Freedom from Fear and Dismay [31mb]

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This is a sermon based on Isaiah 41:10 "Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God..."

Written excerpts:

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness. 

The NASB reads: ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

Introduction:

Isaiah was a prophet of the Lord. His ministry consisted of receiving immediate messages from the Lord and then communicating those messages to the people of Judah, whether they were kings or subjects. In ancient times a prophet was not only someone who predicted future events, but he was a person who spoke the word of God with authority and divine commission. Adam Clarke also refers to prophets as the “general preacher of the day.” The word for prophet in the O.T. was also understood to represent someone who engaged in prayer and supplication.

Isaiah’s ministry spanned a period of approximately 60 years and the reigns of four different kings. His writings can be distinctly divided into two parts; the first 39 chapters  speak primarily of judgment and condemnation, while the last 27 chapters talk more about hope and salvation. The chapter we are looking at today (41) is located in the early part of that second section dealing with messages of hope and consolation.

In verse 10, God tells His people that they are not to be afraid or anxious. This is a distinct contrast to the messages of judgment and pending doom that were prophesied in earlier chapters.

One author [W.E. Vine], says there are at least three reasons for them not to be fearful or anxious – His Presence with them; His Relationship with them; and His Assurances for them.

I.          His Presence with them – “I am with thee.”

The first assurance God gives as the basis for freedom from fear and dismay (anxiety) is that He is present with them at all times.

This may seem like a contradiction to earlier predictions of judgment and discipline for their idolatry and the many ways they have forsaken God. But, Isaiah, like many of the other prophets, always holds out hope in the midst of condemnation. It seems as though God is providing the assurance that basically says, “Even though I chastise you for your unfaithfulness to Me, I will not abandon you. I will always be with you.” [Always a remnant.]

This promise of His presence resembles similar statements in other biblical passages.

A.  God promised His presence in military conquests. See Deuteronomy 20:1 and 31:6, 8. 

The context of these verses is a discourse by Moses giving instructions to the nation of Israel concerning their conquest of Canaan and the pagan nations in that region.

The spiritual application of this truth can be related to the battles and conquests that the child of God must be involved in on the spiritual level. We too, can be assured that our God will be present in the heat of the battles that we often refer to as spiritual warfare.

B. God promised His presence in trials and burdens.  See Isaiah 43:2.

There is so much that can be said about this familiar text in chapter 43. In fact I have another sermon that I have preached on this chapter. But I just wanted to reference it here as it portrays God’s presence with us in raging floods and fiery trials.

God not only will be with us in those circumstances, but He knows exactly how to keep them from overcoming us and destroying us. He knows how high to let the waters rise without overflowing us. He knows how hot to let the fire get without burning or scorching us.

C. God promised His presence for those who are carrying out His commands.  See Matthew 28:20.

 In the context of fulfilling the Great Commission, God promises to be with His children as they faithfully make disciples and spread the gospel of Jesus Christ across the world.

God hasn’t abandoned you today. Whatever grief, whatever suffering, whatever trials you may be experiencing, remember that just as God promised His presence to the people of Judah, He will also be with every person that has been united with Him through faith in Jesus.

II.        His Relationship with them – “I am thy God.”

Not only did God promise His presence to dispel their fears and anxiety, but He also reminds them of His relationship to them.

A. There is an idea of ownership or possession.

God has stated that He is their God. The implication follows that they are His children. All He is and all He can do is at their disposal.

I would compare this to a young boy who finds himself in the middle of a fight and his daddy shows up. No matter how poorly the fight may have been going before that point, now all the authority and power of the boy’s father is at his disposal.

In the previous chapter Isaiah cites all the qualities of the Creator God who made the universe. Now, in this chapter he has just finished describing how God raises up nations and puts down nations. He establishes rulers to accomplish His divine purposes. There is nothing that goes on, but what He allows it. Nothing frustrates or derails God’s overall sovereign plan for His people. He is greater than the idols of the pagans as described in verse 7. He is the Almighty God. And, He belongs to them and they belong to Him.

There is no relationship more important than one’s relationship with God. In the context of N.T. gospel, anyone who is born again and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ is adopted into the family of God. We belong to Him. He is our Father. That relationship has all kinds of implications for us in terms of what God desires for us, how He delights in us, and what He is willing to do with us and for us.

B. This relationship is better and greater than any earthly one.

There are many similarities described in the Bible between our relationship with God and our earthly relationships. He is compared to father, mother and brother in various passages and biblical contexts. In all of these analogies and pictures, God is infinitely greater and better than any of the earthly relationships we can define or describe. God is the infinite, Supreme Being over the entire universe. He declares that He is God, but more than that, he is our God.

III. His Divine Assurances to them – “I will strengthen… help… and uphold you.”

Finally, God promises three different assurances to His people in order to dispel the fear and anxiety they might experience.

A. The assurance of His divine strength.

The idea that seems to be conveyed by this phrase is that God’s power is offered to those who find themselves in extreme moments of weakness. In those times and circumstances when they believed they could not go on, God provided divine strength to endure, to fulfill, to accomplish what they never thought was possible. Compare Isaiah 40:31.

B. The assurance of His divine assistance.

The word “help” is “a verb meaning to help, to aid. It means to support, to give material or non material encouragement to a person. God was the one who helped His people (Gen. 49:25). It is used mockingly of the inability of idols or pagan gods to aid their people (Deut. 32:38). It describes people helping each other to accomplish goals (Josh. 1:14; 10:4). (Complete Word Study Dictionary)

I get the picture of God coming alongside to give us encouragement and support and any type of guidance or assistance that we need to reach the desired goal and destination. This compares to the word “comforter” used for the Holy Spirit in John 16.

C. The assurance of His divine support.

“Uphold” is “A verb meaning to grasp, to hold; to support. It means to grasp, seize something, to take hold of a person’s hand (Gen. 48:17); a person (Isa. 41:10); a scepter or a pole (Amos 1:5, 8). It refers to grasping and supporting a person’s hands and arms (Ex. 17:12).” (Complete Word Study Dictionary)

The indication of this word implies that when we have reached the point of collapse; the point when we know we can’t go on, either emotionally or physically, God will reach down and grasp us to hold us up and carry us through the difficult and overwhelming trial.

There is some sense that these three assurances are somewhat synonymous and convey the same kind of messages. Yet, the conjunction “yea” (NASB- “surely”) implies a cumulative heaping up of one upon the other. Each one is added on to the previous one. (Keil &Delitzsch)

Conclusion:

Dear friends, today I felt God wanted me to give this message of encouragement. We have experienced the death of a dear friend and member of this church. Her passing has left us with an emptiness and sadness. In addition to that, another one of our members has received more disturbing news from medical tests that were done this week, this is on top of all the medical problems he and his wife have already been going through the past few years.

There are others who have been faced with sickness and injuries (we have had six different people in five different hospitals in the last week), plus others who have had medical tests, and I know there is a weariness and a discouragement that would overtake us if we listen to the Devil and if we merely look at our circumstances.

Listen to the words of the chorus to a song Bob and Nancy sang a couple weeks ago,

God is still on the throne, and He will remember His own

Though trials may press us and burdens distress us He never will leave us alone.

God is still on the throne, He never forsaketh His own;

His promise is true, He will not forget you, God is still on the throne.