When I was a kid, my dad had a Kawasaki motorcycle dealership. During that time, a man wanted to trade my dad a pony for a helmet. My dad was interested in getting a pony for me and my sister, so he took him up on the offer. Once we picked up the pony, we found out that kids had been throwing rocks at it and it was pretty wild. It would not let you put a bridle or saddle on it without a fight.
Once we got the pony home, my dad started to put a bridle on the pony, but it swatted my dad with it’s head. In response, my dad grabbed the pony by the head, twisted it’s neck and threw it to the ground. The pony was stunned and my dad was angry. In his anger, he turned to me and told me to come get on the pony. After the episode that I just saw, I responded that I didn’t want to get on it. My dad responded with anger, come get on the pony. At that point, I’m looking at the pony snorting, my dad breathing fire and I had to decide, whom shall I fear? I decided that I feared my dad the most.
With my decision made, my dad slung me up on the pony just to feel the pony respond by kicking. My dad responded with a punch to the pony’s nose, which totally stunned the pony but it did calm her down. From that day forward, I rode the pony with ease and knew that I chose the right one to fear.
In life, we experience all kinds of trials and temptations that put us at a point that we must choose whom we are going to fear. The outcome of those decisions can dramatically affect our lives. We are choosing who we don’t want to upset and the one that we want to stay in good standings with. Today I want to reveal the advantages of fearing God and not fearing anyone or anything else, so that we make the right decision and maybe have a little more ease in life.
Ps. 27:1 tells us that the Lord is our Light, Salvation & Strength. Let’s look at Ps. 27:1 together, along with a few other scriptures and see what we can learn about “Whom Shall I Fear?”
Perhaps it is easier for us to read this verse than it is to live it out in our daily lives. Instead of trusting in His protection, we get anxious. Instead of relying on God to be our fortress, we experience fear, we worry about what we can do in our own wisdom or strength, instead of trusting in our Lord.
- I should fear the one that is the light of the world that can bring light and wisdom to my life.
Light in the Bible usually refers to making things visible or understandable. Ps.119:105 tells us that the word of God is a lamp for our feet and a light for our path. In John 8:12 Jesus said that He is the light of the world. Prov. 9:10 tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. When we choose to fear the Lord, we are making the first step in gaining wisdom that the Lord gives us by shining His word into our lives and guiding us with His Holy Spirit. - I should fear the one that brings me salvation and help to my life.
Salvation here means to bring deliverance, to rescue to help. Matt. 10:28 tells us to not fear those that can only kill the body, but fear the one that can kill the body and soul. This verse is not a scare tactic, but a reality check. A reminder that God not only can affect the body, but he can affect our soul. He is the salvation of our soul as the scriptures say in Isaiah 12:2 Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’ ” - I should fear the almighty one that can give me strength to face all my fears.
The Psalmist referred to the Lord as being the strength of his life. 1 Chronicles 29:12 states, Both riches and honor come from You, And You reign over all. In Your hand is power and might; In Your hand it is to make great and to give strength to all. The Lord wants to empower us with His strength when we are weak.
Don’t let the circumstances of life in a moment confuse you in to fearing someone or something instead of fearing the Lord that gives us light, salvation and strength.
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