Jeremiah 32:38-41
Introduction: If, indeed, we are to fear the Lord (and we are), and if, indeed, we are to grow in the fear of the Lord (and we are), then, how are we to accomplish this? What we will learn in this message is, not only how to grow in the fear of God, but also why Christians are no longer called "God-fearing people."
As a Christian, God has already given you the potential to grow in this healthy fear of God. Our text says, "And they shall be my people, and I will be their God: And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them: And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me. Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul." (Jeremiah 32:38-41)
God's part in this is what He has already done. At salvation, He made fearing God possible by putting it in our hearts. Compare this to the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." This fruit is that which the Holy Spirit can produce in the life of a growing Christian. It is not fruit we must produce; it is fruit the Holy Spirit can produce in us IF we allow Him to.
The potential to fear the Lord properly is already in us. It can be compared to a spark. Kurt Kaiser put this thought into his song "Pass it On."
It only takes a spark to get a fire going,
And soon all those around can warm up in its glowing;
That's how it is with God's love,
Once you've experienced it,
You spread His love to everyone
You want to pass it on.
So, that spark must be fanned if it is going to become a flame. How can we fan the spark of the fear of God placed within us at our new birth so it will become a flame in our lives?
1. An undivided heart. - Psalm 86:11
"Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name."
- A united heart is an undivided heart; undivided concerning the will and purpose of God in our lives.
- Notice that the united heart fears God.
- In Jeremiah 32:40, God promises to inspire us to fear Him, "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."
- This undivided heart is a heart with singleness of purpose, aim, and even affections. We are to set our affections on things above, "Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:2)
- Somewhere along the line, God's people have developed divided and un-unified hearts concerning the things of the Lord.
- How can God fan the spark that has been drowned in the ways of the world?
2. A steady filling with the things of God.
- Prayer. Make this a part of your daily schedule. This was the psalmist's prayer in Psalm 86:11, "Teach me thy way, O LORD; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name."
- The Bible. Notice Hezekiah's words in Psalm 119:33-34, "Teach me, O LORD, the way of thy statutes; and I shall keep it unto the end. Give me understanding, and I shall keep thy law; yea, I shall observe it with my whole heart."
* Deuteronomy 4:10 says, "Specially the day that thou stoodest before the LORD thy God in Horeb, when the LORD said unto me, Gather me the people together, and I will make them hear my words, that they may learn to fear me all the days that they shall live upon the earth, and that they may teach their children."
* Deuteronomy 17:18-19 says, "And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them"
- Confession of sin. Psalm 130:3-4 says, "If thou, LORD, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand? But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared."
* John Bunyan said, "Godly fear flows from a sense of the love and kindness of God to the soul. "
* Somehow, knowing that we have been forgiven ought to spark a real fear of God in our hearts!
- Right thinking. Proverbs 2:1-5 says, "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee; So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God."
* All-too-often, we are like the wicked where God is not in all our thoughts.
* This right attitude in our thinking will keep us submissive to the things of God. This is a Godly fear of the Lord in our thoughts.
* Paul wrote, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." (Philippians 4:8)
* Arrogance against God comes from self-centered thinking. Garbage in; garbage out.
Conclusion: God has already done His part in developing in us the fear of the Lord. We must do our part now and flame that spark. We can do so by:
- Having an undivided and united heart for the things of God.
- Filling ourselves with the things of God like prayer, the Word of God, confession of sin, and right Biblical thinking.
Are you fanning the flame?