walk in Your fear. In Your name, we pray. Amen.”
*_Acts 5:11 So great fear came upon all the church and upon all who heard these things._*
The result of this incident with Ananias and Sapphira, caused great fear of God to come on all who heard these things. The Lord revealed His holiness and His power. *People realised that they cannot live as though God was not present but they needed to always submit to Him with reverence.* God was drawing people to Himself through this event.
God’s burden is that none should perish but that all should come to eternal life. *_I Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, (4) who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth._*
Unusual miracles took place through Paul. The seven sons of Sceva tried to exorcise evil spirits by asserting, "We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.". The evil spirit leapt on them and overpowered them. All of these events caused the fear of God to come on the people.
*_Acts 19:17-20 This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified. (18) And many who had believed came confessing and telling their deeds. (19) Also, many of those who had practiced magic brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted up the value of them, and it totaled fifty thousand pieces of silver. (20) So the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed._*
The result of the fear of God was that Jesus was lifted and magnified. Many people believed in Jesus. They repented and surrendered to the lordship of Christ. They took practical action to get rid of their magic books. Everything concerning their old life was being put away. The word of God grew and impacted the lives of many. All of these were the outcomes of the fear of God.
*God is longing for people to repent, return and be restored to Him. This is the purpose of the fear of God.*
The fear of God is important for us since we live as though God need not be feared. If only we would take a moment to step back and consider the vastness of God’s creation. Consider distances from the earth to the other planets. Consider the power of nature. Consider the intricacies and the detail of God’s design in creation. Consider the many laws and systems in creation that the human mind has still not understood. If only we would, often, take time to consider the power and greatness of God, this would then give us a more reasonable understanding of who we are in comparison. If we claim to be even a speck in this creation of God, it would be too big.
*This great and awesome God, loves us and cares for us.*
*_Psalms 89:6-8 For who in the heavens can be compared to the LORD? Who among the sons of the mighty can be likened to the LORD? (7) God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him. (8) O LORD God of hosts, Who is mighty like You, O LORD? Your faithfulness also surrounds You._*
Though man is small and tiny, God gave man to be the ruler of all His creation. *_Psalms 8:3-6 When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained, (4) What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him? (5) For You have made him a little lower than the angels, And You have crowned him with glory and honor. (6) You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet,_*
Ought not this understanding cause us to fear God? It is incomprehensible that man, being so weak and small before God, should have the audacity to resist, reject and even question the very existence of God. God can wipe us off in a moment but because of His great love for us, He is drawing us to Himself.
The incident with Ananias and Sapphira was to cause people to fear God and to walk in His ways.
The Lord not only wants that we should not perish but He longs to have an intimate relationship with us. *_Jeremiah 32:38-40 They shall be My people, and I will be their God; (39) then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. (40) And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me._*
God is making a covenant with us. It is a covenant of marriage. He is the Husband and we are His bride. This is the relationship of marriage that God has with us, yet we live as though God is not with us.
```It is the fear of God that causes us to come back into a covenant relationship with our God.```