Itis impossible to speak of faith without speaking of the patriarch Abraham.
Abraham’s journey of faith evolved from a legalistic engagement with God into an intimate relationship – a relationship so profound that God Himself called Abraham His friend (Genesis 18:17; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23; 2 Chronicles 20:7).
Against the backdrop of this friendship, God entrusted Abraham with promises and prophetic declarations, chief among them: “I will make you a father of many nations.” – Genesis 17:4. Yet, upon receiving this word, Abraham questioned its plausibility. How could a man without a child become the father of many nations? In His faithfulness, God reaffirmed His promise by giving Abraham a tangible token of it – Abraham eventually fathered Isaac.
However, Isaac, by all outward measures, was not a “nation”. He lived a seemingly quiet life, destined to birth the first expression of the prophecy spoken to Abraham. Still, there was something remarkable about Isaac: the dimension of God he embodied.
Jacob referred to God as “the Fear of my father Isaac” (Genesis 31:42). This description reveals that Isaac’s defining posture was a reverent fear of God – the only fear Isaac had was the fear of God.
You might wonder where this narrative is leading, but consider this carefully: the man positioned between the friend of God (Abraham) and the fulfilment of the prophetic word (Israel) was the man who embodied the fear of God (Isaac).
This is no coincidence. Even the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6:9–13, follows this divine sequence:
Our Father who art in heaven – relationship.
Hallowed be Thy name – reverence.
Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven – dominion and manifestation.
Observe the progression: relationship establishes access, reverence creates alignment, and upon that foundation, the Kingdom and the will of God are manifested.
Two critical truths emerge from this:
First, the bridge between a promise given on the strength of relationship and the fulfilment of that promise is reverence (the fear of God). For Abraham to become the father of many nations, his friendship with God led to the birth of Isaac (the awe dimension of God) that would eventually birth Israel.
Prophetic declarations have gone ahead for 2026: Advance to Occupy. Yet obedience to this command will not be sustained by ambition or zeal alone – it will be propelled by the reverential awe of the One who has commanded us to advance to occupy. Only those who fear God will truly fulfil the prophetic words spoken over their lives and territories.
Secondly, for you to advance and occupy, the fear of your God must rest upon your environment just as it permeated Isaac’s environment, so much so that they envied him and sought an alliance with him (Genesis 26:14–31). However, it is important to note that whoever you revere – whether God or the flesh – determines the kingdom and the will that prevails in your life and environment. Simply put, you will occupy on behalf of the one you fear.
Practical Ways to Grow in the Fear of God.
- Place a Premium on God’s Word: God’s Word is a compendium of His character, personality, thoughts and His perspective on all things. One of the clearest pathways to cultivating reverence for God is to place supreme value on living by His Word and obeying it. Scripture tells us that God has exalted His Word even above His name (Psalm 138:2b). Therefore, reverence goes beyond knowing Scripture; it demands intentional obedience. When you consistently submit your life to the authority of God’s Word, the fear of God is naturally formed within you.
- Honour Spiritual Authority and God’s Systems: A major risk in the believer’s relationship with God is His invisibility. Since God cannot be seen, felt or physically touched, an unhealthy familiarity that erodes reverence for Him could grow. However, God has graciously provided visible systems through which we learn to honour Him- His church, our parents, spiritual leaders, mentors and other divinely instituted authorities. When you train yourself to honour God through these systems, you cultivate a tangible reverence for Him. Anyone who claims to honour the unseen God yet disregards His visible systems and human authority does not truly honour God. Learning to see God in His human expressions deepens your awe and strengthens your walk with Him.
Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses. He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant.” — Psalms 25:12–14 NKJV
This year and for the rest of your life, deliberately permit the holy awe of God to invade your heart. It is from this reverence that you will occupy territories for Him… For God’s conquests always start with hearts long before they manifest in lands.
Grace and Peace,
Oluwajuwon Abolarin
X/IG — @_oluwajuwon_