Not Found

More in Isaiah 41: Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them.

Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.  For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

Why would one look for his enemies?  Wouldn’t it be because he’s living in fear, so he searches them out so that he can defend his space, kill those who are a threat, and close the windows for protection?  What a tiring job that would be, to search constantly for enemies lurking just outside our homes!

This verse says even if we go searching for enemies, we won’t find them, because God has obliterated them.  And even if we start to fight against them in our own strength, we will just grow weary, because God has made them into nothing. 

Our enemies are fear, distrust, and despair and we let them ruin our minds, our health, our families, and our future.  We feel closed in by them, struck down by them, and followed by them all day long.

But God reminds us that because we belong to Him, those enemies are not real.  He is real.  Those enemies have no authority or power to win any kind of war they might start up with us.  He has already won.

He takes hold of our hand and holds us, and says to us, “Do not fear.”

And then he says he will help us.

Don’t waste your time and day searching for enemies and warring against thoughts that are already defeated by Him.  That only makes you tired.

Instead, let him grab your arm and hold you, much like a Father does when crossing a busy street, while the child skips and licks on a lollipop unaware that traffic is all around…

Do Not

Isaiah 41 says So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

Here again we are told:

Do not fear

Do not be dismayed

Fear really settles into our hearts when we forget God’s character, when we rely on our own strength to sustain us, or when we reach out to hold something other than His hand.

Sometimes we just need to remind ourselves that God is love, that he is our strength, and that it’s his hand we need to hold – in the darkest of the night.

Any other thought process is a lie.

Recognizing the truth and choosing to believe it will banish our fear.

He Will Come

Isaiah 35:4 says say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you.

I sometimes have a fearful heart.  So it says here to be strong, and not fear.

How can we do this?

We can remind ourselves that God will come.

And he will come with vengeance – divine retribution – to save us.

Vengeance is punishment for injury or wrong.  When we see people act in vengeance, it’s usually killing or hurting someone in retribution for a wrong that’s been done to them.  That kind of vengeance only incites hatred and more turmoil.

However, divine retribution is God acting on our behalf and his rescue results in our deliverance, and salvation of those who have wronged us.  That’s the kind of God we serve.

Are you afraid, because of wrong that is being done to you?  Call out to God and ask him to come with vengeance – divine – and then lay aside your fear and wait.

And he will come to save you.

A Faith Story

The Bible tells us many, many times to not fear.  And yet we live in a world that sets up situations that are full of fear.  Natural disasters, wrecks on the highways, illnesses without cures, children that stray, spouses that leave, and more leave us sitting up awake at night full of fear about our future, our family, and our kids – and it’s sometimes crippling and leaves us in a puddle of tears and despair.

So let’s look at the verses that tell us not to fear and see the stories and situations that surround the directive.

Genesis 22 recounts the story of Abraham being asked to sacrifice his son:

But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.

This story includes a call from God, an answer from man, and then obedience to the call.  The fear of losing his son could have caused Abraham to disobey the call from God.  But instead, he laid his son down, and the Lord intervened and spared his son.

Life will throw us some huge challenges, and God will ask us to trust Him completely, and we have a choice to make.  Succumb to fear…or obey.

When we obey, when we fear (honor and revere) God more than we fear our circumstances, we will see deliverance come.

Hold It

Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Here we are told to hold fast our confession, without wavering, because he is faithful.

This verse implies then, that we must confess our hope.  State it out loud.  Do it daily.  Place your hope in Him, and set it there, and leave it there.

When the day grows long and stuff happens that dashes your hope, don’t toss it out.  Stand on it.  Lay down on it.  Cover up with it.

And when the night settles in, and the day is done, rest in hope, because He is with you.  

He is faithful.

All day long make a conscious effort to keep hope where it belongs – in Him.

Uncertain Hope

I Timothy 6:17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.

It’s amazing how all of us dream of being rich, we long for riches that surround us, we want to travel, amass big houses and land, travel the world, and spend our money without thought of bills, savings, etc.  That lifestyle is so appealing, especially when we see it on the big screen in such glamour, beauty, and style.  And so we set about our careers, our future, and the future of our kids, hoping for success and big savings accounts and lots of stuff to enjoy here.

But as we know, those things can be swept away in a moment in a flood, destroyed in a few minutes in a fire, taken from us in a nasty divorce, or just deteriorate over time with wear and tear – including the beauty we hope to achieve in our bodies.

God warns us, instructs us, and pleads with us to place our hope in Him, not in the uncertain things of this life.  In fact, he says he richly provides everything we need to enjoy life.

So if we’re not enjoying life because we don’t have the lifestyle above, then we’re not focused on Him.

Hope Laid Up

Colossians 1 reminds us of…the hope laid up for you in heaven.

The hope is up there, laid down securely, awaiting our arrival.

There is hope for complete healing in our bodies that are sick.

There is hope for no more tears of sorrow over disappointments and hurt.

There is hope for restoration of broken hearts in relationships.

There is hope for peace that endures forever.

There is hope for joy unspeakable.

There is hope for faith completed, because we will see Him and be like Him.

It’s up there.  He has prepared the way.  Heaven is real.  Our hope is eternal.  Our hope cannot be snatched away or deferred.  It’s laid up for us in heaven.

Never lose hope.