Pathway to Victory

David: Hey podcast listeners, thanks for streaming today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. Our mission is to pierce the darkness with the light of God's Word through the most effective media available, like this podcast.

To support Pathway to Victory, go to PTV.org/donate, or follow the link in our show notes. Now, here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory.

Dr. Robert Jeffress: Hi, this is Robert Jeffress, and I'm glad to study God's Word with you every day on this Bible teaching program. On today's edition of Pathway to Victory, the Bible says the fear of God is both the beginning of wisdom, but it's also the end result of wisdom.

What does it mean to fear God? If it's the beginning place and the ending place of all success and wisdom in life, don't we need to understand what it means to truly fear God?

David: Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress. There's some confusion among today's Christians about what it means to fear God. If God is truly our loving Father in heaven, then what is there to be afraid of? Today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress explains what the Bible teaches about fearing the Lord.

According to King Solomon, fear is good. But first, let's take a moment to hear some important ministry updates.

Dr. Robert Jeffress: Thanks, David, and welcome again to Pathway to Victory. Did you realize that the Apostle Paul never traveled alone? He was always surrounded by fellow believers, people who encouraged him and shared the journey. I think there's something to that.

Along those lines, I'm inviting you to join me and the Pathway to Victory family on the Journeys of Paul Mediterranean cruise. The dates are May 14th through the 23rd, 2027. Over our 10-day adventure, we'll walk where Paul walked. We'll worship and study the scripture together in the very places where the early church was born.

We've planned the perfect balance of meaningful exploration and genuine rest, and I'd love to make this journey with you. You can sign up right now by going to PTV.org. Well, it's the final day in our month-long teaching series, and it's the very last day to request a best-selling book that complements our study in Proverbs called The Solomon Secrets: 10 Keys to Extraordinary Success.

I believe the Bible contains foolproof wisdom for anyone willing to apply it on a wide variety of relevant topics, like cultivating a healthy marriage, learning how to take charge of your personal finances, overcoming debilitating fear, and finding success in the workplace. And it's a natural choice for your small group as well, because of the discussion questions I've included for each chapter.

When you give a generous gift to Pathway to Victory, I'll make sure you receive a copy of this book, The Solomon Secrets. All right, it's time to begin our final study in The Solomon Secrets series. I've titled today's message: Fear Is Good.

Dr. Robert Jeffress: I was asked by Fox News if I had any explanation for the rise in violence we're seeing among teenagers across the country. And of course, I pointed to the usual suspects. I talked about the epidemic violence that we find in video games and now on cable television. A violence has become the new pornography of our culture.

But I said the root cause of the violence we're seeing among teenagers is the fact that parents have failed in their most basic responsibility as parents, and that is to instill in their children a fear of God. When you teach children that they're nothing but a biological accident, that their existence is the result of evolutionary chance, we shouldn't be surprised when those same children choose to ignore the most basic law of the creator of life, God himself, who said, "Thou shalt not kill."

Today, it's politically incorrect to talk about fearing God, even among some Christians. For example, when's the last time you heard a sermon on the fear of God? When's the last time you heard somebody preach from 1 Samuel 15, verse 3, in which God told Saul to go and kill Amalek, and not only Amalek, but also everyone associated with him?

God said, "Now, you go and strike Amalek and utterly destroy all that he has, and do not spare him, but put to death both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel, and donkey." Frankly, we're embarrassed by passages like that in the Bible. We're embarrassed by stories that portray God as a killer of women and children.

We're embarrassed by these stories because they violate the kind of God we've created in our own minds, rather than the reality of the true God. And yet the Bible says that we need to not only fear God ourselves, but the most basic lesson we can teach our children is to fear God.

Remember Moses' words to the Israelites as they were preparing to enter into the promised land, in Deuteronomy 31, verse 2, he gave this charge. "Assemble the people, the men and women and children and the alien who is in your town, in order that they may hear and learn and fear the Lord your God and be careful to observe all the words of this law."

Moses believed that the greatest legacy that he could leave the Israelites, and that the Israelites could leave to their children, was to teach them to fear the Lord. Fearing God is not harmful. It is healthy for our spiritual well-being.

That's why the last Solomon secret for success we're going to look at today is the most basic. It's a piece of uncommon wisdom, as all of these Solomon secrets have been that we've talked about. Conventional wisdom says that fearing God is harmful to your spiritual life. No, the Bible says fear is good.

Pastor, how can you say such a thing? How can you say that it's good and healthy for us to fear God? I want you to think for a moment and look with me in scripture, all of the positive benefits that the Bible says comes into our life from fearing God.

For example, fearing God provides needed direction in our life. How many of you need God's direction in a specific area of your life, a job choice, a relationship choice, whether or not to move to this city or the next city? Did you know the fear of God promises to provide your needed direction? In Psalm 25, verses 12 and 14, the psalmist said, "Who is the man who fears the Lord? It's that man, God will instruct him in the way that he should choose."

The Bible also says that the fear of the Lord is key to experiencing protection from our enemies, protection from our enemies. Listen to Psalm 34, verse 7. "The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he rescues them."

How many would like to have a life, a better quality of life, a life that is marked with riches and honor and life? Listen to what Proverbs 22, verse 4 says. "The key to a better quality of living is the fear of God. The reward of humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, honor, and life."

Given all of the benefits that the Bible associates with fearing God, it should be no surprise that at the beginning of the book of Proverbs, Solomon gives this foundational principle for success in life. Proverbs 1:7 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Fools despise wisdom and instruction." Now you may be asking yourself the natural question, "Well, Pastor, if that's true, if the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, why are you ending this series talking about the fear of God? Why are you making it the 10th Solomon secret instead of the first one when we started this series?"

Well, here's the interesting thing. The Bible says the fear of God is both the beginning of wisdom, but it's also the end result of wisdom. Over in Proverbs 9, verses 4 and 5, Solomon says, "If you will seek wisdom as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures, then you will discern the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God." That is, if you go on this treasure hunt for what the Bible calls wisdom, the skill to live life according to God's plan, as you search for God's wisdom, once you have dug through the rubble and dirt of worldly philosophy, you'll find God's wisdom, and lying right alongside God's wisdom will be the fear of God.

The fear of God is both the cause of and the result of true success in life. What does it mean to fear God? If it's the beginning place and the ending place of all success and wisdom in life, don't we need to understand what it means to truly fear God?

As I look through the scripture, I find that there are three components for developing a healthy fear of God. First of all, to fear God means to have a respect for God's power. A respect for God's power. When you fear God, you will be overwhelmed intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally by the greatness of God.

And nowhere do we see the greatness of God more vividly displayed than in creation. Think about, for example, the vastness of creation. I read a story once about the French military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte. He was traveling on a ship in the Mediterranean Sea with his troops, and as he walked around the ship, he passed by a group of his men who were mocking the idea of the existence of God.

And Napoleon stopped there and interrupted them and said, "Men, you must first of all do away with these," as he spanned his hand across the stars. The fact is, you can't do away with the stars. You can't do away with creation. The creation is literally screaming out the existence, the power of God.

You see the power of God when you consider the vastness of this creation. By a single sentence, God flung this entire universe into being. To fear God means, first of all, to have a respect for God's power.

Secondly, the fear of God entails a reverence for God's holiness. A reverence for God's holiness. C.S. Lewis in his classic book, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, tells the story of four children who are magically transported through a wardrobe in the attic into the magical world of Narnia, complete with talking animals. And as the children arrive in Narnia, some talking animals begin to tell them about the center piece of Narnia, and that's the majestic lion Aslan, who is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ.

As the animals are talking to the children, they're naturally apprehensive about coming face-to-face with a lion. In a portion of that book, one of the children, Susan, says, "Oh, I thought he was a man. Is he quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion." "That you will, dearie, and make no mistake," said Mrs. Beaver. "If there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly."

"Then he isn't safe?" said Lucy. "Safe?" said Mr. Beaver. "Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? Of course he isn't safe, but he's good. He's the king, I tell you." Ladies and gentlemen, God is not safe, but he's good.

What's the image that is used of Jesus Christ over and over again in the Bible? He's called the Lion of Judah. And that's why anybody who tries to stand before God without his or her knees knocking just a little bit, doesn't really understand who God is.

When you understand the holiness of God, there's a certain fear and apprehension about appearing before God. You know, there's some people, I've heard this and you have too, who tried to diminish this idea of fearing God. And they say, "Well, to fear God doesn't mean to be afraid of God. It simply means to have a healthy respect for God." Have you heard that before?

No, the Hebrew word fear, yara, means fear. It means to be afraid of. To fear God means to have a healthy terror of the idea of coming into the presence of God. Why should we be afraid of God? Proverbs 9, verse 10 links the fear of God with the holiness of God.

"The fear of the Lord," the writer says, "is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the holy one is understanding." We are to fear God because of the holiness of God. That word "holy" literally means to cut or to separate. When we say God is holy, we mean he is separate from us. He is a cut above anything else in creation. There is a great gulf between a holy God and us. We are limited in our understanding, but God is omniscient.

We have a beginning, but God is eternal. We are sinful, but God is completely righteous. There is a great gulf between God and us, and when we understand that, there ought to be a fear of God.

Listen to me, God is not our best buddy, he is not like we are. God is completely different, he is separate than we are. There is a great gulf, a chasm, between a holy God and a sinful man, like you and like me. And there's only one way to bridge that gulf between God and man, and it is through the blood of Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is the one who came and bridged that great divide between God and us. Listen to me, you will never be motivated to trust in Christ and Christ alone for the forgiveness of your sins until you understand the absolute holiness of God.

To fear God means to have a respect for God's power, a reverence for God's holiness. And thirdly, a fear of God will always result in a reordering of our behavior. A reordering of our behavior. If you truly understand the power and the holiness of God, the natural result is you and I are going to obey God.

We're going to be motivated to reorder our behavior so that we can please him. I want you to turn over to Galatians chapter 4 for just a moment. The Bible uses several different images to describe how our relationship with God changes when we trust in Jesus Christ as our savior. For example, in Romans, God says the moment we become a Christian, our status changes from being enemies of God to becoming friends of God.

Well, when we come to Galatians chapter 4, Paul uses a different metaphor. He says, "When we trust in Christ as our savior, no longer are we a slave of God, fearing another beating before God, but instead our status changes from slave to a child of God." Look at this in Galatians 4, verses 6 and 7. "And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father.' Therefore, you are no longer a slave, but a son. And if a son, then you are an heir through God."

That word "Abba" is an Aramaic term that is a term of intimacy. It can literally be translated "Daddy" or "Papa." When you trust in Christ as your savior, that gap has been so bridged with God, that you come into his presence with the intimacy of a child who says to his father, "Daddy, Papa."

Isn't that a great thought? You say, "Well, Pastor, isn't that contradicting what you just said about fearing God? Doesn't feeling secure in God, as a child feels with a loving parent, doesn't that negate any kind of fear of God that we have?" Not at all.

You see, the fact is, fear and security can coexist with one another. You can have both emotions, a fearing, and yet feeling secure at the same time. Author Steve Ferrari illustrates how fear and security can coexist with one another. He says, "There is a difference between acceptable, healthy awe and destructive fear. A child should have general apprehension about the consequences of defying his parents, but he should not lie awake at night worrying about parental harshness or hostility."

"Perhaps a crude example will illustrate the difference between these aspects of fear. A busy highway can be a dangerous place to take a walk. In fact, it would be suicidal to stroll down the fast lane of a freeway at 6:00 p.m. on any Friday. I would not be so foolish as to get my exercise in that manner because I have a healthy fear of fast-moving automobiles. As long as I don't behave ridiculously, I have no cause for alarm. I'm unthreatened by this source of danger because it only reacts to my willful defiance."

"In the same way, I want my child to view me. As long as he does not choose to challenge me openly and willfully, my child lives in total safety. He need not duck and flinch when I suddenly scratch my eyebrow. He should have no fear that I will ridicule him or treat him unkindly. He can enjoy complete security and safety until he chooses to defy me. Then he'll have to face the consequences."

It's the same in our relationship with God. We can feel secure in God. We can love God and fear him at the same time. It is both emotions, a fear of God and a love of God that motivates us to obey God.

Let's talk about that emotion of fear. Fearing God should make us apprehensive about the consequences of disobeying God. Before you disobey God, think about this. He could snuff out your life at any moment. Do you realize he has that power?

Not only that, one day you and I are going to die and we're going to awaken in the presence of God to give an account of our lives. That knowledge, that fear of God, both now and in the future, is a powerful incentive to obey God. Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, when he came to the end of his life, looked back and said, "All of life can be summarized in these words." Ecclesiastes 12, verses 13 and 14. "The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: Fear God and keep his commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil."

The fear of God motivates us to obedience, but so does the love of God. When we consider all that God has done for us, ultimately in sending Christ to die for us and bridging that gap, that ought to overwhelm us with gratitude, a love for God that would make us want to seek his approval as well.

Do you have a healthy fear of God? Do you understand the words of Acts 17:28 that says, "For it's only in God that we move and exist and we have our being?" When you drift off to sleep at night, do you realize that unless God keeps that heart of yours pumping, you will not awaken in the morning?

Have you ever contemplated what it will be like when you close your eyes for the very last time here on earth, and awaken in the presence of God to give an account of your life? Do you fear God? Do you love God with all of your heart and mind and soul and strength?

Are you so overwhelmed with everything God has done for you that your one desire in life is to please him and to hear those words, "Well done, good and faithful servant"? The fear of God and the love of God are entwined with one another. You can't separate one from the other. As someone wrote, "This fear is love, and love is fear, and in and out they move. They love thee little, if at all, who do not fear thee much."

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and it is the foundational secret for extraordinary success in this life and the life to come.

David: There's no better way to conclude our month-long series than with this profound reminder to fear the Lord. It's the foundational secret for success in life. And since this is the final day in the teaching series, it's the very last day to offer my book that parallels the study. It's also titled The Solomon Secrets.

Many folks have told us that they're using this book in their Sunday school class or small group Bible study. I've included discussion questions for each chapter to help ignite some lively conversation with your friends. So let me urge you to contact us right now while there's still time. When you give a generous gift, request the book called The Solomon Secrets. And then in closing, I'd like to extend a personal invitation to become one of our financial partners. The act of giving a contribution is very simple, but the impact of your generous gift will impact generations to come.

Let me share some encouraging proof. As an example, I heard from a gentleman in Florida who said, "Pastor Jeffress, I'm 91 years old. For several years now, I've relied on your books as pastoral tools to teach and disciple young men in the church I serve. I'm hungry to get young men to know and understand the Word of God. And outside of the Bible, your books and messages are the best tools I have to do just that." Friend, that's fantastic. Look, when you're ready to make an eternal impact, and when you're willing to leverage your resources for God's glory, let me encourage you to give generously to Pathway to Victory. Your simple act of generosity will truly make a difference. Here's David to tell you more.

David: Today, when you support the ministry of Pathway to Victory by giving a generous gift, you're invited to request a copy of the best-selling book by Dr. Robert Jeffress, The Solomon Secrets. Call 866-999-2965 or visit PTV.org. Also, you could text PTV to 78800.

And when your gift is $75 or more, we'll also send you this month's teaching series, also called The Solomon Secrets, on DVD video and MP3 format audio disc. Now, this is the last time I'll mention this offer. So if you've been meaning to get in touch, why don't you do it today? One more time, call 866-999-2965 or make your request online at PTV.org.

You could write to us if you'd like, PO Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. Again, that's PO Box 223609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. I'm David J. Mullins, wishing you a fantastic weekend, then join us Monday for a study in Revelation called Final Conquest. That's right here on Pathway to Victory.

Pathway to Victory with Dr. Robert Jeffress comes from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. One of the most impactful ways you can give is by becoming a Pathway Partner. Your monthly gift will empower Pathway to Victory to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and help others become rooted more firmly in his word. To become a Pathway Partner, go to PTV.org/donate, or you can follow the link in our show notes.

We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. Oh, and one last thing before we go, don't forget to reserve your spot on the 2027 Journeys of Paul Mediterranean Cruise. You've heard me and Dr. Jeffress talk about it, and cabins are going quickly. Just picture yourself aboard the beautiful Celebrity Infinity, sailing round trip from Athens, standing where the Apostle Paul stood in Ephesus, and taking in the breathtaking Greek islands.

Nine unforgettable nights with stops in Mykonos, Rhodes, Santorini, and more. Every meal prepared, every detail taken care of, plus fellowship with like-minded believers. There's also an optional pre-cruise extension to Athens. Oh, and one more thing. If you book online before July 31st, you'll receive a $200 early bird discount. To book your spot, go to PTV.org.