"Fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell"

Scripture: Matthew 10:26-33

What does fear have to do with the kingdom of God? Fear is a powerful force. It can lead us to panic and flight or it can spur us to faith and action. A reverent fear of God is the antidote to the fear of losing one's life. "I sought the Lord, and he answered me, and delivered me from all my fears. O fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him have no want! Come, O sons, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord" (Psalm 34:4,9,11). What is godly fear? It is reverence for the One who made us in love and who sustains us in mercy and kindness. The greatest injury or loss which we can experience is not physical but spiritual – the loss of one's whole being to the power of hell. A healthy fear of God leads to spiritual maturity, wisdom, and right judgment, and it frees us from the tyranny of sinful pride, cowardice – especially in the face of evil, and spiritual deception. If you trust in God's help and mercy and and obey his word, then your life will be transformed by God's grace and power.