Beloved, I desire above all that you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. For I was overjoyed when brothers came and testified to your truth, that is, how you are walking in truth. I have no greater delight than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. 3 John 1:1-4.
Today your LORD (יהוה) God says:
The delight of My eyes. What do I delight in? Look at Jesus and you see Me. “He will delight in the fear of the LORD.” Isaiah 11:3.
He delights in the fear of the LORD. What is that? I give you an idea through My prophet Micah: “He has made conspicuous to you what is good; and what the LORD seeks in you: to do justice, to have love (ahavah) for lovingkindness (hesed), and to walk humbly with your God?” Micah 6:8. And I give it application in Psalm 112: “Blessed is a person who fears the LORD, who greatly delights in His commandments.” Psalm 112:1. In this Psalm, I describe the “fear of the LORD” as greatly delighting in My Word and keeping it. And as you read this Psalm you will see that “fear of the LORD” is demonstrated by unshakeable trust and faith in My Word that causes you to stand on it no matter what comes against you: “He will not fear bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. His heart is firm, he will not fear, but will see victory over his enemies. He has given freely to the poor; his righteousness endures forever; his horn will be exalted in honor.” Psalm 112:7-9. He will never be shaken off My Word. Psalm 112:6. And I tell you in that Psalm that My BLESSING is on such a person and wealth and riches are in his house and that his light shines in the darkness. Psalm 112:3-4.
In the book of Proverbs, Solomon has a lot to tell you about the “fear of the LORD:” “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil.” Proverbs 8:13. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” Proverbs 1:7. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10. “The fear of the LORD prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened.” Proverbs 10:27. “In the fear of the LORD there is strong confidence, and His children will have a place of refuge.” Proverbs 14:26. “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, to turn one away from the snares of death.” Proverbs 14:27.
And My servant Paul, by My Spirit, goes on to elaborate yet further on “fear of the LORD,” he defines it this way: “Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade people.” 2 Corinthians 9-11. It is to do what pleases Me whether you are here on earth (in the home of your earthly body) or in Heaven (absent from the body, present with Me).
And what pleases Me?
I see and love in you what I see and love in Christ. And what do I see in Him that I delight in? Faith, hope, and love. It is impossible to please Me without those three. And faith comes from hearing and hearing My Word and cultivating it in your heart until it becomes the fruit of your lips and the harvest of your life. Jesus only spoke My Words and knew they would work, that they were Words of eternal life. That they were Spirit and life.
Hope is based on faith and it always sees the result of the promise in My Word sure to manifest and causes you to have patient endurance for the result.
Love is how faith and hope work, for if you do not know how immense My love is for you, faith in My forgiveness and a good result is not possible and hope is crushed in doubt that you can obtain My favor. Perfect love casts out fear. Fear of what? That I will reject you and cast you away, fear of evil and the attacks of the enemy. But Jesus told you that no one who comes to Him will he ever reject and will never cast away. And He told you never to fear for He is with you and I am for you, and when I am for you, who or what can come against you? No one and nothing for I am the Most High, the Almighty. When you receive Jesus as Lord, I seal you in Him by the Holy Spirit of promise and have commanded Him to lose nothing I have given Him but to raise you up on the last day. When you receive Him as Lord, He becomes your great good Shepherd forever and will not let you stay astray.
But I see even more that delights Me in My Son. Fellowship with Me. Constant communication flowing between us as He received direction, Words to speak, works to do, and encouragement and comfort. He delighted to spend entire nights conversing with Me.
Moses delighted in the same and I called him My intimate friend who had found favor in My sight. Abraham also, he would stop anything he was doing the moment he heard My voice, and say, “Behold, here I am!” Samuel too, he honored Me and I honored Him, the moment I spoke to him, his answer was, “Speak, LORD, your servant is listening.” Fellowship. I delight in being with the children of men. You are in My image and likeness and with you I can communicate My deepest thoughts by My Spirit.
And that was why I called David “a man after My own heart.” He loved to fellowship with Me. He sang that when he was with Me the earth delighted him not. He was the first person who ever said to Me, “I love you,” and even better he sang it! Psalm 18. His heart was Mine and Mine was his. He just could not praise and thank Me enough, it flowed out of him in song and dance and he got others to join him too and the praises came up from Israel and My favor came down as they enthroned Me among them on their praises. It was My delight to be of one heart and mind with them.
Jesus told you a wonderful way to please Me, “If anyone loves Me, he will follow My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him. The one who does not love Me does not follow My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.” John 14:23-24. And, “On that day you will ask in My name, and I am not saying to you that I will request of the Father on your behalf; or the Father Himself loves you, because you have loved Me and have believed that I came forth from the Father.” John 16:26-27.
Yes, I delight in those who abide in, treasure, continue in, and keep My Words. That is fear of the LORD rather than fear of men. Daniel had fear of the LORD but no fear of men and he ended up being tossed in a den filled with hungry lions because he would not back down to fear of the laws of men that said he could not worship Me, instead he kept My law that you shall worship Me only and no other god. He preferred to keep My Word and stay in fellowship with Me even over saving his own life in the body. That is fear of the LORD, you could call it loyalty and faithfulness to Me no matter what comes against you. “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.” Revelation 12:11. Fear of the LORD cancels out fear of men. It makes you an overcomer.
And overcomers sit with Me on My throne in Heaven. Revelation 3:21. And that is because I delight in them.
And here are a few more Scriptures about what delights Me:
LORD, who may reside in Your tent? Who may settle on Your holy hill? One who walks with integrity, practices righteousness, and speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, nor do evil to his neighbor, nor bring shame on his friend. A despicable person is despised in his eyes, but he honors those who fear the LORD. He takes an oath to his own detriment and does not change. He does not lend his money at usury, nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. One who does these things will never be shaken. Psalm 15.
Who may ascend onto the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? One who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to deceit and has not sworn deceitfully. He will receive a blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, who seek Your face—even Jacob. Psalm 24:3-6.
And here is what I hate: “There are six things that the LORD hates, seven that are an abomination to Him: Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who declares lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.” Proverbs 6:16-19. You would do well to avoid these things. And the good news is you can. I have given you the gift of the Holy Spirit and by Him have poured My love in your hearts. He regenerated your hearts and put My law in your heart and enable you to live a godly life—the life of good deeds I prepared for you in advance that you might rejoice in it. Ephesians 2:10.
I love you. You are My heart’s delight when you walk in the truth of My Word. I have no greater delight than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4. Why? Because then I know you will make your way prosperous, fruitful, and have good success and show yourselves to be My disciples. Joshua 1:8; John 15:8-11. It is then you will share My joy and our joy will be complete. Between works and fellowship, fellowship is always My first choice, but works follow from fellowship, so really it is fellowship that produces partnership that produces fruitful lives of service. And where I am there will My servant be also.