“Do Not Be Afraid”


BIBLE READING: Isaiah 41-42

                Sometimes, we can read certain verses from Scripture a hundred times and fail to take them to heart, the way the Lord wants us to. Other times, we can linger on a verse or two, and let them minister life, healing, and comfort to us. Isaiah 41:10 is so rich with the promises of God, that it warrants some special attention from us.
                The first thing that the Lord wants to impart to us through this verse is that He doesn't want us to be afraid. "Fear not [there is nothing to fear]." It's been said that there are 365 "fear nots" in the Bible, one for every day of the year. One reason why God warns us against fear is that it can short-circuit the answered prayers and blessings that He has in store for us. Just as the Lord has plans for our lives, Satan and his dark forces do, too. While God's plans for us are good plans (Jeremiah 29:11), the devil's plans for us are evil (John 10:10). And the Lord knows that while faith in Him and His Word opens the door to His plans and purposes for us, fear can open the door to Satan's. If we keep these things in mind when adversity hits, we will do everything in our power to resist becoming fearful--including praying, praising, and immersing ourselves in God's Word.
                "I am with you." And here's the best reason of all for us not to give in to fear--we have the Lord's presence to accompany us at all times, everywhere we go. (Joshua 1:9) Jesus Himself said, "I am with you always, even to the end of the world." (Matthew 28:20 TLB) In desperate times, our feelings will often tell us that we're all alone in our troubles. We can live by feelings, or we can live by faith--the choice is ours. If we choose to live by faith, as the Bible instructs (2 Corinthians 5:7), we will position ourselves to receive the rewards and victories that the Lord has in store for us.
                "Do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God." When we give the Lord His rightful place in our lives, He becomes responsible for our welfare and well-being. He becomes our Protector and Provider. He fights our battles for us. And He makes Himself available to us every moment of every day. If we will let God be God in our lives on a daily basis, we will witness Him moving heaven and earth to fulfill His purposes for us, and to bless us with His best. "I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you." Sometimes, we may feel as though we've been "ambushed" by sudden calamities or troubles, but nothing that comes our way is a surprise to God. That should give us great comfort in desperate times. Before we ever have a problem, God's got a custom-made solution prepared for us. And we know that no matter what happens, we can endure it--and even overcome it--when we rely on Him to strengthen and help us.
                "Yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice." The Bible tells us repeatedly that our God is a God of justice. Because of that, He is committed to seeing that His faithful ones eventually come out on top in every situation. It may seem at times that we are the losers, but whenever we deal with our problems using godly principles, our victory can be delayed, but it can never be denied. Let me challenge you today to take these precious promises to heart. Make them your own by claiming them in faith, and open the way for our loving and mighty God to reveal Himself to you like never before!                                                                                                                                                             -J.M. Faro
               


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