The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom

Wisdom is a key to ruling and reigning in life (Proverbs 8:15). So how do we get Godly wisdom? We are to ask God for wisdom in faith, and He will give it to us liberally (James 1:5-8). The Bible states that the beginning or starting point of knowledge is the fear (or reverence) of the Lord and brings wisdom when we listen to it and follow its instruction (Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 1:7; 9:10; 15:33). When we respect, have awe, and reverence God, the fear of the Lord is putting Him and His Word first. It means trusting and obeying Him, and acknowledging what He says about Himself and His authority, which motivates us to act accordingly.

The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate. Proverbs 8:13
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. Psalm 19:9

The fear of the Lord gives us wisdom and knowledge; it guards and watches over us and delivers us from evil and the perverse man; gives us strong confidence, refuge and we avoid the snares of death; in other words, it gives protection and life (Proverbs 2:9-12; 14:26-27).

When we read, study, and meditate on His Word, we learn the fear of the Lord (Deuteronomy 17:14; 18-20;31:10-12). We need to ask the Holy Spirit to give us a revelation of the fear of the Lord so we can walk in it. The fear of the Lord conquers all other fears and brings them into submission, i.e., fear of man, fear of death, etc. (2 Timothy 1:7; Proverbs 29:25). God’s love replaces fear (1 John 4:9-10, 18).

In the last few chapters in the book of Job and throughout Psalms, we see that we are to fear or reverence God for who He is and what He has done (Job 37-42; Psalm 2, 33, etc.).

The Holy Spirit is the seven-fold Spirit of God (Revelation 1:4; Revelation 3:1) and is His enabling and creative power (Genesis 1:1-2; Acts 1:4, 8; 2:38; 10:38). The seven-fold Spirit of God was upon Jesus: the Spirit of the LORD; the Spirit of wisdom and understanding; the Spirit of counsel and might; the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD (Isaiah 11:1-5; Isaiah 61:1-3).

Because we are the body of Christ, we are invited into fellowship and communion with the sevenfold Spirit of God (2 Corinthians 13:14). We can pray and ask the Lord to fill us with the Holy Spirit and encounter Him daily (Ephesians 5:18; Luke 11:13; John 7:37-38).

There are many benefits when the fear of the Lord is upon our lives.

Oh, how great is Your goodness, which You have laid up for those who fear You, which You have prepared for those who trust in You in the presence of the sons of men! Psalm 31:19
The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them. Psalm 34:7
But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, and His righteousness to children’s children. Psalm 103:17
The LORD takes pleasure in those who fear Him and those who hope in His mercy. Psalm 147:11
Whoever is wise will observe these things, and they will understand the loving-kindness of the Lord. Psalm 107:43
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and depart from evil. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones. Proverbs 3:7-8

When there is no fear of God before their eyes, man is foolish, corrupt, committing abominable deeds, deceitful, sheds blood, is miserable, and has no peace. (Genesis 20:11; Psalm 14:1-5; Romans 8:10-18).

He who walks in his uprightness fears the LORD, but he who is perverse in his ways despises Him. Proverbs 14:2

God says that even though His thoughts and ways are not ours because they are higher than ours, He wants us to know and understand Him, and it has been given to us to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God (Isaiah 55:8-9; Matthew 13:11).

My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you, so that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding; yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding, if you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures; then you will understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding; He stores up sound wisdom for the upright; He is a shield to those who walk uprightly; He guards the paths of justice and preserves the way of His saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice, equity, and every good path.
When wisdom enters your heart, and knowledge is pleasant to your soul, discretion will preserve you; understanding will keep you, to deliver you from the way of evil, from the man who speaks perverse things. Proverbs 2:1 – 12

Prophetic Word to declare over yourself: