Word of Truth

The True Meaning of Fearing the Lord

Written By

Pst Dr Nellie Shani | Founder, CEO

Published On

February 23, 2026

"Discover the true meaning of fearing the Lord through a personal journey of discipline, uncovering how divine reverence and God’s omnipresence transform a believer's daily walk."

WHEN I was young, I feared my mother! I saw how she whipped my older brother one day, and immediately signed up on her team. I did not dare be on the opposing team! Despite being on her team, I also had my share of spanking whenever I did something wrong.

Today I look back at how my mother disciplined us and I am very grateful that she did not spare the rod. Proverbs 13:24 says, “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.” If there is any discipline in me, it is because my mother did not allow me to self-destruct.

This foundation of discipline eventually led me to explore the true meaning of fearing the Lord, a concept rooted in divine reverence rather than terror. By understanding God's omnipresence, we move away from a "policeman" view of the Creator and into a deeper, more honoring relationship with a Father who is slow to anger and abundant in mercy.

The Misconception of the "Disciplinarian"

With my childhood experiences as a foundation, when I gave my life to Jesus Christ and started to hear that we should "fear God," I was confused. I immediately formed in my mind an image of a God who was a strict disciplinarian. I imagined Him looking out only for the wrong things I did so that He could punish me.

It took years of teaching and discipleship to realize that God is a loving Father who is “Slow to anger and abundant in love and mercy” (Psalm 103:8). The fear I felt as a child was based on the avoidance of pain, but the fear I was called to as a believer was based on the recognition of a Holy God.

What is the Fear of the Lord?

The fear of the Lord is recognizing His omnipresence—the fact that He is everywhere at the same time. It is the realization that there is nothing I can hide from Him, and no place I can go where He does not see me.

Psalm 139:7-12 provides the ultimate scriptural backdrop for this:

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me... even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.”

Unfortunately, people who do not fear the Lord live as though God does not see the things they do. They live as though God is not serious about His commandments. On the other hand, people who truly fear the Lord live as though God is there with them wherever they go and in whatever they do.

A person that does not fear God disregards 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.” Disobedience to the Word of God from a lack of fear will always bring trouble on us. If we sow sin, we will reap trouble.

Reverence and Honor: Beyond the Spanking

The other vital meaning for the fear of the Lord is showing reverence and honor to Him. We do this by taking seriously the commands He has given us in His Word.

For example, the Word of God tells us to honor His sanctuary: “...Have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:30).

Consider our modern church behavior. How many of us chew gum or catch up on our WhatsApp messages while the sermon is being preached? How many of us dress indecently when going to God’s sanctuary? I often ask myself: Would I do the same thing if I were in the presence of the President? If we would show more outward respect to an earthly leader than to the King of Kings, we have lost the fear of the Lord.

Departing from Self-Wisdom

True fear leads to the departure from evil. Proverbs 3:7 warns us: “Be not wise in your own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil.” When we are "wise in our own eyes," we think we can sin in the dark and get away with it. We think our logic is superior to God's law. But a heart of reverence understands that the eyes of the Lord are always upon us, not to "catch" us, but because He is a Holy God who dwells with His people.

Let the fear and reverence for God be the hallmark of our lives as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the beginning of wisdom, the guardrail of our character, and the foundation of our peace.

Prayer Points

1). Ask the Lord to forgive you for the times when you have feared man instead of fearing God.

2). Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you what the fear of the Lord is, so that you do not bring trouble on yourself.

3). Thank the Lord that through Christ Jesus, He does not treat us as our sins deserve.

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Common Questions

Being born again secures your salvation—your sins are forgiven, and you belong to Christ. You don’t need deliverance to be saved.

However, even as a believer, you can still struggle with patterns, strongholds, or spiritual oppression from the past. Deliverance isn’t about salvation; it’s about applying Jesus’ freedom to those areas. If you experience ongoing struggles, prayer, renunciation, and pastoral support can help you walk fully in the liberty Christ has already won for you.
Breaking a generational curse, in a religious sense, is seen as a spiritual journey of repentance, faith, and deliberate action. It begins with acknowledging sin—both one’s own and, in some beliefs, the lingering effects of ancestors’ wrongdoing—and turning away from it through heartfelt repentance and prayer. This recognition is often accompanied by a conscious renunciation of the curse, verbally declaring that one no longer accepts the negative patterns or misfortunes that may have been passed down through the family line.

Faith plays a central role in this process. Believers rely on the power of God to intervene, heal, and restore, trusting that divine authority can break spiritual strongholds that have persisted for generations. Prayer, sometimes accompanied by fasting, Scripture reading, or intercession from spiritual leaders, is used to call on God’s guidance and protection.
When we receive salvation, our spirit is redeemed immediately. Our sins are forgiven, we are justified, and the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us (Ephesians 1:7; Romans 5:1; Ephesians 1:13–14). Salvation restores our relationship with God and secures eternal life.

However, the curses or effects of sin in the world—sickness, generational patterns, fear, poverty, or emotional wounds—are not always broken automatically. The reason is that while our spirit is saved, our body, mind, and circumstances still exist in a fallen world under the consequences of sin (Romans 8:20–22).
If you struggle with something but generally overcome it, it is not necessarily a spirit. The Bible shows that even faithful believers wrestle with sin and weakness—Paul himself admitted in Romans 7:15–20 that he struggled to do what was right even as he desired to obey God. A true “spirit” or demonic stronghold is usually characterized by persistent, overpowering opposition that cannot be resisted through prayer, Scripture, and obedience.

If you are able to resist, repent, and grow despite the struggle, it is more likely an area God is using to refine your character and strengthen your faith. Struggles can reveal patterns in our lives that need God’s grace, teaching us dependence on Him, humility, and perseverance. Victory is not about perfection; it is about continuing to walk in obedience, relying on God’s Word, and trusting His Spirit to lead you forward.
Yes, according to Scripture, the human spirit can be influenced, but it’s important to be precise about what that means. The Bible teaches that we are spirit, soul, and body (1 Thessalonians 5:23). The “spirit man” is the part of us that connects with God, discerns spiritual truths, and communes with Him (John 4:24; Romans 8:16).

A demonic spirit cannot possess the spirit of a born-again believer because the Holy Spirit indwells them (1 Corinthians 6:19; 1 John 4:4). The Spirit of God protects and fills the spirit man, so it cannot be taken over. However, the spirit man can be influenced or oppressed by external spiritual forces if there is neglect, unrepented sin, or agreement with lies, which can affect our thoughts, emotions, and will.

Satan and his spirits can tempt, deceive, and oppress, but they cannot inhabit the spirit of someone truly born again. That’s why Scripture emphasizes guarding your heart and mind, staying in God’s Word, and walking in obedience—this keeps your spirit man aligned with God and resistant to attack (Ephesians 6:10–18; James 4:7).
consequences of sin, wrongdoing, or negative behavior can extend beyond an individual and affect their descendants. In this context, a generational curse is not merely about inherited traits or family patterns in a psychological sense, but rather a spiritual or moral consequence passed down through family lines.

For example, the Bible mentions in several passages, such as Exodus 20:5 and Numbers 14:18, that the sins of the parents can affect their children “to the third and fourth generation.” This is often interpreted to mean that unrepented sin or disobedience to God can create spiritual or circumstantial burdens like poverty, addiction, illness, or relational strife that may continue to manifest in subsequent generations.

Religious teachings often emphasize that generational curses are not inevitable. Through repentance, prayer, faith, and obedience to God, it is believed that individuals can break these curses and restore spiritual blessings to themselves and their descendants. In Christian practice, this might involve confession, seeking deliverance through prayer, or living a life aligned with God’s commandments to end the cycle of negative spiritual influence.
Feeling anger is not automatically a “spirit.” Anger is a natural emotion that God Himself expresses in certain circumstances (Exodus 32:10; Psalm 7:11). What matters is how you handle it. If you feel angry but do not act in sin, controlling your words, thoughts, and actions, this is not a demonic spirit—it is a natural human response being managed in obedience to God.

A spirit of anger in Scripture refers to a persistent, controlling, or destructive force that dominates a person’s behavior (Ephesians 4:26–27 warns against letting anger give the devil a foothold). If your anger arises but you remain calm, forgive, and do not allow it to control you, it is simply an emotion, not a spirit.
When faced with temptation, there are times to run and times to resist, and Scripture gives clear guidance.

You run from sin when it is dangerous, seductive, or beyond your natural ability to resist. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:18, “Flee fornication.” You remove yourself from the source of temptation—whether it’s a place, a person, or an opportunity—because staying there puts your soul at risk. Running is not cowardice; it is obedience and wisdom.

You resist when you are confronted with pressure or attack that you can face through God’s power. James 4:7 says, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Resisting means standing firm in faith, speaking Scripture, and relying on the Holy Spirit. This is active confrontation, not passive endurance.

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