THE SPIRIT OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE FEAR OF THE LORD
"The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of Wisdom and Understanding; the Spirit of Counsel and Might, the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord." Isaiah 11:2 (NKJV)
BIBLE READING: ISAIAH 11; PSALM 25; PROVERBS 2; 1JOHN 4
Isaiah 11:2 expressly reveals to us the Seven Spirits or Sevenfold Expressions of the Holy Ghost, which prophesied the Fullness of the Holy Spirit that would be upon the Lord Jesus (Jn. 3:34). This is also a Prophetic Promise for those in our day who are willing to enjoy the Infillings of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of the Lord is the Holy Spirit. The Other Expressions of that One and the Same Spirit listed in this verse are describing the Fullness of the Holy Spirit with Three Streams flowing from each side. The Attributes from each side are placed together in One Spirit to bring the Balanced Outpouring and Fullness of the Holy Spirit. Wisdom goes with Understanding, Counsel goes with Might, and for this message, Knowledge goes with the Fear of the Lord. It is this Fullness of the Holy Spirit we should press into for our lives “…that you may be filled with all the Fullness of God.” (Eph. 3:19). You may think your stack of books can teach you everything, but there are some things only the Holy Spirit can teach you. Jesus promised thus: “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My Name, He will teach you all things…”(Jn. 14:26). If you want a Fuller Knowledge of God, you need to have a Greater Infilling of the Holy Spirit. Let this Desire burn in your heart and “…be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18).
The Spirit of Knowledge and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord go together because without having the Proper Fear of God, we are unable to even begin to understand that Knowledge for “The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Knowledge…” (Prov. 1:7). To gain worldly wisdom requires much effort but to gain Heavenly Wisdom requires much Submission hence the Holy Scriptures instruct us to “…put on the New Man who is renewed in Knowledge according to the Image of Him who created him.” (Col. 3:10). If you have a Living Faith, it will not flatline with the Knowledge of God “that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him… increasing in the Knowledge of God.” (Col. 1:10). The more Knowledge you have of God, the more you will fear Him “that all the peoples of the Earth may know the Hand of the Lord that it is Mighty, that you may fear the Lord your God forever.” (Josh. 4:24). We must fear the Lord before He can teach us anything. This is why King David in the Holy Bible asked: “Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.”(Ps. 25:12). When you fear God, you will come to know Him and “Then you will understand the Fear of the Lord, and find the Knowledge of God.” (Prov. 2:5). If you know God, it will show and be evident in your life because “He who does not love does not know God, for God is Love”(1Jn.4:8).
Don’t let religion hinder your Faith “For I desire Mercy and not sacrifice, and the Knowledge of God more than Burnt Offerings.” (Hos. 6:6). The more you know in advance and are willing to act accordingly, the less you will suffer the consequences afterward for “My people are destroyed for lack of Knowledge…” (Hos. 4:6). Fearing the Lord acknowledges His Power over you while knowing Him acknowledges His Great Love for you. The Crux of the Entire Matter is that with God, Fear and Love go together: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, BUT TO FEAR THE LORD YOUR GOD, to walk in all His Ways AND TO LOVE HIM…”(Deut. 10:12). The unbeliever does not fear God but turns his back on Him. The Lord God Almighty rebukes such people, saying “…you have forsaken the Lord your God, and the Fear of Me is not in you…”(Jer. 2:19). Fear men less and fear God more so that you will be free from His Wrath. The Lord Jesus taught His Disciples “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him Who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”(Matt. 10:28). The problem today is that people water down the Idea of fearing the Lord by trying to undermine the word "Fear" and lessen what it really means. Fear simply means fear: QED. Brethren, let us be mindful of the importance of balancing the Expressions of Spirit of Knowledge and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord in our lives. Let us always echo the reflections of the psalmist: “My flesh trembles for Fear of You, and I am afraid of Your Judgments.”(Ps. 119:120).
PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, we worship You and fall at Your Feet in Humble Adoration. O Lord, please help us become an Embodiment of the Spirit of Knowledge and the Spirit of the Fear of the Lord in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.