The Awful Fear of the Lord

A Daily Thunder Series with Nathan Johnson

The Awful Fear of the Lord

Do you stand in awe and fear of our God? Too many Christians either misunderstand or water down what the fear of God means. Yet, Scripture tells us that only when we have a proper and holy fear of the Lord will we begin to have wisdom, understanding, confidence, and live with humility and obedience. In this series, Nathan Johnson explores this profound and paramount concept—what is the fear of the Lord, what it isn’t, how to cultivate a reverant fear, how it affects every area of a Christian’s life, how it leads us to greater intimacy and depth of relationship with Jesus Christ, and how it all relates to standing in awe of Him. If you desire greater victory in your life, deeper communion with Christ, or long to freshly stand in awe of His majesty and magnificence, this series is for you.

Part 1: Stepping into the wonder of our God

As we begin our new series on the awful (awe-filled) fear of the Lord, we examine the “why” behind the series, our misunderstanding of the fear of God, and why it is so important for Christians to have a proper fear of the Lord in our lives. Nathan also gives a broad overview of the word “awful” and why he chose to include in the series title. In short, this session lays a foundation for the entire series and calls us all to take a step forward into the wonder of who our God is.

Part 2: Four Kinds of Fear

If we are going to properly understand the “Fear of Lord,” we must discuss the difference between different kinds of fear. In this message, Nathan talks about four kinds of fear, how one of them can be good, two are always bad, and one (the Fear of the Lord) is commanded. The profound reality is that of the two main fears of God, one causes you to run from God whereas the other draws you to Him.

Part 3: To Tremble

As we dive more into what it means to live with a holy fear, there are two key aspects we need to discuss: tremble and awe. In this message, Nathan talks about the importance of trembling before the Lord, what that means, and gives several biblical examples of people throughout Scripture who trembled. If we are going to properly understand the fear of God, this concept is absolutely crucial to not only understand, but begin to prayerfully live out.

Part 4: The Mighty Voice of the Lord

The voice of our God is described as powerful, mighty, and thunderously loud. It is compared to the roar of a lion, the clap of thunder, and the sound of a waterfall. In short, the voice of the Lord produces a tremble within our lives. In this study, Nathan explores the different descriptions of God’s voice and what our proper response should be toward His voice should be as believers.

Part 5: Trembling at His Word

The mighty voice of the Lord is powerful and thunderous … and so is His voice through His Word. Too many in our modern day treat the Bible casually or passively, but as Christians, we must humble ourselves, bend our knee, and tremble beneath His Word. In this study, we discuss the mighty-authoritative voice of God’s Word, why we can believe and stand firm upon it, and what it means to tremble before His Word (with some help from Charles Spurgeon). Let us be the people to whom God intently gazes—people who are humble, contrite in spirit, and who tremble at His Word.
If you would like to learn more about the inspiration, inerrancy, and immutability of Scripture, you can download a PDF version of Nathan’s “Supremacy of Scripture” (appendix two of Saturation Bible Study) here.

Part 6: Revere Our Holy God

To live with a holy fear of God requires that we revere Him. But what is reverence and how do we live before God with a deep humility, respect, and honor? In this study, Nathan explores the biblical concept of reverence, what it means to “hallow” (keep and honor as holy) God’s name, and explains how taking God’s name in vain is far more than swearing. If you desire to grow deeper in your relationship and intimacy with Christ Jesus, then we as Christians must live with holy reverence before Him and His Word.

Part 7: Lost in the Wonder of Our God

I’ve been defining the “fear of the Lord” as having reverence for God mixed with tremble and awe. Over the past few studies we’ve looked at the idea of “tremble” and defined “reverence,” but what does it mean to stand in awe of God? In this study, we explore the idea of wonder, what it means to be lost in the wonder and greatness of our God, and seven ways we can do so.

Part 8: I Stand in Awe of You

“Wow!” It’s a word that expresses astonishment or admiration or to excite someone greatly. Yet that state of awe and wonder should be how stand before God and His Word. In this study, we examine what it means to have “holy fear” (reverence marked by awe and a tremble) in light of awe, wonder, and living with a “wow” before who our God is and the authority of His Word. By examining Isaiah 40, we will behold and be led into worship of the Everlasting God—for He is worthy and worthy to be praised. Let’s us stand in awe of Him!