8 Ways to Grow in the Fear of God

This is a continuation of my last post, What Does it Mean to Fear God, during which I reiterated that while an unbeliever has reason to be AFRAID of God, the fear believers have is one of awe and reverence. But, practically speaking, what exactly should that look like in your life? 

Here are the eight ways in which you can grow in the fear of God.

How to Grow in the Fear of God

1) Bask in the assurance of salvation.

Nothing invokes greater reverence for God than when you fully acknowledge what he’s done for you. When you remember how you didn’t deserve his love and he still sent Jesus to die for you. That the “no one righteous, not even one” in Romans 3 includes you, but so does the “all are justified freely by his grace” that comes fourteen verses later. 

My favorite hymn, “Before the Throne of God Above,” says it perfectly:

Before the throne of God above I have a strong and perfect plea

A great High Priest whose name is love, who ever lives and pleads for me.

My name is graven on His hands, my name is written on His heart

I know that while in heav’n He stands no tongue can bid me thence depart

2) Dwell on the power of his forgiveness.

I include this separate from basking in the assurance of salvation because plenty of believers (myself included) forget that Christ’s death on the cross covered not just past sins, but also the sins of today and the future. We beat ourselves up for our mistakes when “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). 

The more you realize the depth of God’s forgiveness for you, the deeper your fear of him will become.

3) Feed your mind with Scriptures.

The best way to do all of the above (and everything that follows) is to immerse yourself in Scripture. I’m not just talking about a quick Bible reading every day and calling it good. Immersion means reading, studying, reflecting, going back to it again and again and again. Don’t just stick your toe in the water, dive right in! Go to church, join a Bible study group, discuss your readings with your friends and family. Greater fear of God comes through deeper understanding of who he is, which happens when you study his Word.

4) Stand in awe of his majesty.

This isn’t hard to do when you’re walking in a national park, or even just the local forest. The earth is incredible and only someone incredibly powerful could have created it. If you wish to grow in the fear of God, take some time to dwell on his amazing attributes. All-powerful, all-knowing, present everywhere. So amazing.

The Psalms are a great place to set your focus on God’s majesty. Check out Psalm 8, 19, 63, 100, and 148.

5) Learn to be aware of his presence.

Sometimes we have to be reminded that God is not watching us from faraway in heaven like a spectator in the most distant seat of a stadium. He’s here, right now, ever-present in all your comings and goings. If you really think about it, that should make the hair on your back stand up. Especially if you’ve just spent some time considering his majesty and power. 

The God that controls hurricanes and phenomenal supernova events in distant galaxies? Yeah, he’s right there in the room with you.

But he’s not there because he wants to intimidate you in the frightening sort of fear. He follows you because he loves you. Let that knowledge fill your heart with awe and help you grow in the fear of God. As author Tim Challies said, “You cannot fear a distant and a forgotten God. If God is feared, it is as a God who is near and who is remembered.”

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6) Be conscious of your obligation to God.

Your relationship with God is the most important relationship you have, eclipsing even the deepest of earthy relationships. Jesus bought you with his own blood. He paid a high price, and while you have no obligation to pay your own debts to God, your duty as a Christian is to live your life in his name. To serve him with work well done, to worship him with acts of kindness toward your fellow humans.

Can good deeds be a form of worship? Absolutely! Worship literally means the expression of reverence and adoration. You can express your reverence for him through a life guided by Biblical principles. As James 2:14 says, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds?”

7) Surround yourself with others who fear God.

Peer pressure, anyone? This is something you probably know all too well. It’s very difficult to openly praise and serve God when you’re surrounded by people who laugh or scold you every time you do it. Soon you find yourself hiding your Bible every time you have a friend over and skipping your mealtime prayer because the cafeteria is full of eyes. And that’s just the beginning.

You can’t avoid every nonbeliever (and you shouldn’t since you might be their only hope in learning about Jesus). But your core group of friends should be made up of Christians. And maybe your family doesn’t believe, but you can find a secondary family in your church, ones who will encourage your faith. Surround yourself with believers.

Be that encourager for someone else with 8 Ways to Encourage Your Friends in Their Faith.

8) Pray for your fear of God to increase.

Ask and it will be given. You can pray with unwavering confidence that this is one request God will most certainly honor. When you wake in the morning, ask for him to increase your fear of him, to make himself known to you. 

May you grow in the fear of God as you observe these eight elements!