"The Two Faces of Fear: Destructive Anxiety vs. Reverence for God"

With a sudden bang on my door, I jerked awake. I listened intently, trying to figure out if I would hear a familiar voice. Then, I heard my name called out in panic—it was my neighbor. In a rush, I quickly opened the door.

Ola had a flight booked to leave the country at 1 p.m. But to his surprise, it had been rescheduled to 5 a.m. He only discovered this at 12:47 a.m.

How often do we panic in tense situations?

How often do we assume the worst, like thinking we’re going to be robbed whenever we hear unusual sounds in the middle of the night?

Many of us panic over the smallest things. Most of the time, these situations bring uncertainty, and before we know it, the spirit of fear takes over.

There’s a kind of fear that is destructive, and then there’s the fear of the Lord.

Destructive Fear
This is the kind of anxiety and dread that overwhelms us. It prevents believers from enjoying their redemptive rights and leads us to doubt God's ability to protect, provide, and love us. This kind of fear makes us question our faith and belief in the Lord. In fact, Psalm 112 calls it "the fear of bad news."

Psalm 112:7-8 says:
7 "They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.
8 Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear; in the end, they will look in triumph on their foes."

The Fear of the Lord
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We see this in 2 Corinthians 7:1 and Hebrews 12:28. There’s a big difference between the fear of the Lord and the spirit of fear. Someone who fears the Lord may be afraid of His judgment regarding a sin they’ve committed. This was evident in the Garden of Eden when God called out to Adam and Eve. They hid because they were afraid of what God might do to them. Their fear was not out of awe but rather fear of judgment.

The fear of the Lord is a holy kind of fear. This was the kind of fear Moses experienced when he encountered the burning bush and again when he met God physically.

A person who truly fears the Lord is more concerned about doing things that are pleasing to Him. They fear being separated from His presence and doing things that He doesn’t approve of. This is a healthy kind of fear that leads to transformation. When the Bible says, "work out your salvation with fear and trembling," it's talking about this holy fear—the kind of fear that blesses God’s people.

Psalm 112:1 (NIV) says:
"Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in His commands."

God gives believers spirit of strength and sound mind in place of fear.