The Secret to Wisdom: Why the Fear of the Lord Changes Everything
Discover how the fear of the Lord can unlock divine wisdom in your life. Learn why wisdom starts with reverence and how to live it out daily.
May 17, 2025 | Spiritual Growth
“The extent to which we fear God determines the depth of our friendship with God.”
Let’s Talk About Wisdom
We’re living in a world full of noise. You’ve got reels, posts, and podcasts all claiming to have “5 steps to this” and “10 hacks for that.” But let’s be real: we’re drowning in information while starving for wisdom.
Wisdom isn’t about knowing more. It’s about living differently. It’s about making decisions that align with God’s heart, not just our preferences. And there’s only one way to truly get that kind of wisdom…
You’ve got to fear the Lord.
What Does It Mean to Fear the Lord?
Now, before you click away thinking I’m talking about being scared of God, hold up. That’s not it.
The fear of the Lord is not a cringing fear that pushes us away from God—it’s a reverent submission that draws us closer. It’s about taking God seriously. It’s understanding He’s God, and we’re not. It’s worship with weight to it. Honor with humility.
It’s saying:
- “God, Your way over my way.”
- “Your truth over my opinion.”
- “Your timing over my control.”
And here’s the truth: you’ll never walk in true wisdom until you first learn to fear the Lord.
Information Is Everywhere, But Wisdom Is Rare
Here’s something I shared with our Radiant Church family:
“It took information to build the Titanic. It took wisdom to avoid the iceberg.”
Mic drop, right?
Let me break it down even more:
- It takes information to know what’s in your budget.
→ But it takes wisdom to skip Starbucks when it’s not in the budget. - It takes information to understand health and nutrition.
→ But it takes wisdom to drive past Krispy Kreme when the hot light is on.
We’ve all got access to information. What we need is heavenly wisdom that shapes our decisions, our families, our finances, and our futures.
The Starting Line of Wisdom
So where does wisdom actually begin?
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” —Proverbs 9:10
Every time I’ve made a dumb decision (and trust me, there’ve been plenty), it came from a place where I wasn’t submitted to God. Whether it was finances, relationships, or just plain old stubbornness—I was doing it my way instead of His way.
But every time I’ve submitted my life to God—even when it was hard—wisdom followed. Peace followed. Clarity followed.
If You Want to Be Wise…
Here’s what I want for you:
I want you to live a life that honors God and reflects His wisdom. I want your choices to be filled with purpose, not regret. And that starts with daily, humble, joy-filled submission to Jesus.
Start here:
- Spend time in God’s Word.
- Invite the Holy Spirit to lead your decisions.
- Say yes to God’s way—even when it costs you convenience.
- Surround yourself with wise, godly people.
Final Thoughts
You can chase every strategy the world offers, or you can trust the One who holds all wisdom in His hands. I promise you—when you fear the Lord and take Him seriously, you’ll begin to walk in wisdom like never before.
And not only will it change your life—it’ll deepen your friendship with God.
Let’s be people who say, “Lord, I submit my life to You. Make me wise.”
Let’s Keep Growing
📍If you’re in the Tampa Bay area, I’d love for you to visit one of our Radiant Church locations this Sunday.
🔁 Share this post with a friend who’s hungry for wisdom.
🙌 And if you haven’t yet, subscribe to the Radiant Church YouTube channel—we’ve got new messages every week designed to help you grow.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom—let’s walk in it together.
—Pastor Aaron
Watch this full message
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