SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 2022
THE SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE FEAR OF THE LORD
BIBLE READING: ISAIAH 11; PSALM 25; PROVERBS 2; 1JOHN 4
Isaiah 11:2(NKJV) : "The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding; the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and the Fear of the Lord."
Isaiah 11:2 reveals to us the Seven Spirits or Expressions of the Holy Ghost which prophesied the Fullness of the Holy Spirit that would be upon the Lord Jesus. This is also a Prophetic Promise for those in our day who are willing to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord is the Holy Spirit. The other Spirits or Expressions of the same Spirit listed in this verse are describing the Fullness of the Holy Spirit, with Three Streams flowing from each side. The Attributes from each side are placed together in one Spirit to bring the Balanced out Outpouring and Fullness of the Holy Spirit. Wisdom goes with Understanding, Counsel goes with Might, and for this message, Knowledge goes with the Fear of the Lord. It is this Fullness of the Holy Spirit we should press into for our lives “…that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:19).
You may think your stack of books can teach you everything but there are some things only the Holy Spirit can teach you. Jesus promised this: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things…” (Jn. 14:26). If you want a Fuller Knowledge of God, you need to have a Greater Filling of the Holy Spirit. Let this desire burn in your heart and “… be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).
The Spirit of Knowledge and the Fear of the Lord go together because without having the Proper Fear of God, we are unable to even begin to understand the Knowledge of for “The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Knowledge…” (Prov. 1:7). To gain worldly wisdom requires much effort but to gain Heavenly Wisdom requires many submissions: “… put on the New Man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col. 3:10). If you have a Living Faith, it will not flatline with the Knowledge of God “that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him… increasing in the Knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:10).
The more knowledge you have of God, the more you will fear Him “that all the peoples of the Earth may know the Hand of the Lord that it is Mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever” (Josh. 4:24).
We must fear the Lord before He can teach us. “Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses” (Ps. 25:12). When you fear God, you will come to know Him. “Then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Prov. 2:5). If you know God, it will show because “He who does not love does not know God, for God is Love” (1Jn. 4:8).
Don’t let religion hinder your faith “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the Knowledge of God more than burnt offerings” (Hos. 6:6). The more you know in advance, the less you will suffer the consequences afterwards for “My people are destroyed for lack of Knowledge…” (Hos. 4:6). Fearing the Lord acknowledges His Power over you while knowing Him acknowledges His Great Love for you. With God, Fear and Love go together: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him…” (Deut. 10:12). The unbeliever does not fear God but turns his back on Him. God said, “…you have forsaken the Lord your God, and the Fear of Me is not in you…” (Jer. 2:19).
Fear men less, and fear God more. Jesus taught, “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28). The problem today is people water down the idea of fearing the Lord by trying to lessen what the word fear means. Fear simply means fear. “My flesh trembles for fear of You, and I am afraid of Your judgments” (Ps. 119:120).
The Fear of the Lord is the Key that unlocks the Secrets of Heaven. “The Secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him…” (Ps. 25:14).You cannot be holy apart from the Fear of the Lord for “…by the Fear of the Lord one departs from evil” (Prov. 16:6). In a nutshell, the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord is essentially the Spirit of Holiness.
PRAYER: Father, I pray that the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord should rest on me mightily that I might know You more and be able to have access to Deep Things in Jesus' Name. Amen.
