The Secret Sauce of Decision Making

Proverbs 9:10 (NLT)

¹⁰ Fear of the Lord is the foundation of wisdom.
    Knowledge of the Holy One results in good judgment.

1. What is the fear of the Lord?

It's not religious intimation. The fear of the Lord is beautiful.  It is life giving.  The fear of the Lord is like the fear of electricity. 

Electricity gives light and air conditioning, but if you handle it wrong it can kill you.

I'm not afraid of electricity, but I respect it's power.  We are to fear the Lord that way. We must not lose our WOW of God. 

Just because we have access to God does not mean that we are to lose our awe of God.

  

Did you love your parents?  At the same time, did you respect your parent's ability to discipline you?

  

The fear of God is that way. If we obey Him, we don't have to fear punishment, but we still respect His right to do so. 

1 John 4:18-19 (NLT)

18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. 

If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 

19 We love each other because he loved us first.

2. How does the fear of God make us wise?

Leadership is the ability to hide panic.  God puts us in desperate situations, so we will be dependent on Him.  

When Solomon took over the kingdom from his father, David.  He prayed this prayer.

   

1 Kings 3:7-10 (NLT)

7 “Now, O Lord my God, you have made me king instead of my father, David, but I am like a little child who doesn’t know his way around. 

8 And here I am in the midst of your own chosen people, a nation so great and numerous they cannot be counted! 

9 Give me an understanding heart so that I can govern your people well and know the difference between right and wrong. For who by himself is able to govern this great people of yours?”

10 The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for wisdom.

The pursuit of wisdom is...

Humility > Dependence > Pursuit > Glory 

Humility leads to dependence on God. 

Lord, I can't, but you can.  Then, you find yourself praying for wisdom. We must keep our eyes on Him.  Asking for His input.

  

If you ask for wisdom, God is lavish to give it.  God has more than enough.  Out of this pursuit of the wisdom of God, comes honor and affluence. 

When God helps you,  give God the glory for what He has done.  It is a double dumb idea to take credit.  You will lose what God is doing.

  

Sometimes, we don't pray about decisions because we know what God will say about it.

Don't chase the dollar.  Money promises what only God can supply.  The enemy will dangle dollars in front of you.  Satan shows you the starting line, but not the finish line.  

If you desire to please Jesus, God's will is too big for you to miss.  God can make miracles out of mistakes.  

Romans 8:28  (NLT)

28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.   

The fear of the Lord is what guides us in the decisions that we make.  

1. The fear of God. 

2. Produces friendship with God. 

Psalm 25:14  (NLT)

¹⁴ The Lord is a friend to those who fear him.
    He teaches them his covenant.

Isaiah 8:11-13 (NLT)

¹¹ The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said,

¹² “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do,
    and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.
¹³ Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life.
    He is the one you should fear.
He is the one who should make you tremble.

Proverbs 19:23  (ESV)

²³ The fear of the Lord leads to life,
    and whoever has it rests satisfied;
    he will not be visited by harm.

Proverbs 19:23 (NLT)

²³ Fear of the Lord leads to life,
    bringing security and protection from harm.

Psalm 34:9  (ESV)

⁹ Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,
    for those who fear him have no lack!

Proverbs 22:4  (ESV)

⁴ The reward for humility and fear of the Lord
    is riches and honor and life.

2 Corinthians 7:1 (ESV)

7 Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God.

Psalm 145:19  (ESV)

¹⁹ He fulfills the desire of those who fear him;
    he also hears their cry and saves them.

Mike Haman, Healing Place Church