Fear, worry, and anxiety can grip the heart of anyone in certain circumstances. But there are some people who face these negative emotions on an almost daily basis. No one enjoys these feelings, but there is help from the Lord. God makes a bold promise to his people Israel in Isaiah 41:10, “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.” These promises apply to believers today as the covenant people of God. This ancient promise is meant to bring us peace. Everybody wants peace, and most people desire more than they’re experiencing now.
In this awesome passage, we find two negative commands with the reason for each command and three promises. The first negative command is, “Fear not.” This is a command found often in the Bible because people are so prone to fear. Fear is the kind of negative emotion that can grow in our hearts if we focus on it. God gives us the reason we should not fear and the way we dispel our fear when it takes root in us. The Lord tells us that we can quiet our fears because he is with us. Almighty God, the creator of the universe, is actually with us! This realization of the presence of God can calm our fears. His presence is not only a reality; it can be a felt reality. But whether you feel it or not, you can trust his presence with you. How does his presence impact your heart? What does it mean to you that God is with you?
The second negative command is, “Do not be dismayed.” Dismay is much like fear but perhaps more intense or urgent. Things can get out of control in life, so that we feel an urgency to resolve the situation. Again, God gives us the way to dissipate this feeling. He relates to us the wonderful reality that he is our God. He belongs to us because we belong to him. He bought us with the price of his own blood. We can take comfort and find peace in the fact that we are the children of God. He loves us! The apostle John says in John 1:12-13, “But to all who did receive him, who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.” Believers in Jesus Christ are born of God. He is our God. Let that reality sink deep into your heart. It should humble us.
These two negative commands are followed by three promises. Each of the promises begins with the words, “I will.” “I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” To those who are weak, God promises to strengthen them. To those who are in need, God promises to help. And to those who have fallen down, God promises to uphold them with his righteous right hand. We all find ourselves weak; he is our strength. We all find ourselves in need; he is our helper. And we all experience the feeling that we are falling down in our lives. He holds us up with his righteous right hand. God’s right hand speaks of his power, of his providential care. God promises to be with us in these moments as we trust his promises. Do you feel weak? Are you in need of help? Do you feel emotionally or spiritually that you are falling? God is there with you and for you.
For these promises to work their way deep into our hearts, we must meditate on them until God calms the storm in our hearts. This does not always come as quickly as we would like, but it will come as we focus on God and his word. Think about each word and phrase in this powerful promise. What do they mean to you? In them, you can experience God speaking to you. He is with us, He is our God!