Think about some elements, wind, water, fire. You know how powerful they can be, you know they exist and are basically unstoppable and everyone has respect and a fear of them because of that. For example, you don’t touch fire because it’s hot, it will burn you and could kill you, you wouldn’t go swimming in the ocean during a big storm or run around in a hurricane....Bruce Wayne wants people in Gotham to have that kind of fear and respect for Batman. He wants people to think that if they commit crime, Batman will catch them, beat them up and essentially just stop them

It can mean that, especially the strong power of nature (e.g., an elemental force such as hurricane or a flood). but it can also mean something supernatural e.g. a god or spirit.