Blessed be God our Father who gives us the opportunity to present ourselves before His presence, to expose ourselves to His Word and to the power of His Holy Spirit to be instructed, guided and, above all things, corrected. The life of faith does not consist only in what we are willing to do, but above all in the disposition that each of us has to be corrected to do what God wants us to do.
This teaching exposes us to doctrinal Word: that which guides us, corrects us, and relocates us in the position or path that God wants us to take. We have read that there are ways that seem right to man, but their end is the way of death. It is not simply about doing, but about having knowledge of what God wants us to do.
The Divine Protocol
In Deuteronomy 10:12 we find a fundamental verse that contains an entire protocol of what God demands from man and woman: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you? Only to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”
A single verse, but one that contains an entire process. It is not enough to say that this belongs to the Old Testament, because the Word of God does not expire nor does it have an expiration date. This Word is as valid in our days as it was when Moses delivered it to the people of Israel.
God has demands of the man of faith and the woman of faith. He did not leave us to free will or to misfortune. The spiritual life in the Lord is one that follows an instruction and establishes a demand from God.
The Four Demands in Progressive Order
This verse presents us with a clear process:
- That you fear the Lord your God
- That you walk in all His ways
- That you love Him
- That you serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul
The order is crucial. We cannot serve God if we have not first learned to fear God. The man of God, the woman of God, cannot love God—no matter how much intention or good desire they have—if they have not first learned to fear God. Neither can they walk in the ways that God has laid out if they have not first learned to fear God.
There is a principle, and Proverbs defines it clearly: the beginning of wisdom is the fear of God. Everything begins with the fear of God.
What is the Fear of God?
Although the word suggests fearing, being afraid or being terrified, it is not exactly what the Word of the Lord teaches us about the fear of God.
A Personal Consciousness that is Developed
The fear of God is a personal, individual and particular consciousness that man and woman develop before God Himself.
God does not implant fear in you. If God implanted fear, what need would there be for the Spirit of God, through the mouth of Moses, to demand that the people fear God? The very wording of the verse confirms it: “What does God require of you? That you fear the Lord your God.” It is a demand, not an automatic imposition.
Therefore, fear is a consciousness that man and woman develop, understanding that we are before the presence of the Lord at all times.
The Problem of Pleasing the Eye
One of the major problems that most of us have faced in the life of faith is that we seek to please people. The apostle Paul, by the Spirit of God, says: “Not with eyeservice”, that is, not behaving only when someone is watching us, but as pleasing God.
Each of us must understand that we are before the presence of God at all times. When we come to Genesis 3, we find the account—absurd to a certain extent—of Adam and Eve hiding from the presence of the Lord: “I was afraid and I hid.”
Can we hide from the presence of God? The answer is no. The psalmist David, by the Spirit of God, establishes: “Where shall I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to the heights, if I go to the heavens, You are there; if I go to the depth of the sea, You are there.”
We cannot hide or flee from the presence of God. Then, why do we have no qualms about doing those things that we know are an offense to God? Because we have not developed the fear of God.
Personal Responsibility
The fear of God is a responsibility that no one can assume for us. It is a personal responsibility, our own, a commitment of each one of us. We cannot delegate this responsibility to another person. It does not help to say “pray for me so that I can develop the fear of God.” It does not happen that way.
Fear of God is Respect and Reverence
In Deuteronomy 10:16, Moses gives instructions to the people: “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stiff-necked.”
With this we conclude that the fear of God is a consciousness that each of us develops of understanding that we are before God at all times, and out of respect for God, we avoid actions, thoughts, feelings and attitudes that do not please Him.
Fear of God has to do with respect and recognition: God is here, and therefore, out of respect and recognition, I avoid things that are displeasing to Him.
The Example of the Camp
In Deuteronomy, Moses gives an instruction to the people: each one should have a stake among their gear. This stake would serve whenever they went out to the field to relieve themselves. The instruction was clear: they would dig a hole, relieve themselves and then cover it.
Moses ends by saying: “So that the Lord your God, who walks in the midst of you, may not see anything indecent and turn away from your camp.”
See to what extent the consciousness that we are before the presence of the Lord reaches.
Religious Consciousness vs. Consciousness of the Fear of God
Many of us develop only a religious consciousness: one in which we behave in a certain way when we are in a temple, in a congregation or in a meeting where there are other people of the same faith. That is a religious consciousness.
A consciousness like the fear of God has to do with wherever we find ourselves. This is important for us to understand.
It is Not Autosuggestion
The fear of God is not an autosuggestion, it is not about convincing ourselves by repeating “I am before the presence of God, I am before the presence of God.” It is about understanding that God fills all things in all, and therefore we are before the presence of the Lord.
God Manifests Himself
Perhaps there will be more than one who says: “It is hard for me to understand that God is everywhere.” Let us look at the book of the prophet Amos 3:4-6:
“Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from his den unless he has captured something? Does a bird fall into a trap on the ground when there is no bait in it? Does a trap spring up from the ground when it captures nothing?”
These questions have the purpose of making us understand that God manifests Himself, God testifies to His presence among us. The problem is that many of us have developed philosophical concepts of what the presence of God is.
The Case of Gideon
To a great extent we rely on Gideon’s demand in the book of Judges. Gideon presents himself before the angel and asks for signs with the fleece of wool. What was Gideon doing with this practice? He was not trying to suggest to himself or to establish a sign. He was refusing to believe in the presence of God.
That is why the way God dealt with Gideon was so particular: being able to have achieved victory with 30,000 men, He exposed him to such a ridiculous form with 300 men who did not fight, who only shouted “For the Lord and for Gideon!” and broke some clay vessels.
Gideon resisted believing in the presence of God. If we review the moment when the angel appears to him, Gideon is hiding and says: “O my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why are we in this situation?” He did not want to understand that it was not a product of God having delivered them to that situation, but that it was a product of evil, sin and the deviation of the people who had left their Lord.
God is Present in Everything
We return to the book of Amos: “Does a lion roar in the forest when he has no prey?” The answer is no, because the lion does not roar on a whim. It roars because it is searching for prey.
The questions the prophet asks have the purpose of showing us that if something is happening in our lives, it is because there is a spiritual reason from God. That is, God is manifesting His presence. What happens is that we have not seen it because we do not want to see God.
It happens to us in the same way as it happened to Gideon: we refuse, we deny believing that God is with us. This is the reason why many men and women cannot grow or develop in the spiritual life.
Why? Because we do not want to believe that God is with us. We ask: “Why if God is with me did what happened to me happen: the accident, the death, the loss, the violation, the murder?” People do not want to understand that God is with us all the time.
Even Adverse Things are God’s Visitation
Isaiah 29:6 says: “You will be visited by the Lord of hosts with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with whirlwind and tempest, and the flame of a devouring fire.”
Even adverse things are God’s visitation. Even that of loss, of failure, of accident, that which is adverse, is visitation from God.
What is happening then? The great problem is that we do not want to recognize that God is present. Many of us refer it to feelings: “I do not feel God, I do not feel forgiveness, I do not feel repentance.”
Since when do we have to feel to admit that God is present? Is the life of faith perhaps a feeling? Does not the Word of God say that “what I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God”?
Since when do we have to feel forgiveness to forgive someone. Since when do I have to feel that I should ask someone for forgiveness. It is a decision. Since when do I have to feel that I should repent. It is a decision.
The Fear of God: A Decision
The fear of God is the consciousness that man and woman develop of understanding that they are before the presence of the Lord at all times, and out of respect for Him, I avoid doing things that I know by His Word and by the testimony of His Holy Spirit are abominable to Him.
We have to understand that God is demanding that we enter into a decision-making process. It is necessary to make a decision.
The Example of Jacob
In Genesis 28:15-17 we find words that God declared to Jacob when he was fleeing from his brother Esau and found himself at Bethel:
“Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you. Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said: Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it. And he was afraid and said: How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.”
This is the attitude of a man who has become conscious that he needs to develop the fear of God. This is the attitude of a woman who has developed consciousness that she needs to develop the fear of God.
Fear of God is a responsibility of each one of us. It is not a feeling nor does it have to do with philosophy. It is a decision. Jacob decided: “This is the house of God, gate of heaven, I am before the presence of the Lord.” He says it in verse 16: “Surely the Lord is in this place and I did not know it.”
From there, from that moment, Jacob moved carrying that place with him, he transported it through all the places where he moved.
God has revealed Himself, God has manifested Himself, but we have not wanted to develop the fear of God because we have rather philosophical concepts, religious philosophy where we are taught that we have to feel it, that we have to experience it. But that is not how the Holy Scriptures present it. It is a decision.
That is why Moses told the people: “Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer rebellious to the presence of the Lord.”
Fear of God, the beginning of wisdom, is man’s decision to understand that he is before the presence of the Lord at all times.
Understanding that God is Working
In the gospel of Mark 8:17-21, Jesus says to His disciples:
“Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the 5 loaves for the 5,000, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?”
They said: “Twelve.”
“When I broke the 7 for the 4,000, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?”
They said: “Seven.”
“And He was saying to them: Do you not yet understand?”
What do I have to understand? Jesus asks this question twice. I have to understand that fear of God is the understanding that God is working in my life and among mine all the time, even when I do not see it.
The Case of the Loaves
The case we just read is not the first case. Similar cases had already happened, and Jesus reminds them of two cases. A situation was repeated: due to the urgency of the trip, they forgot to bring bread and food. On the way, they blamed one another: “It was your responsibility, why didn’t you bring bread? Why didn’t you bring food? Now we find ourselves in a deserted place and we have no food.”
Jesus perceives the event they try to keep hidden and says to them: “How do you not understand?”
What do I have to understand? I have to understand that God is working, even when I do not see it:
- God is working, even when there is loss
- God is working, even when there is scarcity
- God is working, even when there is need
- God is working, even when I am telling Him: “Lord, I do not have, I do not have”
It is important that we understand that the fear of God is developed in the knowledge of who the God is whom we serve.
“How do you not understand?” Jesus said to them. “Do you not remember the first time how many baskets of leftovers you picked up?” And they said to Him: “Twelve.” “And do you not remember the second time how many baskets you picked up?” And they said to Him: “Seven.”
Is God perhaps a God of only two attempts? Is God a God of only two experiences, and from then on His power ran out? Is He not the God of the supernatural? Is He not the God of creation? Was it not He who said “Let there be light” and there was light?
He did nothing, simply spoke. That is why in John 1: “In the beginning was the Word”, it was the Word. The Word alone, there was no action of Him manufacturing something or composing something with His hands. The only ones He formed with His hands were man and woman, but everything else, all this vast universe that impacts and impresses us every day, He made it with His Word.
Not with His hands, with His Word alone. “Speak the word and my servant will be healed”, with His Word.
God is working even when I do not see it. God is working even when circumstances are adverse. God is working even when I do not understand anything of what is happening. This is the fear of God.
The Man of Faith Does Not Measure Results
The man of faith is not one who measures results. The woman of faith is not one who measures results. That is why testimony is not that which can be described tangibly. Testimony is not saying “He gave me a car, I obtained a house, I obtained this property, I obtained this benefit.” It is not the quantitative.
Testimony is what God is doing, even when I see absolutely nothing.
The Case of Elijah and the Widow
Elijah is sent by God. When the brook Cherith dried up, God told him: “Go to the land of Tyre and Sidon, for I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.”
God is working. When Elijah arrives, he indeed finds a widowed woman who had a son and had absolutely nothing to sustain him. “If I give to you, I am left with nothing because it is the only thing we have: either you or us.”
Then comes the instruction about the oil: an oil that is being poured into vessels but always maintains the same level. It is not that suddenly the oil multiplied. It keeps pouring, but in the original vessel was the same amount. It keeps filling other vessels, but in that one the same level remains.
Where is the oil coming from? The same level remains. And it stopped flowing when the vessels ran out. If there had been more vessels, surely the same oil would have filled as many more vessels as necessary.
What are we saying? God is working even though I do not see, even though nothing is evident.
The Miracle of the Multiplication
In the two events where Jesus multiplied the loaves and fish, in the first they picked up 12 baskets of leftovers (much larger baskets), and in the second event 7 baskets. Do you know why Jesus worked this way? Do you know why? Because it was not until they picked up the leftovers that they realized the miracle Jesus had done.
Just as you hear it: it was not until they picked up the leftovers that they realized the miracle the Lord had done.
Why? Because when the apostles began to distribute, they saw the same amount of fish, the same amount of bread. Each one kept taking and it did not run out. When they went to the next person, the same amount. While it was being distributed, no one realized the miracle because each one was putting their hand in and saw fish. In the basket they were distributing from, the fish did not disappear.
It was never: “Bring another basket because this one is empty.” Each one kept putting their hand in and taking fish and bread. They went to another, took some, and no one realized what was happening, the miracle that was happening among them.
The miracle was understood, the miracle was evident only when they distributed and collected all the pieces. Only then did they realize the miracle Jesus worked among them.
Why? Everyone knew they only had 5 loaves in the first case. Everyone knew they only had 7 loaves in the second case. They never saw quantities and quantities of loaves that they started breaking.
The miracle was understood only when they collected all the pieces.
God is working. He has not stopped working. The greatest miracles God performs, the greatest supernatural work God does, is when there is need, when there is scarcity, when there is deficiency, when there are adverse situations. It is the greatest miracle.
Why? Because the fear of God does not question, does not investigate, does not resent. Fear of God: God is working.
Learning Not to Measure by Results
There is something that we, men and women of faith, have to learn: it is not to measure things by results. Each of us has to learn this.
Not because there is deficiency are we in disgrace. God is working. Not because I am multiplying and doing more is God blessing me. Not because things are seen in multiplication can I say “God is blessing me.”
There is something within the fear of God that we have to learn: not to measure, not to value, not to weigh God by results.
The Case of Lazarus
If we look in the gospel of John at the case of Lazarus, the two sisters approached Jesus in the same way and said exactly the same thing: “If You had been here, my brother would not have died.”
That is not a declaration of faith. That is a complaint. In other words, what both Mary and Martha were saying is: “My brother died because You were not here.” And that is serious.
Many of us behave in the same way: “I am in this situation and it is Your fault.”
Fear of God is understanding that God is working, even when I do not see it, even when to my senses this seems to be the end, even when in my judgment, even when in my opinion, I have reached the end of everything.
David Cornered
David was being pursued by Saul and, without realizing it, entered a space with no exit. He was cornered. Do you know what happened? Something David had never done: he began to climb that cliff, that wall that anyone could not climb. He began to walk, to climb, to climb.
That is where the psalm is born: “He makes my feet like the feet of a deer and causes me to walk on my high places.”
God is working. That is the fear of God.
When it seems we have reached the end of everything, when it seems there is no more way out, when it seems our enemies have cornered us, the Lord makes us see something that if it had not been for that situation, we would never have seen it. God makes us experience something that if it had not been for that, we would never have experienced it.
God is working. This is the fear of God.
I have to refuse to measure things by results. I have to refuse to measure the work, to measure the ministry, to measure what happens around me by results. I have to refuse.
Conclusion: Personal Responsibility
We return to Deuteronomy 10:12. It is a simple word, it is not complicated or difficult to understand. Even one who does not have biblical or theological experience can understand it:
“And now, Israel, what does God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God? To walk in all His ways, to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.”
What is the fear of God?
The fear of God is the consciousness that we, men and women of God, develop. It is your responsibility, it is my responsibility. It is not your spouse’s responsibility, it is not your wife’s responsibility. It is your responsibility, it is my responsibility.
I cannot ask, I should not ask for prayer so that I develop the fear of God, so that the Lord gives me the fear of God. No. That is philosophy and religious philosophy. “Pray for me so that the Lord gives me the strength to develop…” No, it does not work that way.
I have to develop the fear of God.
When do I develop it? When I develop consciousness that I am before the presence of God at all times.
“Where shall I hide?”
If each of us develops that consciousness that we are before the presence of God, many of the perverse things we do in secret, we would stop doing. And it is not that “the devil, the enemy, Satan deceived me and forced me.” Do you know why? Because there is no such case. Although we are ministers of deliverance, of spiritual warfare and deliverance, there is no such case. It is that you did not want to. It is that you exposed yourself. It is that you, by not having the fear of God, did not put a stop to it.
Joseph, before Potiphar’s wife, ran away because he had the fear of God.
How many of us expose ourselves to situations and we do not put any restraint, limit or stop to them, because we do not have the fear of God?
Crucial Questions
Why have we not grown in the spiritual life? Why have we not grown in faith? Why have we not been able to develop a ministry, knowing that God spoke to us so many years ago that we had a ministry?
Because we have not developed the fear of God. Because we have not developed consciousness that we are before the presence of the Lord at all times.
Because we have wanted to do it with our own strength, with our own resources, with our own abilities, with our own knowledge. And afterwards, when all things failed, when all things failed: “Lord, help me.” Help me so I can continue, without having first asked: “Is this, Lord, what You want? Is this, Lord, what You are demanding?”
The fear of God is a demand from God.
A Serious Warning
Today your life can grow spiritually, but I also have to tell you the following: today you can fall without opportunity to rise.
“But pastor, how is it possible that you are saying that?”
Because it is my responsibility to tell you. The apostle Paul says in Acts 21: “I know that after my departure, savage wolves will rise from among yourselves who will not spare the flock.”
Why am I telling you this? Not because I am mocking you, not because I do not understand that you are legitimate from the Lord. No. Do you know why? Because we do not want to expose ourselves and walk according to God. This story has been repeated. It is not new.
That is why I have to tell you the following: Today can be the turning point of your life in the spiritual life, but today can be your fall without opportunity to rise.
It is not God who determines it. It is you. It is me.
The Decision is Yours
Fear of God is consciousness that I am before the presence of God. I do not auto-suggest myself. I am before the presence of God, and as such, I know how to set limits, set stops. I do not expose myself because I am before the presence of God.
No one sees me, no one is with me, but I know I am before the presence of God.
And God is working in my life, in my environment, even when I do not see it, even when it seems to my eyes that it is the complete opposite, that I am reaching the final point of my existence, of my life, and even of my ministry.
FEAR OF GOD.
“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to love Him, and to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul?”
We have exposed ourselves to the Word. What will we do with it?
The peace of the Lord be with you.
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