FEAR IS HOLY: Facing the Almighty with Reverence and Fire

Real Men Don't Run From Fear—They Kneel Before It

May 09, 2025

“But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” —Exodus 33:20 (ESV)

Warriors, let’s talk about fear. Not the fear of failure. Not the fear of man. Not the fear of rejection, sickness, financial loss, or even death. Let’s talk about real fear—the fear of the living, holy, all-consuming, all-powerful God.

You were built to fear. That’s not weakness—it’s design. But our culture and even our churches have tried to declaw fear. We’re told we need to cast out fear entirely, as if all fear is the enemy. But Scripture says something different. Over 300 times, we’re told not to fear what the world throws at us—enemies, trials, uncertainty, man. But over and over again, we’re commanded to fear God. It’s not optional. It’s foundational.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” —Proverbs 1:7 (ESV)

MISPLACED FEAR IS A TACTIC OF WAR

The enemy loves to get us tangled in earthly fears. He distracts you with headlines, blinds you with what-ifs, and deafens you with shame, regret, and anxiety. He wants your spiritual vision clouded by fear that immobilizes.

But Satan’s fear is a counterfeit. The real deal—the fear of the Lord—isn't paralyzing. It’s empowering.

Men who fear God walk into fire. They stand firm when the world shakes. They do what’s right when everyone else sells out. Look at Daniel. Look at Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men feared God more than they feared kings, lions, or furnaces. Why? Because they knew something we often forget:

God is terrifyingly holy... and stunningly good.

“It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” —Hebrews 10:31 (ESV)

But it is also the safest place a warrior can ever be.

TRUE FEAR CLARIFIES EVERYTHING

When you fear God, everything else shrinks.

🤜 You stop fearing what people think.
🤜 You stop fearing loss.
🤜 You stop fearing being misunderstood.
🤜 You stop fearing pain.

Why? Because when you fear God, you realize He’s in control of all those things—and He is not your enemy. He’s your Father. Your Commander. Your Refuge. Your Strength.

“The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” —Psalm 118:6 (ESV)

Imagine walking into battle—not wondering if you’re strong enough, but knowing the One who holds galaxies in His palm is at your side. That’s the power of fearing God. It aligns your heart, your mission, and your courage with heaven.

HOLY FEAR PRODUCES HOLY MEN

Fear of the Lord is not cowering terror—it’s awe-struck reverence that makes you stand up straighter, speak clearer, lead bolder, and love deeper.

It makes you hate sin. Not because you're afraid of getting caught, but because you revere the One who bled to set you free from it.

It makes you walk away from compromise. Not because it’s unpopular, but because you know the eyes of the Lord are on you and you want to honor Him.

It makes you serve your wife and kids with joy, work with integrity, and resist temptation—not out of guilt or pressure, but because you live your life in the sightline of your King.

That’s what holy fear does. It turns average men into warriors. Into saints. Into sons.

JESUS DIDN’T DIE TO MAKE US COMFORTABLE

Too many men have traded the fear of the Lord for the comfort of casual Christianity. We’ve been told Jesus is our buddy. But here’s the full truth:

He’s your friend.
He’s your brother.
He’s your Savior.

But He’s also your King. And He holds the keys of Death and Hades.

“When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, ‘Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive forevermore.’” —Revelation 1:17-18 (ESV)

That’s Jesus. Warrior. Judge. Lover of your soul. And He’s not asking for a handshake—He’s asking for a knee.

SO WHAT DO WE DO?

Let’s stop fearing the wrong things, brother. Let’s realign.

STEP ONE: NAME YOUR FEARS.
What’s got you by the throat lately? Finances? Failure? Family drama? Write them down. Bring them into the light. Let God’s truth expose their smallness.

STEP TWO: EXALT GOD.
Every day this week, pray a 60-second warrior prayer: “Lord, you are greater than my fear. Teach me to fear You alone.”

STEP THREE: LIVE LIKE A MAN WHO FEARS GOD.
That means honor over popularity. Discipline over laziness. Courage over comfort. Worship over worry.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?” —Psalm 27:1 (ESV)

Brothers of the S.W.A.T. Team, let’s be the kind of men the devil dreads—the kind who don’t flinch at worldly fear because they’ve already bowed before the throne of the One who reigns forever.

Don’t minimize fear. Don’t eliminate it.

Embrace it.

But make sure it’s aimed in the right direction—at a holy, awesome, warrior King.

Let’s Get To Work.

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