What It Means To Fear God And Worship Him - Zac Poonen
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Summary
The speaker emphasizes that true closeness to God is proven by the ability to understand God's 'secrets' or mysteries, which are revealed to those who fear Him. He draws heavily on Hebrews 5, arguing that Jesus prayed specifically to be saved from spiritual death, not physical death, proving His humanity and need for divine help. Ultimately, the speaker teaches that the Holy Spirit's primary purpose is to help believers overcome sin, as humanity is helpless against its power.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
God reveals His secrets to those who fear HimGod does not reveal His deepest spiritual secrets to everyone, but only to those who are close to Him and fear Him.Psalm 25:14
Jesus learned the fear of God and prayed to be saved from spiritual deathAs a man, Jesus faced the temptation of sin and prayed with supplications to be saved from spiritual death, which is the ultimate end of yielding to sin.
The Holy Spirit was given primarily to help us not to sinThe Holy Spirit is sent as a helper to keep us from falling into sin and obeying Christ's difficult commandments, rather than merely for external manifestations.
Where the words 'worship' and 'fear' first appear in the BibleBoth worship and the fear of God make their first biblical appearance when Abraham offers up his son Isaac on Mount Moriah.
Learning to listen to God and offering our most prized possessionsFearing God begins with an attitude of immediate obedience and a willingness to lay our most cherished desires, ambitions, or possessions on the altar.
Mount Moriah and David's refusal to offer that which cost nothingGod chose Mount Moriah for the temple because it was the site of Abraham's sacrifice, reflecting David's principle that he would not offer to God anything that cost him nothing.
Abraham's unquestioning obedience and willingness to be flexibleAbraham demonstrated profound trust by obeying God's extreme command regarding Isaac, yet showed true spiritual flexibility when God intervened and changed the instruction.
A personal testimony of obeying and later adjusting to God's leadingPoonen recounts how he initially believed God called him to remain single based on Jeremiah 16, but later learned to be flexible when God clearly opened the door for marriage.
God's ultimate priority is a person who fears HimBefore recording the creation of the heavens and the earth in Genesis, God chose to highlight Job as a man who feared God, turned from evil, and lived uprightly.
