How the Fear of God Results in Obedience

You obey traffic laws when you see a police car. You work harder when your boss walks by. You watch your language when your parents are in the room. You are careful what you post online when you know your employer might see it.

You obey when someone is watching. Someone who has power over you. Someone who can punish you. Someone whose opinion matters to you.

But when they are not watching? When you think you can get away with it? “No one will know. What difference does it make? Who’s going to find out?”

You stop obeying.

This is how you approach God’s commands. You obey when you are at church. When people are watching. When you might get caught. But when you are alone? When no one else knows? “God will forgive me anyway. Grace covers this. I’ll deal with it later.”

You do not fear God. And therefore you do not obey God.

What Scripture Says: Fear of God Is the Foundation of Obedience

Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

The beginning. The foundation. The starting point.

Not the end. Not the final step. The beginning.

Without the fear of the Lord, you have nothing. You cannot have knowledge. You cannot have wisdom. You cannot have obedience.

Ecclesiastes 12:13 – “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”

Fear God and keep his commandments. Not fear God or keep his commandments. And.

The two are inseparable. If you fear God, you will keep his commandments. If you do not keep his commandments, you do not fear God.

Proverbs 8:13 – “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”

To fear the Lord is to hate evil. Not “might lead to.” Not “sometimes results in.” Is.

Fear and hatred of evil are the same thing. If you fear God, you hate sin. If you do not hate sin, you do not fear God.

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 – “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?”

Fear the Lord. Walk in obedience. Love him. Serve him. Observe his commands.

All connected. All flowing from the fear of God.

Psalm 111:10 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding. To him belongs eternal praise.”

All who follow his precepts have good understanding. Why do they follow his precepts? Because they fear the Lord.

Proverbs 16:6 – “Through love and faithfulness sin is atoned for; through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided.”

Through the fear of the Lord evil is avoided. Not through willpower. Not through accountability. Not through rules. Through the fear of the Lord.

Nehemiah 5:9, 15 – “So I continued, ‘What you are doing is not right. Shouldn’t you walk in the fear of our God to avoid the reproach of our Gentile enemies?’… But the earlier governors—those preceding me—placed a heavy burden on the people and took forty shekels of silver from them in addition to food and wine. Their assistants also lorded it over the people. But out of reverence for God I did not act like that.”

Nehemiah did not exploit the people. Why? Out of reverence for God. Out of the fear of God.

The fear of God produces right action. The fear of God results in obedience.

Historical Pattern: Those Who Feared God Obeyed

Abraham: “Now I Know You Fear God”

God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. The son he loved. The son God had promised him. The son through whom all nations would be blessed.

This made no sense. How could God’s promise come through Isaac if Isaac was dead? How could Abraham obey a command that seemed to contradict everything God had promised?

But Abraham obeyed.

He took Isaac. He built an altar. He bound his son. He raised the knife.

Genesis 22:12 – “‘Do not lay a hand on the boy,’ he said. ‘Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.'”

Now I know that you fear God. How did God know? Because you have not withheld from me your son.

The fear of God produced obedience. Even when the command made no sense. Even when it cost everything. Even when Abraham did not understand.

Abraham feared God. Therefore Abraham obeyed.

Job: “This Man Fears God and Shuns Evil”

Job 1:1 – “In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.”

Job feared God and shunned evil. Not “sometimes.” Not “usually.” He shunned evil. Completely. Consistently.

When everything was taken from him – his wealth, his children, his health – Job still feared God.

Job 1:21-22 – “‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.’ In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.”

Even in suffering, Job did not sin. Why? Because he feared God.

The fear of God kept Job from sinning even when he had every human reason to curse God and die.

Joseph: “How Could I Do Such a Wicked Thing and Sin Against God?”

Joseph was alone with Potiphar’s wife. She wanted him. She grabbed him. She commanded him to sleep with her.

No one would know. His master was gone. There were no witnesses. He could have done it and no one would have found out.

But Joseph refused.

Genesis 39:9 – “No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”

Sin against God. Not “sin against my master.” Not “get caught by my master.” Sin against God.

Joseph feared God. Therefore Joseph obeyed. Even when no human was watching.

The Hebrew Midwives: “The Midwives Feared God”

Pharaoh commanded the Hebrew midwives to kill every Hebrew baby boy. This was a direct order from the most powerful man in the world. Disobedience meant death.

But the midwives disobeyed Pharaoh.

Exodus 1:17 – “The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.”

The midwives feared God. Therefore they disobeyed the king. Therefore they obeyed God.

When there was a conflict between God’s law and man’s law, fear of God determined their choice.

They feared God more than they feared Pharaoh. Therefore they obeyed God rather than Pharaoh.

Noah: “Noah Did Everything Just as God Commanded Him”

God told Noah to build an ark. For 120 years Noah built. While everyone mocked him. While the world ignored him. While there was no sign of rain.

Genesis 6:22 – “Noah did everything just as God commanded him.”

Genesis 7:5 – “And Noah did all that the Lord commanded him.”

Hebrews 11:7 – “By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that is in keeping with faith.”

In holy fear. Noah built the ark in holy fear of God.

The fear of God kept Noah obedient for 120 years while the entire world rejected God’s word.

Daniel: “Daniel Resolved Not to Defile Himself”

The king commanded Daniel to eat food that violated God’s law. But Daniel refused.

Daniel 1:8 – “But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.”

Daniel risked his life. He risked his position. He risked the king’s anger. Why? Because he feared God more than he feared the king.

Later, when they made it illegal to pray to anyone except the king, Daniel kept praying to God.

Daniel 6:10 – “Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.”

Just as he had done before. Daniel did not change his obedience to God based on what man commanded.

Why? Because Daniel feared God. And the fear of God produced consistent, unwavering obedience.

The Pattern of Those Who Feared God

Abraham obeyed even when it made no sense.

Job obeyed even in suffering.

Joseph obeyed even when no one was watching.

The Hebrew midwives obeyed even when it meant defying the king.

Noah obeyed for 120 years while everyone mocked.

Daniel obeyed even when it was illegal.

Every one of them feared God. Every one of them obeyed.

Fear of God always produces obedience.

Historical Pattern: Those Who Did Not Fear God Disobeyed

Saul: “I Was Afraid of the People”

God commanded Saul to completely destroy the Amalekites. Everything. Leave nothing alive.

But Saul kept the best sheep and cattle. He kept the king alive. He disobeyed.

When Samuel confronted him, Saul made excuses. And finally admitted the truth:

1 Samuel 15:24 – “I have sinned. I violated the Lord’s command and your instructions. I was afraid of the men and so I gave in to them.”

I was afraid of the men. Saul feared man. He did not fear God.

And because he did not fear God, he disobeyed God.

The Ten Spies: “We Seemed Like Grasshoppers”

God promised to give Israel the land of Canaan. He commanded them to go in and take it.

Twelve spies went to look at the land. They came back with a report.

Ten spies said:

Numbers 13:31-33 – “But the men who had gone up with him said, ‘We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.’… We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

They feared the giants. They did not fear God.

And because they did not fear God, they disobeyed God’s command to enter the land.

Only Joshua and Caleb said:

Numbers 14:9 – “Only do not rebel against the Lord. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with us. Do not be afraid of them.”

Joshua and Caleb feared God. Therefore they were ready to obey. The ten spies did not fear God. Therefore they disobeyed.

The Sons of Eli: “They Did Not Listen to Their Father’s Rebuke”

Eli’s sons were priests. But they were wicked. They slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. They took the best portions of the sacrifices for themselves. They treated the offerings of the Lord with contempt.

1 Samuel 2:25 – “If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will intercede for them?’ His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.”

They did not listen. They did not fear God. They did not obey.

And God killed them both in one day.

King Manasseh: “He Did Evil in the Eyes of the Lord”

2 Chronicles 33:2, 9 – “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, following the detestable practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before the Israelites… But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray, so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites.”

Manasseh did not fear God. He worshiped idols. He sacrificed his own sons in the fire. He practiced divination and witchcraft. He set up idols in God’s temple.

No fear of God. No obedience to God.

Pharaoh: “Who Is the Lord, That I Should Obey Him?”

Moses came to Pharaoh with God’s command: “Let my people go.”

Pharaoh’s response:

Exodus 5:2 – “Pharaoh said, ‘Who is the Lord, that I should obey him and let Israel go? I do not know the Lord and I will not let Israel go.'”

Who is the Lord, that I should obey him? Pharaoh did not fear God. Therefore Pharaoh did not obey God.

And it took ten plagues and the death of his firstborn son before Pharaoh let the people go.

The Pattern of Those Who Did Not Fear God

Saul feared man and disobeyed God.

The ten spies feared giants and disobeyed God.

Eli’s sons did not fear God and lived in wickedness.

Manasseh did not fear God and led the nation into idolatry.

Pharaoh did not fear God and hardened his heart.

None of them feared God. None of them obeyed.

Lack of fear of God always produces disobedience.

Why Fear of God Produces Obedience

Fear of God Means You Believe God Sees Everything

Hebrews 4:13 – “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

When you fear God, you live with the constant awareness that God sees everything. Every action. Every word. Every thought.

You cannot hide from him. You cannot fool him. You cannot pretend with him.

Joseph understood this. “How could I sin against God?” Not “against my master who isn’t here.” Against God who sees everything.

When you truly believe God sees everything, you obey even when no human is watching.

Fear of God Means You Believe God Will Judge

Ecclesiastes 12:14 – “For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”

2 Corinthians 5:10 – “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.”

When you fear God, you believe he will judge. You will stand before him. You will give account for everything you have done.

This is not theoretical. This is not symbolic. This is real.

Noah built the ark for 120 years because he believed judgment was coming. He feared God. Therefore he obeyed.

When you truly believe you will stand before God and give account, you obey.

Fear of God Means You Believe God Has Power Over Your Eternity

Matthew 10:28 – “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.”

When you fear God, you understand that he has power over your eternal destiny. Man can only kill your body. God can cast you into hell forever.

The Hebrew midwives understood this. Pharaoh could kill their bodies. But God determined their eternity. Therefore they obeyed God rather than Pharaoh.

When you truly believe God has power over your eternity, you obey him above all others.

Fear of God Means You Hate Sin

Proverbs 8:13 – “To fear the Lord is to hate evil; I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech.”

When you fear God, you hate what God hates. You love what God loves. Sin becomes repulsive to you. Not because you might get caught. But because it offends the holy God you fear.

Job shunned evil. Why? Because he feared God. The fear of God produced hatred of sin.

When you truly fear God, you hate sin. And when you hate sin, you flee from it.

Fear of God Means You Value His Approval Above All Else

Galatians 1:10 – “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

When you fear God, his approval matters more than anyone else’s. More than your friends. More than your family. More than your boss. More than your pastor.

Daniel understood this. He prayed to God even when it was illegal. Why? Because God’s approval mattered more than the king’s approval.

When you truly fear God, you obey him regardless of what anyone else thinks.

What True Fear of God Is Not

Maybe you are thinking, “But I don’t want to be afraid of God. I thought God loves me. I thought perfect love casts out fear.”

You are confusing the fear of the Lord with terror.

Fear of God Is Not Terror

Romans 8:15 – “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.'”

God did not give you a spirit of slavery to fear. You are adopted as his child. You can call him Father.

The fear of God is not cowering terror. It is not living in constant anxiety that God will strike you dead for every mistake.

Fear of God Is Not Trying to Earn His Love

You cannot earn God’s love. You cannot make God love you more by obeying. You cannot make God love you less by disobeying.

God’s love for those who are in Christ is unchanging. Fixed. Certain.

But fear of God is still necessary. Because fear of God is what produces obedience in those who are loved by God.

What True Fear of God Is

Fear of God Is Reverent Awe

It is understanding who God is. The Creator of the universe. The holy God who dwells in unapproachable light. The just Judge who will judge the living and the dead.

And falling on your face in worship. In awe. In wonder. In deep respect.

Fear of God Is Taking Him Seriously

It is believing that what God says is true. That his commands are not suggestions. That his warnings are real. That his promises are certain.

It is not treating God’s word lightly. Not dismissing it. Not explaining it away.

Fear of God Is Obeying Because You Know Who He Is

Deuteronomy 10:12-13 – “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?”

Fear God. Walk in obedience. Love him. Serve him.

The fear of God produces obedience. Not out of terror. But out of reverent awe of who God is.

How Jesus Feared the Father

The Lord Jesus Christ feared the Father. Yes, even Jesus feared God.

Hebrews 5:7 – “During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”

Because of his reverent submission. Jesus feared God. He reverenced God. He submitted to God.

Isaiah 11:2-3 – “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.”

Jesus delighted in the fear of the Lord. This was not terror. This was not anxiety. This was delight.

And this fear produced perfect obedience.

Philippians 2:8 – “And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

Obedient to death. Why? Because Jesus feared the Father. Reverenced the Father. Submitted to the Father.

John 8:29 – “The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.”

I always do what pleases him. Perfect obedience. Flowing from the fear of God.

This is your model. Fear God like Jesus feared God. And you will obey like Jesus obeyed.

The Impossibility: You Cannot Fear God in Your Own Strength

You cannot manufacture the fear of God. You cannot work it up through your own effort. You cannot create it by trying harder.

Psalm 86:11 – “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”

Give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

David asked God to give him this. He could not produce it himself.

Jeremiah 32:40 – “I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.”

I will inspire them to fear me. God does this. Not you.

You must ask God to give you the fear of the Lord. You must cry out to him to inspire this fear in you. You cannot do it yourself.

Proverbs 2:1-5 – “My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.”

Then you will understand the fear of the Lord. After you call out. After you cry aloud. After you search like for hidden treasure.

The fear of God is a gift from God. Ask him for it.

The Practical Battle Plan

Here is how you cultivate the fear of God that produces obedience.

Step 1: Cry Out to God for the Fear of the Lord

Get on your knees right now. And pray:

“Father, give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. Inspire me to fear you. Teach me to fear you. I cannot produce this fear in my own strength. I need you to give it to me.”

Psalm 86:11 – “Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.”

Pray this every day. Beg God for the fear of the Lord.

Step 2: Saturate Your Mind With Who God Is

Read Scripture to know God. Not just his commands. God himself.

Read about his holiness. His justice. His power. His wisdom. His wrath. His love.

Jeremiah 9:23-24 – “This is what the Lord says: ‘Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the Lord.”

Know God. The more you know him, the more you will fear him.

Step 3: Meditate on God’s Judgment

Ecclesiastes 12:14 – “For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”

Think about this. Really think about it. You will stand before God. You will give account for everything you have done. Every word. Every thought. Every action.

Nothing will be hidden. Nothing will be excused. Everything will be laid bare.

When you meditate on this reality, fear of God will grow in you.

Step 4: Remember That God Sees Everything You Do

Hebrews 4:13 – “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”

Train yourself to remember this constantly. When you are tempted to sin, stop and say: “God sees this. God knows. I will give account for this.”

When you remember that God sees everything, fear of God will produce obedience.

Step 5: Study the Lives of Those Who Feared God

Read about Abraham. Noah. Joseph. Job. Daniel. The Hebrew midwives.

See how their fear of God produced obedience. Learn from their example.

Hebrews 11 – The entire chapter is filled with examples of those who feared God and obeyed by faith.

Let their lives inspire you to fear God and obey.

Step 6: Obey Immediately When God Commands

When you read a command in Scripture, do not delay. Do not make excuses. Do not wait until you “feel ready.”

Obey immediately.

Psalm 119:60 – “I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.”

Hasten. Not delay. Immediate obedience.

This is how you train yourself in the fear of God. Obey immediately. Every time.

Step 7: Confess and Repent When You Disobey

When you sin – when you fail to obey – do not hide it. Do not minimize it. Do not make excuses.

Confess immediately to God.

1 John 1:9 – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

Confess. Be cleansed. Return to obedience.

The fear of God produces quick repentance. Not hiding. Not excusing. But immediate confession and return to obedience.

What It Costs If You Do Not Fear God

If you do not fear God, here is what you will experience:

You Will Not Obey

Proverbs 1:7 – “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Without the fear of God, you will not obey. You will despise instruction. You will reject wisdom.

You will do what seems right in your own eyes. You will follow your own desires. You will make your own rules.

And you will perish in your disobedience.

You Will Experience God’s Judgment

Psalm 36:1 – “I have a message from God in my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

The wicked do not fear God. Therefore they continue in sin. Therefore they face judgment.

Romans 3:18 – “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Paul describes the unrighteous as those who have no fear of God. And he goes on to explain that they are under God’s wrath.

Without the fear of God, you will face the wrath of God.

You Will Be Like Those Who Perished

Saul lost the kingdom because he did not fear God.

The ten spies died in the wilderness because they did not fear God.

Eli’s sons were killed because they did not fear God.

Pharaoh lost his son because he did not fear God.

They did not fear God. They did not obey. They perished.

If you do not fear God, you will follow the same path.

You Will Miss the Whole Purpose of Your Existence

Ecclesiastes 12:13 – “Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”

This is the duty of all mankind. This is why you exist. To fear God and keep his commandments.

If you do not fear God, you miss the entire purpose of your life.

Choose This Day

You have a choice to make.

Will you fear God? Or will you continue in disobedience?

Will you believe that God sees everything? That he will judge? That he has power over your eternity?

Will you cry out to God to give you an undivided heart that fears his name?

Choose this day.

Stop treating God’s commands lightly. Stop explaining them away. Stop delaying obedience.

Start fearing God. Start taking him seriously. Start obeying immediately.

The fear of God produces obedience. Always. Without exception.

Abraham feared God. Therefore he obeyed even when it made no sense.

Joseph feared God. Therefore he obeyed even when no one was watching.

Daniel feared God. Therefore he obeyed even when it was illegal.

They feared God. They obeyed. They were blessed.

You can follow their example. Or you can follow the example of Saul, the ten spies, Eli’s sons, and Pharaoh.

Choose.

Fear God. And you will obey.

Obey God. And you will live.

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