Text: Job 1:1-11

1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job;  and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 2 And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. 3 His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household;  so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east. 4 And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day;  and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. 5 And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all:  for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.   Thus did Job continually. 6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them. 7 And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou?  Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. 8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?  9 Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?  10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side?  thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. 11 But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.

 Monday, 17^th June 2024

FREEDOM FROM FEAR

Text: Job 1:1-11

Memory verse: Job 1: 8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

The Spirit of the fear of the Lord gives us liberty of the fear of the Lord. What is the fear of the Lord? The fear of the Lord is obedience. That is a word that simply describes it. Liberty of obedience is the liberty of the fear of the Lord. Obedience is better than sacrifice. Many people cannot obey God because they do not have the liberty to obey God; because they could not retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, doing the things that aren't fitting. There is liberty we enjoy when we obey God; it is called the Spirit of the fear of the Lord; reverence to God.

Apostle Paul said, I could not disobey the heavenly calling. We're not talking about the kind of obedience that after God has spoken, and then something now happened then you say I think it is because what God said I should do that I did not do; let me go back and do it. No, we're talking about prompt, swift obedience. At the command of God, you have gone; it is possible by the liberty of the Spirit.

Those that don’t obey God, they are bound; they are in bondage. And the devil keeps them in that bondage because of disobedience. Apostle Paul said the spirit at work in the children of disobedience. So, there is a spirit at work in the children of disobedience. The Spirit at work in the children of obedience is the Spirit of the Lord that brings liberty. Don't think I'm just a good girl, I obey God, I'm just a good boy, I will obey God; no, it is powered by a Spirit. So, in this world, you are either at liberty or in bondage. Jesus met a woman on the Sabbath and the Bible says she had a hunch in her back for years. And Jesus said that woman had been in bondage. Just imagine that you cannot lift; you know when somebody has a hunch, it is a serious thing. The person cannot lift no matter how he tries, or she tries. And Jesus said, how can you watch that this daughter of Abraham, be in this kind of bondage? And Jesus healed her. So, you are at liberty when your back is straight.

And that's why the last expression of the Spirit of God is the Spirit of the fear of the Lord. So, wisdom must be in the fear of the Lord. Understanding must be in the fear of the Lord. Counsel must be in the fear of the Lord. Strength must be in the fear of the Lord. All of these must be expressed; the fear of the Lord is like the binding force that binds everything together. All of these must be in obedience, or else it is useless; it is futile, and empty.

CGDS HYMN 28: SS&S 190: 

COME, HOLY SPIRIT, COME

1. Come, Holy Spirit, come;

Let Thy bright beams arise,

Dispel the darkness from our minds,

And open all our eyes.

2. Revive our drooping faith,

Our doubts and fears remove,

And kindle in our breasts the flame

Of never-dying love.

3. Convince us of our sin,

Then lead to Jesus' blood,

And to our wondering view reveal

The secret love of God.

4. ‘Tis Thine to cleanse the heart,

To sanctify the soul,

To pour fresh life in every part,

And new-create the whole.

5. Dwell therefore in our hearts,

Our minds from bondage free ;

Then we shall know, and praise, and love

The Father, Son, and Thee !  

 Prayers 

1.  Holy Spirit, make me fear the Lord enough to obey Him all my days in Jesus’ name.

2.  LORD God Almighty, as I walk in Your fear reward me with Your wisdom in Jesus’ name. Amen.    

3.  Pray for others in this regard.