A Holy Fear: Trading Lesser Fears for the Fear of the Lord (Fox)

Description

Fear—it’s something we all experience. Fears about the future, an illness, or what others might think about us can rule our hearts and steal our joy. Did you know, though, that the Bible commands Christians to fear?

Believers are to fear the Lord. But what does that mean? In A Holy Fear, Christina Fox unpacks what the “fear of the Lord” means and what it looks like in our lives. By giving examples of such fear in the Bible, exploring the fruits of that fear in our lives, and uncovering God’s promises to those who fear Him, this book will help you disarm your lesser fears, applying what you learn to your heart and turning to a fear of the Lord.

Contents

1. A Fear-Filled Life
2. Fear the Lord
3. Fear the Lord for Who He Is
4. Fear the Lord for What He Has Done
5. Growing in the Fear of the Lord
6. The Fruit of Holy Fear
7. From Fear to Fear
8. God’s Promises to the Fearful

Conclusion: A Life of Holy Fear

Endorsements

“In our modern vernacular, ‘fear of the Lord’ sounds like anything but good. It doesn’t sound life giving. It evokes thoughts of cowering in dismay in the shadow of something terrible. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, so it’s gravely important for believers to understand what God does and does not mean by the phrase. Christina leads us through Scripture to understand the phrase as God uses it. Christina is an able guide, and the reader will benefit from her thoughtful and thorough look at Scripture on fearing the Lord.” 
— Wendy Alsup is a mom, math teacher, and author of Companions in Suffering: Comfort for Times of Loss and Loneliness

“We all struggle with fear and need to embrace the truths captured on these pages. Christina’s clear and relatable words invite us to look past our fears and toward the Lord’s love for us. She gently teaches us how to embark on a journey of growing in our reverence and awe of the Lord so we can find comfort in Him.” 
— Darby Strickland, CCEF counselor, teacher, and author of Is it Abuse? A Biblical Guide to Identifying Domestic Abuse and Helping Victims

“During a trial or challenging moment, we rarely take the time to analyze the fear underneath our anger, frustration, or anxiety. But if we were to place these lesser fears next to a greater fear of the Lord who has promised His presence, then that would be a trajectory changer. A Holy Fear provides that needed biblical perspective. Its pages are filled with a gospel primer to fight our lesser fears and replace them with a fear of the Lord that leads to walking in wisdom.” 
— Karen Hodge, coordinator of women’s ministries for the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA) and author of Transformed: Life-taker to Life-giver and Life-giving Leadership

“Christina Fox invites readers to tread on holy ground agape with wonder for the utter perfection of God’s nature. But the author doesn’t stop there; she leads God-fearers from the glorious summit to practical daily life. Be aware: A Holy Fear will shrink your lesser fears, giving birth to profound adoration and worship of the magnificent One who made us for His possession. Shoes are optional for this transformative pilgrimage led by a fellow traveler.” 
— Leslie Bennett, director of Women’s Ministry Initiatives, Revive Our Hearts

“Is it a surprising observation that we live in a fear-filled world? How does the Christian respond to cultures that seek to stoke those fears? Christina Fox shows us that the response to the world’s fear is the right kind of fear: the fear of the Lord. This volume is an excellent aid in helping Christians unpack just what is the ‘fear of the Lord’ and how such a right fear can keep us from living fear-filled lives. I highly recommend it.” 
— Ike Reeder, president, Birmingham Theological Seminary

“This book couldn’t have come at a better time. Every day we wake up to news reports and social media posts that fill our hearts with fear. Our neighbors are worried about finances, health, safety, and security. We are too. Thankfully, Christina Fox redirects our hearts in the pages of this book. Rather than fearing the daily worries of life in a fallen world, she tells us that we need to cultivate a holy fear of the eternal God who rules the universe. Only in rightly fearing God will we find rest from all our other fears. And in fearing God, we will find abundant life. With rich theology, careful Bible exposition, and helpful study questions, A Holy Fear will lead you by the hand to the place of safety and security we all desire.” 
— Megan Hill, author of A Place to Belong: Learning to Love the Local Church, editor for the Gospel Coalition, and pastor's wife

“As human beings we all have our fears and are all motivated by our fears. In their own way, our fears drive us and direct us. What Christina Fox does so well in this book is address the facts of our fears, diagnose the source of our fears, and prescribe the solution to our fears. As you read her book you will come to see that the cure to our fears is fear, for the problem at the heart of each human being is not that we fear, but what we fear. Or, better said, it’s who we fear.” 
— Tim Challies, blogger, Challies.com

About the Author

Christina Fox is a counselor, retreat speaker, and author of several books. She loves helping women see how the gospel intersects with their daily life. Christina serves on the PCA’s National Women’s Ministry Team and is the editor of their ministry blog. She blogs about her faith journey at www.christinafox.com.