“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Whether it is the fear of rejection or harm or of the future, fear can have a crippling effect on our lives as Christians. Ever since the fall of Adam, man has lived under constant fear. Sometimes due to our own sin; on other occasions, as a result of real existence of evil in the world. Regardless of the cause, none of us is a stranger to the powerful and crippling effects of fear.
The book of Isaiah recounts the story of Israel and their rebellion toward God, which resulted in God giving them over to their enemies. As a result of this judgement, the people were living under constant fear of harm from foreign nations. They would eventually be driven out of the promised land into exile, which was a direct consequence of their sin.
However, the gracious and merciful God assures his people even in the midst of his judgement. He himself would provide a way out for his people. We read of God’s indictment against his people in the early parts of the book. But the latter parts carries the message of redemption and restoration, not because of what they would do but because of what God himself would do to satisfy his righteous and just demands.
That’s the joy of the Christian who has been redeemed by Christ. Even though our sins are many, his mercy is more ( as the contemporary hymn says). Our sins had rightly incurred God’s just condemnation, but he, the one who had been offended also provided a way out through the sending of his only begotten Son to die on our behalf. He is the just and justifier of those who turn from sin and put their trust in Christ. (Romans 3:26). Therefore, being a Christian is not based on what we do, but what God has done. That was the case of the Israelites in Isaiah’s day and it is the case with us on this side of the cross.
God didn’t only provide a way out for them, he also commanded them not to fear. And in our opening verse, he tells them the reasons why. Even though their fear was a direct result of their own disobedience, God assured them of his presence. He told them through the prophet, “fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
What a great assurance! The Lord God, the one who created the universe is their God and he will be with them. He will strengthen, help and uphold them. These exceedingly precious promises just beat any imagination. And these promises are not only for the Israelites of Isaiah’s day. The fact that they are rooted in the character of God means that they are applicable to us who have been reconciled to him through his Son Jesus Christ.
Whether your fear is a direct result of your own action or because we live in a fallen world filled with real evil, in this verse, God assures his people that they should not fear; and it is not because they will be taken out of the world. Rather, it’s because he is going to be with them. And if God is with you, who can be against you?
I’m reminded of the words of Samuel Rutherford, the Scottish Presbyterian pastor, who said, “it is better to be sick, providing Christ come to the bedside and draw by the curtains, and say, “Courage, I am thy salvation,” than to enjoy health, being lusty and strong, and never to be visited of God.” It doesn’t matter the circumstances you find yourself in, if God is with you, you’re the most blessed because in his “presence there is fullness of joy and at his right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).
It is instructive that God didn’t say he will prevent them from going through difficult times. Instead he says, “I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Couldn’t the mighty God, the Creator of the universe prevent the difficult situations that come our way?
Every now and then even non-Christians take a swipe at Christianity for this very reason. “How could a so called powerful God not be able to protect his children from trials and afflictions?” They would often ask. We need not answer this charge, because the Bible perfectly answers this question in many places (Romans 5:3-5; 8:16-18; James 1:2-4, etc.). But suffice it to say that God never leaves the Christian to go through trials and afflictions alone. It is in this truth we should find our comfort as Christians. He has promised, “never to leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “the Lord is our helper; we will not fear; what can man do to us” (Hebrews 13:5-6).
I don’t know the sort of fear you’re presently battling, it may be of rejection, physical harm, uncertainty of the future or even of sickness; but one thing I do know is that the Almighty and Sovereign God has promised that “he will strengthen you, he will help you, he will uphold you with his righteous right hand. What an assurance to hold on to!
