Facing Life Unafraid

FACING LIFE UNAFRAID

ISAIAH 41:8-10

⁸ "But you, O Israel, my servant,
Jacob, whom I have chosen,
you descendants of Abraham my friend,

⁹ I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, 'You are my servant';
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

¹⁰ So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Other verses to read together: RUTH3:1, Heb.4:9, Isa.32:8, Job 3:17, Rev.14:13, Heb.6:20, Matt.11:28-30, Isa30:15 & Psalm 23:1-2

Isaiah 41 was written in tough times, like ours.

--Look at verse 5, "ends of the earth were afraid."

--Some fear the future; their health, job, economy.

--The world situation can make us fearful, indeed.

--Who, but God, knows what life or the future holds.

--Yet our tomorrows with its uncertainty, should hold no fear, to those whose faith is stayed on the Lord.

--God says, "Fear not," hundreds of times in His Word.

--In God, you and I may face life unafraid.

--To live as fully unafraid, is possible only by the supernatural power of God

We need not fear any man. Or, what man can do.

--For those who know the Lord, "What can man do?"

--"Who can be against us, when God is for us" (Romans 8:31). With faith fully in the Lord, God guides.

We need not fear death. It holds fear for some.

--Listen to the Psalmist, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil."

--Why this confidence? "For Thou art with me."(23).

--Didn't our Savior Who died for our sins, arise?

--Did He not say, "Because I live, you will also"?

We need not fear the future. Whatever it may hold.

--When our God promises, "I am with you," He is!

--A year ago, many wondered what was ahead, didn't we?

--Yet, trusting the Lord day by day, He saw us through.

We each have trials. The key is how we handle them.

--We can grumble, blame God. Or pray, and trust Him.

--Consider the oyster, it puts up with irritations.

--In time, turns hurtful sand into a lovely pearl.

--God may be working something beautiful in us, too.

--Our attitude to adversity makes us or breaks us.

--God does not send trouble. He helps us in it.

--"Fear not, I am with you." Not against us, for us!

I love the hymn, "How Firm a Foundation," don't you?

--Did you know it is based on Isaiah 41:10?

"Fear not, I am with thee; 0 be not dismayed,

For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid

I'll strengthen, help, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand."

There are many man-made gods out there of all kinds.

--People look for one that gives more pleasure, or demands less of them; but what kind of god is that?

--Some try to live without god or be their own god!

--May I say, in the end, the God Jesus revealed is the very best, in every way! He is the Risen, Living God.

He loved us so much He died for us. Arose, alive!

--No other has ever lived sinless, did what Jesus did.

--By His Spirit within, helps us fight dread diseases.

--Helps us face sorrow and loneliness. Be at ease.

--To win, over some evil habit, or temptation.

--To keep sweet to unpleasant persons or conditions.

--To be God, our Guardian and our Guide.

Is this God of the Bible Jesus reveals, your God?

--This God is God. He says, "I am .. God" (v. 10).

--I am so glad that He is mine. Let's hear Peter.

--He said to Jesus, "Lord, to Whom shall we go? You. have the words of eternal life" (John 6:68).

-Again in Acts 4:-12, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Jesus!

WE FEAR NOT BECAUSE GOD WILL STRENGTHEN US.

--"I will strengthen you." Do you need strength?

--Call on Him. God has strength, to share with us.

--God says, "As thy days, so shall thy strength be."

--"God is our refuge and strength" (Psalm 46:1).

May I say, God's promise of strength does not mean we will not get old, or ill, or have no problems.

--We will. These things come to us all, some time.

--In the Lord, we can face them unafraid!

--So many times this verse has comforted me and others.

--"Fear not, for I am with you .. to strengthen you."

--And "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear .. he who fears has not been made perfect in love" (I John 4:18).

IV. GOD SAYS, "FEAR NOT, I WILL HELP YOU."

--These days, who is it that doesn't need help!

--Why go it alone? God says, "I will help you" (10,13).

--He is "able to do .. above all we ask or think."

--To help us physically, financially, mentally, spiritually, maritally - for He is "Almighty, All-rise."

Charles Bingham, M.D., writes, "Worry, fear, anger are the greatest disease causers! If we had perfect faith we would not worry. Faith is a great healer, of body, mind, and spirit." That's good medicine, doctor!

Maybe today you don't need much help. But you will.

--Keep healthy. Eat right. Live right. Be happy.

--Be faithful in worship, Bible study, and prayer.

--Be sure you are saved. Help others to find Christ. --God hasn't promised a "rose garden," only His help. Romans 10:8-13

But what does it say? "The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,"^[d] that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: ⁹That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. ¹⁰For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. ¹¹As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame."^{[e] 12}For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, ¹³for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."^[f]

When the going gets tough, the tough get going to God.

--Decide today!