Just after the terror attacks on 9/11, I had a missionary friend speak at my church whose flights back to Spain had been cancelled for several days. When planes returned to the air, I asked him if he was afraid to travel. He answered, “No brother, I’m not afraid of anything.” He was confident that the Lord would protect him. After all, “If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)” Later, as I thought about his answer I was reminded of the many “fear nots” of the Bible. e.g. Jesus taught, “…fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul… (Matthew 10:28)” Neither Satan, nor demons, nor evil men are able to affect our eternal souls, so, while there are trials inherent for all living things, we truly have nothing on earth to fear. As a matter of fact, God tells us, “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. (Proverbs 29:25)”
Conversely, the Bible is filled with verses that instruct us to “fear the Lord.” The rest of Matthew 10:28 (above) says, “…but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” At least31 times you’ll find the words, “fear the Lord” in the scriptures,and 27 times the phrase, “the fear of the Lord.” Only God is able to affect our souls, and determine their destiny.
From The Proverbs: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. (1:7); The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way,…(8:13); The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (9:10); The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. (10:27); The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death. (14:27); The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility. (15:33); By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil. (16:6); The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. (19:23); By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. (22:4); Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. (23:17)”