There are two types of fear. Healthy and unhealthy. Healthy fear will cause you to put your seat belt on or back away from a cliff's edge. Unhealthy fear will rob your joy in the Lord. The Bible mentions two kinds of fear:
Fear of God
&
tormenting fear
Fear of God
The fear of God is a healthy kind of fear. Jesus said in Luke 12:5 "But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him." This kind of healthy fear (like fearing being crushed into an oblivion in a car crash would cause you to wear a seat belt), causes you to get right with the One who has this kind of power. This fear of God sends us straight to the Cross of Jesus. In Proverbs 9:10 the word of God says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom."
Tormenting Fear
In 1John 4:18 says, "there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment." This fear is the fear of judgement (see verse 17 which says love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgement.) The Greek word for torment is kolasin which means punishment. Jesus has delivered us from the bondage of fear. Hebrews 2:15 says Jesus has "released those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage." In 1 John 4:16 it says that God is love. Verse 18 says there's no fear in love (italics not original text).
So, while it is wise and right to have a fear OF God, there is no fear IN God (because God is Love:) Its like the beautiful lyrics from Amazing Grace that says, ''Twas grace that taught my heart to fear and grace my fears relieved."
The only Person God has commanded us to Fear is Him. Note that in that verse in Luke (above) Jesus tells His disciples not to fear man. We are also not to fear the demons for they are fearful of God (James 2:19), who lives in us. There are countless scriptures where God tells us not to fear, for He is with us.
May you never have an unhealthy fears. We have the One who is in complete control. Praise God that we are no longer in fear of judgement. Let our healthy fear of God keep our walk straight.
Love,
Akiko