Isaiah 41:10 – ABOUT OUR GOD
At one time or another, most of us have been gripped with fear.
We have been afraid that things which happened in the past can hurt is in the present.
We have been afraid of what people think.
We have been afraid of what people would do.
We have been afraid of the future.
We have been afraid of circumstances.
We have been afraid of ourselves.
We have been afraid of any number of things.
One of the forms fear takes is that of worry. When we are afraid of something, we worry over it. As we continually worry, we make life miserable for ourselves, and for those who have to listen to us worry!
The ironic thing about our fears is God doesn’t want us to fear, as long as we fear Him!
Luke 12:4-5 – And I say unto you my friends, be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear him.
We fear God when we trust Christ as our Savior from sin (Isaiah 53:5-6, Romans 5:1).
When we fear God, we need not fear anything or anybody.
God is originally speaking to Israel here, but I believe that this verse is applicable to all born again Christians.
Notice please that God tells us not to fear. This is a command. When we fear things God tells us not to fear, we are disobeying God!
What I like about the passage before us this morning is that this verse tells us why we shouldn’t fear. And these reasons are centered on God! In telling us not to fear, Isaiah is telling us something about God. In fact there are five things which we learn about our God here which should help keep us from living in fear and worry. In this passage we learn:
OUR GOD IS PRESENT – Fear thou not; for I am with thee:
OUR GOD IS PERSONAL – be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
OUR GOD IS POWERFUL – I will strengthen thee;
OUR GOD IS PRACTICAL – yea, I will help thee;
OUR GOD IS PERMANENT – yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.