REVERENCE AND DEFERENCE - PART 1

MONDAY 06 FEBRUARY 2023

By God's grace, I want to introduce us to the theme for this very month and season, namely, reverence and deference.

Reference: Hebrews 12:28 English Standard Version (ESV) "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe."

In Christ, we have received a Kingdom that can never be shaken. As a result, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. According to our topic, reverence and deference are the earnest, grateful, and acceptable means of honouring and serving God faithfully (that is, in spirit and in truth). The definitions are below!

Reverence Definition & Meaning: Reverence implies profound respect mingled with love, devotion, and awe. It is an expression of deep honour or worship toward a person or thing, which has spiritual connotation. It is an absolute requirement for joyous encounters with God. It perfects the human spirit, because it glorifies God and reflects the nature of Christ in us, who always honoured His heavenly Father with holy fear.

Deference Definition & Meaning: Deference implies a yielding or submitting to another's authority in a polite manner or a preference out of respect, and from the standpoint of reverence. For instance, the Bible tells us to submit to God. The Scripture actually says, "So submit to [the authority of] God. Resist the devil [stand firm against him] and he will flee from you (James 4:7 AMP)." This submission is evocative and emblematic of a manner that denotes deference, thereby acknowledging His will rather than yours. It is to accept or yield to Supreme Deity which typifies the most superior force that exists - the authority or will of God.

When you submit to God's authority, and resist the devil, he will flee from you, meaning that your application of reverence and deference to God will make you a supreme master over satanic forces. Someone might ask, "How can you see God and submit to His authority"? When the Word of God comes to you, which is God's messenger, and you acknowledge, receive and act on it, you are honouring God and submitting to His authority. If you submit to the Word by obedient response, you'll never be shaken and God will remove the devil far from you. This kind of attitude is usually inspired by God's love alone, precisely because you have a sense of dignity, in regard to God choosing you as His beloved.

Every knee in heaven, on earth and under the earth, bows to Jesus with great reverence, which entails - to honour, worship and adore Him profoundly and respectfully (Philippians 2:9-11 NIV). Why? It's due to His obedience to God and submission to His perfect will, instead of His own human will. When you are full of reverence and deference toward God, you become fully acceptable to God, and therefore, qualified to please Him with your worship, filled with manifold grace. And there will be an increasing depth of intimacy with God, in your Christian walk, because you're growing deeper in fellowship and relationship with Him. As the revelation of reverence and deference becomes clearly demonstrated in your faith walk, the moral power of God becomes evident in your life such that the devil cannot comprehend or survive it, but flee from you. Stay tuned for part 2, where we are going to expound the term, godly reverence. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Deuteronomy 6:24; Proverbs 14:26; Luke 12:5; Acts 9:31.

Guided Prayer: Dear Father in heaven, I want you to know that I treasure and cherish you greatly in my heart, and I show this by expressing honour and reverence to you, today and oftentimes. Having received a Kingdom which can never be shaken, I acknowledge that I'm of supreme and peculiar importance, far superior to the entire world. Thank you Lord for abundance of your goodness and mercies operating in full force in my life, by which I'm signally favoured to function in absolute dominion over the devil and his minions, in Jesus' Name, Amen!