Petrie has written a book that on his own admission was on his personal ‘to do’ list for many years. The eventual impetus to write it came not only from an urgent prompting from the Lord but also from a clearer realisation of the global signs of a tremendous shaking that is affecting every sphere of life – politics, economics, morals and ethics, finances, as well as the Church. In the author’s view, what will turn these judgments into redemptive shakings is a rediscovery of an authentic fear of the Lord, without which no historical revival has transpired.
Petrie asserts that the Church at large does not understand the times we live in or the seriousness of the hour, and that this cannot change without allowing the fear of the Lord to deeply impact us. He states that “The fear of the Lord gives us perspective, reverence, awe, obedience to His Word, and the desire to resist evil, no matter how enticing it might be” (p12).
The Opposite Spirit
His book consists of six chapters, each of which divides into smaller sections. After impressing upon us that this is ‘A Time for Vigilance’ (chapter 1) we are made aware that ‘The Fear of Man is a Snare’ (chapter 2). The fear of the Lord is the only way to be released from the bondage caused by the fear of man, which is defined as that which makes us more impressed with man’s reactions to our actions than with God’s reactions. A real breakthrough occurs when we seek to please God more than Man. God’s authority is then released in us.
This sets up the theme of the third chapter, entitled ‘Ministering in the Power of the Opposite Spirit’, meaning God’s Spirit (which opposes that of the world). Petrie often quotes or refers to the writings of AW Tozer and in one particular place he picks up Tozer’s prophetic statement that the Church today is not transforming the people but being transformed by the people, and all the time it is smilingly congratulating itself that it is becoming more accepted. Praying for a release of the fear of the Lord is one of the most powerful ways to turn this around.
Petrie asserts that the Church at large does not understand the seriousness of the hour, but for this to change the fear of the Lord must deeply impact us.
Practical Focus
Petrie’s next chapter, ‘Releasing the Fear of the Lord in Our Midst’, explores the role of the fear of the Lord in the Hebrides revival of 1949-53. He quotes Duncan Campbell in this respect but also recounts others’ experiences of something similar in Cwmbran, Wales, in 2013.
Throughout the book Petrie is keen to quote Scripture as often as possible - perhaps even too often, as it can disturb the flow of his text as well as illuminate it. Nevertheless, it is important to consider the whole matter from the context of both Old and New Testaments. In chapter 5, the author turns our attention to the benefits and breakthroughs that can be obtained by ‘Praying the Fear of the Lord’.
The final chapter looks at practical issues such as how to align our thoughts with those of God and how to affect our communities with targeted prayer. The author has worked alongside church leaders on many occasions to help them develop their churches and transform their areas, and here he shares the principles that have worked well to this end.
This is an interesting book which may benefit individuals who are seeking to know God better personally through rekindling a holy fear, but will especially help leaders and ministers who want to see a transformational change in their communities towards greater godliness and reception of the Gospel.
‘In Holy Fear’ (112pp) is available from various online retailers, including Amazon, as both an e-book and a paperback. Petrie is also the author of God’s Design for Challenging Times (2013), in which he outlines what he means by God’s redemptive shakings.
