Fear? Forget about it!

Isaiah 41:10
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

This has been one of my favorite verses of the Bible for many years. It’s difficult to narrow down to a small list, but this verse does make my top 25. I guess it depends on the day and on the circumstances as to where exactly on the list it is, but I’m sure you understand.

I feel this is not just one of the favorite verses for many people, but I feel it is one of the more important in all of Scripture, simply because it addresses so much. If you would allow, I would like to mention a few things that make this verse so significant to the life of the believer.

DEFINITIONS
First, I offer dictionary definitions of the key words of the verse.

FEAR – “A feeling of agitation and anxiety caused by the presence or imminence of danger,” or “A reason for dread or apprehension.”

DISMAY – “To destroy the courage or resolution of by exciting dread or apprehension,” “To cause to lose enthusiasm; disillusion,” or “To upset or alarm.”

STRENGTHEN – “To make strong or increase the strength of.”

HELP – “To give assistance to; aid,” “To ease; relieve,” or “To change for the better; improve.”

UPHOLD – “To prevent from falling or sinking; support,” or “To maintain or affirm against opposition.”

Next, I would like to briefly use Strong’s Hebrew analysis:

FEAR – dread; DISMAY – bewildered, or look away; STRENGTHEN – confirm, or be courageous; HELP – surround, protect or aid; UPHOLD – sustain or follow close.

THE HOPE
The very first thing the Lord addresses is the most devastating thing we face: fear. Fear usually incites one of two responses: it causes us to be paralyzed, frozen exactly where we are; or it causes us to run away. Both responses are contrary to what God wants for us: to move forward. So God tells us right off that we don’t have to be afraid. The reason is that He Himself, the Creator of the Universe, the One in whom all power dwells, is with us. That He can overcome our fear is a source of comfort for us, but more than that is that such a big God would care so much about you and me. With the Lord, there is NO reason for dread, so we need not feel any danger.

God also tells us not to lose our courage or enthusiasm because of our fear. Satan attacks us in ways that sidetrack us, that make us afraid and also drain us of our enthusiasm. We often say, “What’s the point?” and become so discouraged because of all that’s going against us. But the Lord reminds us just Who our God really is. It is not fear, it is not temptation, it is not this world. It is the great I AM. When we look past all the negative and see our God, how can we help but increase in courage and enthusiasm?

THE PROMISES
Then, God gives His children promises we can all take with us, no matter what we face. First He says He will give us strength. As the definitions showed us, this means that He will make us strong or increase our strength (but note that this happens in the midst of those situations that the devil would use to cause us fear or dismay). He will confirm our faith in Him, showing us that He was, is and will always be there with us to give us courage in times of distress.

Second, God promises to help us. I don’t know about you, but I need help. Just ask some members of my congregation! Seriously, I know that by myself I am nothing, and without help, I would fall. God will lend me the assistance I need to survive, by either easing or relieving that which weighs so heavily upon me, or through it all change me for the better. His unfailing arms of love and protection are always there to surround me and take care of me. When Satan’s fiery arrows come flying my way, I know the Lord all around me, keeping me safe. It might not be an entirely fun or easy experience, but with His help, I’ll make it through and be better because of it.

Finally, the Lord promises to uphold us. Using the dictionary and Strong’s definitions above, I can’t help but think about Peter walking on the water. Peter had the faith to step out of the boat when Jesus called for him to come, but he took his eyes of the Lord and began to look at the waves. It was then that he began to sink. He did the only thing he, or any of us, could do: he cried out, “Lord, save me!” And Jesus upheld him.

Jesus was right there, following close to sustain Peter, helping Peter maintain his faith and his life. Jesus reached down and lifted him out of the water. The waves were still as ferocious, the wind still as violent, but Peter had nothing to fear. He knew that no matter what he was facing out there on the water, the opposition wasn’t as strong as Jesus was. No matter how severe our storms may be, we know the Lord is close to us and when we call on Him, He will be right there to lift us up.

* * * * * *

As I used this verse in a sermon a few years ago, it was as if the Lord stopped me in my tracks and showed me something I’d never seen before. I was awestruck, quiet, as my congregation looked at me. Then I shared with them what the Lord had shared with me.

God spoke to me through this verse, telling me I didn’t need to be afraid or dismayed, because He was with me and was my God. He promised to give me strength to meet life’s challenges and help to overcome the obstacles in my way, no matter how great.

And how would He accomplish this? By upholding me with His righteous right hand. Then a question came to my mind: what does this mean? And in an instant, the answer came: where is Jesus?

Jesus is, as 1 Peter 3:22 specifically tells us, “…at the right hand of God…” a fact that was further confirmed when Stephen was being martyred, gazing into heaven and saying in Acts 7:56, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!”

The “righteous right hand” of God is Jesus Himself, and it is Jesus Himself that upholds us in our time of need. There is no more comforting thought, no greater assurance or promise that we can find that compares to this:

There is nothing to fear, because God is always with us. There is no reason to be dismayed, because the God of all Creation is our God. He is there to give us strength and help when we need it, and this upholding, this sustaining grace, comes directly from the power and love of Jesus Christ the Lord.

I don’t know about you, but “if God is for us, who can be against us?”

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