COVID 19 or the Coronavirus or the giant is before us...

... so what are we going to do? 1 Samuel 17: (NLT2) “Then Goliath, a Philistine champion from Gath, came out of the Philistine ranks to face the forces of Israel. He was over nine feet tall!” We all have to admit that Goliath, a nine-feet tall giant, is a large enemy and that he is the ultimate warrior. Just his coat of mail weighed 125 pounds. This is a foe that Israel had not anticipated and obviously had not asked for but there he was right in front of them taunting and challenging them. I think we all can admit that this Covid 19 is a giant that is coming against the United States and the World. Obviously we did not ask for or anticipate that we would be where we are today with this virus. Many are fearing, even those in the church, and my job today is to bring calm in the storm. How can we face this giant? 

1. Realize family may not be on your side. David has been sent by his father to take food down to the battle lines where his brothers are fighting (supposedly) and to bring back a report. Anytime you try to do something great for God, there is a good chance there will be family there to try to stop you in your tracks. This was not David’s first run-in with his brother. What are you going to do when there is a giant in front of you and you believe God wants you to take it out? Your family opposes you. David could stand against his brother because he knew he was doing the will of his father. He knew his father had sent him. Before we try to slay this giant that is before us we must know that our God, our Father, has sent us and we are being obedient to what He is directing us to do.

2. Realize leaders may not see what is in you. How desperate was Israel for someone to take care of Goliath? How desperate are we for someone to take care of Covid 19? Israel was so worried that they sent a young shepherd boy to the king.David has already had to get past family who were discouraging him and doubting him and now the leadership is telling him he can’t beat Goliath. There is no way you can win. I love David’s response. Whether it was a bear or a lion, when they came after the sheep something rose up in me. You see he had been spending time, not just watching sheep, but worshiping God and praying. This is the time for the church to shine. 

3. Goliath wants to take you out but you kill him. David has already had to overcome the attacks of family, he had to overcome the lack of faith from leadership, and now he is faced with Goliath. Goliath says, “Am I a dog?” Yep! But you are not going to roll over and play dead, you are going to roll over and be dead. Our enemy comes against us with fear, sickness, and confusion but we come against him in the Name that is above every name…the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Every knee will bow. The Lord will conquer Goliath!

This week we continue sharing about the fear of the Lord.

This message has a way of making us uncomfortable. That is my job sometimes. There is a great promise for those who have the fear of the Lord. Isaiah 33:5-6 (NIV) “He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.” The more I look into this subject of the fear of the Lord the more I realize God wants us to understand how serious it is for us. The fear of the Lord can be defined as a continual awareness that you are in the presence of a holy, just, and almighty God, and that every motive, thought, word, and action is open before Him and will be judged by Him. I hear people say, Pastor Rick, the fear of the Lord is just an Old Testament thing. Really?

The Word says Psalm 89:7 (NKJV) “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.” I am afraid that in the church we are serving a Jesus Who is not depicted in scriptures. We have made Him into the image of God that we want Him to be. We have no fear or reverence for Him. Romans 1:22-23 (NKJV) ^“Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man…” Is the Jesus you serve the Jesus of the Bible or is He the Jesus you have created Who winks at your sin and lets you live anyway you want with no consequences? Romans 1:18-25 (NKJV) tells us of a dangerous downward spiral of those who know the Lord. You may call it losing your fear of the Lord. You may call it backsliding or falling away from the Lord. Maybe drifting away from the Lord. Whatever you want to call it but hear this, it says although they knew God v. 21:

A. Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God.

B. Although they knew God, they were not thankful.

C. Although they knew God, they became futile in their thoughts about Who God was.

D. Although they knew God, their foolish hearts were darkened. 

E. Although they knew God, in professing to be wise, they became fools.

F. Although they knew God, they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man.

G. Although they knew God, they exchanged the truth of God for a lie.                                                        

H. Although they knew God, they worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator.

Let’s rap up this word by saying what Hebrews 10:26-31 (NKJV) says “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” The book of Romans and Hebrews are New Testament books. 

Today we are starting a new series that...

... hopefully will be sobering and enlightening about the fear of the Lord and our response to that fear. Isaiah 33:5-6 (NIV) “The LORD is exalted, for he dwells on high; he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness. He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.” As we look all around us here in the United States, I think we can agree that we see very little of what we would call the Fear of the Lord. But let me be honest. When we look through the church, it is difficult to see those who truly have a genuine fear of the Lord. I guess we need to start with us (the church) if we will deal with this situation. 1 Peter 4:17-18 (NKJV) “For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, Where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" 

“If the righteous one is scarcely saved.” Just that statement in verse 18 should be enough to sober us up about the fear of the Lord. Our relationship to Him is of such importance that we should work out our salvation with fear and trembling. What Isaiah is saying in our text is that holy fear is the key to God’s sure foundation in our lives. In that godly fear we find the treasures of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge. Sounds very important. The fear of the Lord along with the love of God sets us up to have a sure foundation to live in a depraved world. Hopefully we will learn in this series we cannot truly love God until we fear Him; nor can we properly fear Him until we love Him. I love asking people what their definition of the fear of the Lord is. Most of the time their answers reflect their relationship with the Lord or maybe their lack of it. What would your answer be? How do you see God? Is your fear of Him and your love for Him your sure foundation? Does your fear of the Lord assure you of salvation and provide wisdom and knowledge?

It is important how we see God the Son…Jesus Christ. Psalm 89:7(NKJV) “God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, And to be held in reverence by all those around Him.” I hope we can all see a distinction in this verse. Yes, we are to revere Him but we are to also to have godly fear. We must capture a glimpse of the greatness and the glory of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Whom we serve. How we approach Him will say much about how we fear Him. Sadly, we have made God in our own image. Is the Jesus you serve the Jesus of the Bible or is He the Jesus you have created Who winks at your sin and lets you live anyway you want with no consequences? Jesus is greatly to be feared.