A Great Promise of God

This is a discussion on one of the greatest promises in the Bible. It is also my baptism promise. The story of my baptism is a very interesting story by itself, and I hope to recount it in another hub separately, sometime. I was baptised in a very small and humble church, called Bethany, in a squatter settlement on the outskirts of a great city. This was 18 years ago. After I came out of the water, I was given this promise: Isaiah 41:10.

'Fear not, 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.'

What a great and loving God we have. How wonderfully He encourages us through His precious promises. I would like to discuss this promise in the Comments below.

Comments:

1. The first thing we notice about this promise are the repeated assurances given by God, seen in the phrases: 'I am', 'I am'...and 'I will', 'I will', 'I surely will'. In fact in the NASB version of the Bible: God is emphasizing the phrase: 'I will'. Twice He says, 'Surely I will'!

2. As weak human beings, living in a hostile world, we are constantly subject to doubts and fears. Here is a promise to strengthen our faith. According to the Bible, fear and faith are contradictory. If you fear, you have no faith. Fear is a powerful weapon of Satan. God says, Fear not. Why? Because God is with us; He is our Immanuel God. He will never leave us, nor forsake us. He is with us, as He was with Joseph in Egypt, Israel in the wilderness and Paul in prison. Lo, I am with you always, Jesus tells His disciples in Matthew 28. Always.

3. Don't be anxious. Don't look here and there. Don't look at the circumstances. Don't look to people for help. Look to Me. Looking unto Jesus. 'They looked unto Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.' Psalm 34:5. Keep your eyes on the Lord.

4. I am your God. He is my God. The Lord Jesus is my Saviour. He is mine, and I am His. He is God, God Almighty, the El Shaddai God, the all-powerful God, the Omnipotent God who reigns forever.

5. God says, I will strengthen you. He will strengthen your heart, Psalm 27. Your heart will be strengthened or established by His grace, Heb 13:8. His grace is abundant; His grace is sufficient. When we come to the throne of grace, we will obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need, Heb 4.16. God will never fail.

6. He will uphold us, i.e. He will hold us up. There is no fear of falling. Underneath are the everlasting arms, Deuteronomy 33:27. Nobody can snatch us out of His hands, John 10.28,29.

7. The right hand of His righteousness. The right hand speaks of His mighty hand of power and authority. All power and authority belongs to God. It is a righteous right hand. 'Righteous' speaks of His being true and just and faithful. God means what He says.He is a true and righteous, a just and faithful God. He is the everlasting Rock.The Rock will never change. He will surely perform what He has promised. He is true to His promise.

8. Haven't you noticed? God is saying, 'Surely', 'surely'! This is more than a promise, it is an assurance. Oh, that we would keep trusting in Him at all times! That we would keep 'looking unto Him'. That we would keep praising Him for Isaiah 41:10. Remember, when God speaks it is DONE. Psalm 33:9. If this promise has spoken to your heart, then consider that it is already fulfilled, and keep praising God continually...for even now God is working on your behalf.

Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen.

© Roland N.Oliver/Pratonix