What do you fear?
4 Liberating truths = God is Great, God is Glorious, God is Good, God is Gracious.
Uses of the word Glorious
… glorious stroke play
… the weather was glorious
What the bible says
= our response to his perfect character.
Piper, “God’s glory is him going public with his infinite beauty, worth and value”.
What should our response be to God’s Glory?
Proverbs 29:25, “Fear of man will prove to be a snare but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe”.
How is this truth liberating?
Often we worry about things…
We fear what others think…
We have low self esteem…
We are controlled by a desire to seek their good opinion of us…
= We fear man
John 12… glory from man rather than glory from God.
Fear God
Awesome greatness…
Isaiah 40:25, “to whom, will you compare me? Or who is my equal”
Ps 119:120, “my flesh stand in fear of you; I stand in awe of your laws”
How God’s gloriousness affect us?
If I fear man…
> unlikely to speak the truth
> Avoid difficult decisions
> I will not want to make a decision that reduces your opinion of me
> Stop evangelism.
• Acts, “judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God. For we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard”.
> Sin = only upheld if people do not like it
> evil people are those who restrict the passions of society.
> my value as a pastor
> we will like up front and noticed jobs
If I fear God …
> vulnerable before other people.
> not be controlled by others
> free to speak God’s word
> I will evangelise
How does a fear of man impact your life?
How would a fear of God liberate you?
A fresh understanding that God is glorious
Firstly, meditate on God’s word
Secondly, imagine that sitting next to them is God.
Thirdly, whose approval matters most.