God’s Truth that Defeats Our Fears – Isaiah 41:8-10

God’s Truth that Defeats Our Fears

Isaiah 41:8-10

[Pray for God’s Help and Voice to speak to all]

There’re So many things going on in our world to cause us to Fear

• Taliban crisis in Afghanistan,          the Spread of Covid-19,
• Global Economic Uncertainties,       China-Us-Aust Tensions,
• Floods, Fires, Political unrest,
• Steady Increase of ungodly-wicked laws being introduced:
  • To Punish the Godly and Protect the Ungodly
• Ungodliness of sinful humanity, moving steadily from behind closed doors out into the open, with Gov’t. protection
  • Shameless God-Defying-Acts committed, for all to see
• There’re Personal health issues that can cause us to be Fearful
• Financial, money & debt issues can cause us to be Fearful
• Relationship stresses and troubles can cause us to be Fearful
• All these ‘threats’ that we face, can be used by the enemy of our souls to cause us to Fear
• How can… How Must we handle Fear?

The Goal of this message is

• to give us the tools to deal with our fears
• to En-Courage us all to Not be Afraid, in these fearful times
• to En-Courage us all to Trust in the Lord & Know His Peace

So, Where does Courage Come from?

• Courage comes thru Acceptance & Belief & Trust in Truth.

• Knowing that we are completely safe from any physical harm
  • Fuels our courage us to step closer to a Lion Cage
• Knowing the guard rail is absolutely secure,
  • Gives Courage 2 step onto observation deck: High Tower
• Above all, Knowing & Trusting: God of Truth & Truth of God…
  • Imparts Courage to face pressures, stresses, worries

So, What Grt Truths, does God give, to encourage faith & defeat fear

Outline:

1st, God is Sovereign, who Chose Us, vss.8-9

• Galat.3:26-29
• Ephesians 1:4
• Romans 8:28-29

2nd, God is the Shepherd, Who Holds us Securely, Vs.9

• Genesis.21:18,                        1Kings 1;50,
• Job.2:3,                                  John 10:16
• John 6:37–39                         John 10:28–29
• Romans 8:35

3rd, God is Personal, Who Speaks to Us, Vs.9

• Hebrews.1:1-2                        2Peter.1:21
• Psalm 19:7                  Psalm 130:5
• Psalm 62:8                  Lamentations 2:19
• Philippians 4:6-7

4th, God is Faithful, Who Keeps His Promises, Vss.9-10

• Numbers 23:19
• Job 23:13
• Psalm 119:90,
• Hebrews 6:17–18
• Hebrews 13:8
• 2Timothy.2:13

[Set this page aside above your bible as a reference]

1st, Remember God is Sovereign, who Chooses us

• Notice the text, Isaiah.41:8, 9, He has chosen you
• He chose Abraham & took him thru many years difficulty
• He chose Jacob & took him thru many years of difficulty, also
• He chose Israel to be His special people, not becoz of anything to do with them, simply becoz He set His Love upon them
• To Judah hearing these words, it meant: they were not merely the people who were currently occupying the land of a territorial god, just like the the surrounding Canaanite peoples, worshipping false gods-goddesses, mere wood-metal idols… No,
• God had chosen them
  • He had sovereignly chosen/called Abram fr. Ur: Chald.
  • He had sovereignly chosen Isaac, not Ishmael
  • He had sovereignly chosen Jacob, not Esau
  • He had sovereignly led Jacob down into Egypt
  • He’d sovereignly left them in slavery, under Pharoah
  • But, God also Remembered-Delivered His people, Israel
  • God sovereignly used Moses to bring them out
  • God had chosen them to be His special people
  • He’d made them a K-dom: judges priests kings, prophets
• Notice also He says Abraham, my friend.  That shows: element of Love in God’s actions of choosing & working in their  lives

• God had set His love on them…. And on us.
• We, who have Abram’s faith, R his descendants: Galat.3:26, 29) Vs. 26) For U are all sons of God, thru faith in Christ Jesus.
• Vs.29) And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, (Abe’s descendants) and heirs according to the promise.
• Like Abram, We believe-trust: God who’s able to keep promises
• Like Abraham, We are justified by faith in God
• Like Abe we glorify God, by our faith, believing He is Able…
• We’re chosen by God, just as surely as Abe. was,
• Eph.1:4 (God) chose us in Him B4 the foundation of the world,
• God chose us, to be conformed to Christ’s Image, and that conforming process takes place all thru our Christian lives
• Rom.8:28–29 …we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…
• And Listen, Being chosen by God does not shield us fr. Trouble
• Abe knew sorrow-difficulty his entire life of walking with Lord
  • 25 years waiting for God to fulfil promise of Isaac
  • The sorrow of Hagar & Ishmael, ultimately losing Ishmal
• Isaac knew sorrow– difficulty thru his life of walking with Lord
  • In Contrast to Ishmael: who knew great worldly blessing
• Jacob, knew sorrow, difficulty and continual discipline of God…
  • In contrast 2 Esau: who also knew great worldly bless’ng
  • Jacob had to Flee his brother’s murderous intentions
  • He Fell victim to Laban, (smarter crook than Jacob was)
  • He later fled Laban His father-in-law’s murderous intent
  • He had to live w/ Dinah’s rape & His son’s rash actions
  • He Lost Rachael, then Joseph….
• Being Chosen by God re-assures us that even in the midst of difficulty, We belong God – We never need 2 fear losing God.

Remember, beloved, as you survey the landscape of your life and

• you see issue upon issue – Fear Not, You’re chosen of God
• you see problems piled High – Fear Not, you belong to God
• you see cause to fear – Fear Not, You’re Chosen-belong: God
• Fear Not, He’ll Not leave-forsake those whom He Chose
• Be not Dismayed, He is with those whom He has chosen
• He will Help and Strengthen and Uphold His Chosen Ones
• Be Encouraged, Trust the Lord who chose U, & Fear Not.

2nd, Remember God is the Shepherd, who Holds us Securely

• Vs.9, U, whom I have taken…lit. taken hold of, seized, grasp’d
• The idea of that term is to take a secure hold of
• In Gen.21:18, Hagar was to hold fast to Ishmael –
  • God would make him a great nation
• In 1King.1:50, Adonijah took hold of the horns of the altar,
  • in an attempt to preserve and save his life
• In Job.2:3, Job was one who held-fast to His integrity
• There is a sense of security, in that word, we’re held onto
• The Lord God seized onto, He took hold of, He held fast to Jacob-Israel in bringing them from far off places
• God’s taking hold of them, was His assurance that, He would deliver them, from exile: Babylon, back to Prom. Land: Israel
• Wicked Babylonians could not take them from God’s grasp
• God’s flock of Israel had been scattered into exile…
• But God: Shepherd, will take hold of them & regather them
• God sovereignly deliver’d them to Exile; He would bring back
• Wicked Pagan Idolatry could not take them from God’s grasp
• Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek Empires could not pry them from out God’s secure grasp

• The Same is true of us, God has chosen us & taken hold of us
• In John 10:16, We are His sheep, gathered fr. another fold,
  • So, There is One flock, gathered by the One Shepherd,
• In John 6:37, 39 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.
• Vs.39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing…
• God has seized onto Us, taken hold of Us, He will Not let Us Go
• John 10:28–29 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.
• God will deliver us from this world into His Kingdom
• We are not to fear – God has seized onto us, and holds us, and will not let us go, Nothing can pry U out of His fingers… grasp
• Romans 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? [pause]
• or Cancer, or Covid, or Lockdowns, or Isolation, or Persecution, or Ungodly Pagan Governments, or Financial stress, or Health-Problems, or Relationship Problems….
• Nothing/No-one can pry us from God’s secure grasp on us…
• Fear Not, Beloved, God is Securely Holding on to you
• Be Not Dismayed Beloved, God is Securely Holding You

Remember beloved, as you consider your life and

• You experience issue upon issue – But-And, God is Holding U
• There’s problem piled on problem – Remember, God is Holding U you seeming have grt cause: Fear, Remember, God is Holding U,
  • He’ll not leave-forsake those whom He’s Holding

3rd, Remember this: God is Personal, who Speaks to us.

• Vs.9, He has called us and He has said…
• What would that mean for the Exiles listening to Isaiah?
• God had Communicated-Related to Jacob-Israel, thru Isaiah
• God is the Personal God, he has spoken to them, relating His mind, will, ways to them.  God is not indifferent, unrelated…
• God Speaks to His Creation, He Relates to us
• Triune God is Unchangeable in His Person, Promises & Purposes, but He Also relates to us Personally
• He spoke in various times & ways to OT fathers, by the prophets & He also spoke to us, in Son,
• Heb.1:1–2 “God, (who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets), ² has in these last days spoken to us: in Son”
• He has spoken to us through the OT Prophets & NT Apostles
• Every Word of Scripture is spoken by the moving of H. Spirit
• 2Pet.1:21 …prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.
• God’s Word: Psa.19:7, Restores: Soul & Makes Wise: Simple
• In Psalm.130:5, our soul Waits 4: Lord, & Hopes in His Word
• These 3 benefits: restoration, wisdom & hope provide answers to our fears.  It’s God’s Speaking to us, thru His Word: that defeats our Fears, brings peace, brings hope, renews joy

Beloved, Listen to His Voice!

• One Grt reason that we Fear: We’re listening to: Wrong Voice
• Listen to God, Look to His Word, Cry out to God for the answers, and then Go, Search-Diligently, Dig-deeply for the truths of God, buried in His word, that: answer your fears
• And Not only does He relate thru speaking He listens
• He hears our prayers, as we pour out our hearts…
• Psalm 62:8 Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. (defeating our fears)
• Lamentations 2:19 “Arise, cry out in the night, At the beginning of the watches; Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord” (he hears & brings His peace to defeat our fears)
• Phil.4:6–7 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus… (He defeats our fears with His Peace, as we pray…)

• God has spoken to us, Listen!           Listen to God’s: Courage-provoking Truth., Believe, Trust in God, Take Him @ His Word
• He has called us thru the Gospel message, proclaimed to us
• He has spoken & still speaks to us through His Word
• He has speaks to us thru fellowship of Believers
• He has spoken & still speaks to us through the public preaching and teaching and exhorting of God’s Word, by God’s men.
• He relates to us: He has spoken and He Listens to our prayers

4th, Remember God is Faithful, who Keeps His Promises

• Listen very carefully to what that voice is saying in this text:
• Vs.9, I have not cast you away –    the Faithfulness of God
• Vs.10, I am with you –                 the Presence of God
  • I am your God –                the Faithfulness of God
  • I will strengthen you –       The Omnipotence of God
  • I will help you –                Servanthood of God
  • I will uphold you –             Sustaining Pwr. of God
• He can command us to not fear, becoz of all these + more
• We’ll just Focus on One: that God is Faithful!
• To Judah hearing these words, meant that although they are left for a time in exile in Babylon,
  • God had not cast that remnant away
  • God would be faithful to His people
  • God would regather them again into the Land
  • Their sufferings although difficult at the moment would be resolved, this was not: end… God’s purposes not Fini.
• God is Faithful to Himself and to His Word
• God is also absolutely faithful to Us.
• God having chosen us, gathered us, spoken to us, will not cast us away from His presence…
• No matter the fears you face – God is Faithful to U, Christian
• No matter the world events going on, God is Faithful to Us
• No matter the ungodly, laws man may pass, God is Faithful 2 Us

But, What is it… How is it that God is Faithful?

• His Attribute of Unchangeable-ness Him: makes Him Faithful
• He is Faithful to Himself & His own nature – So, He is dependable, because he does not & can not change
• How can we rely on someone, who constantly changes? We can’t!
• How can we rely on God who changes? He would be Unreliable!
• But we can rely-trust in God, becoz He does not, cannot change!
• Numbers 23:19 “God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do?
• Job 23:13 “But He (God) is unique, and who can make Him change? And whatever His soul desires, that He does.
  • Nobody, not man, nor angel, devil can Make God Change
• Psalm 119:90, God’s faithfulness endures to all generations;
• Heb.6:17–18 Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the unchanged-ability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, ¹⁸ that by two unchanged-able things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.
  • We have enduring Hope in God, becoz He cannot change
• Heb.13:8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, & forever.
• Why is it Impossible 4 Jesus to Commit sin? He cannot change
  • In His Div. nature, Christ’s Person cannot change
• Consider: Implications, if He Could Sin, If God could change
• If Christ could sin: He’d deny His Div. Attrib Unchangeability
• If Christ could sin: He’d deny His Div. Attrib. of Holiness
• If Christ could sin: He’d deny His Div. Attrib. of Righteousness
• If Christ could sin: He’d deny Himself…. He’d cease to be God
• But Christ Cannot sin, becoz the Bible says:
• 2Tim.2:13  Christ remains faithful for He cannot deny Himself
• If Christ could Change fr. sin-less – sin-ner, then we could not trust Him; He would be Unfaithful: His Nature, & His Word
• But, Praise God, Christ has: same Divine nature as: Godhead

• Therefore, God is Faithful, Unchangeable, Trustworthy!
• God’s Faithfulness to His People Israel, is the Re-assurance, The Rock-Solid Truth, of His Faithfulness to Us
• So, Because God is Faithful
  • He did not cast away His People whom He chose/called
  • He will not cast us away, He will be faithful to us.
• His Word to us, in: midst of: direst circumstances is reliable
  • Fear Not, For I am, Unchangeably, Faithfully, With You
  • I am with you when Covid strikes
  • I am with you in the hospital bed,
  • I am with you in the Funeral home & at the Graveside
  • I am with you in the Loneliest of Crumbling Marriages
  • I am with you when you are Isolated,
    • when you are deserted by loved ones,
    • when you are being laughed at, mocked, scorned,
  • I am with you when: finances R great or Debt is soaring
  • I am with you, no matter what laws: Ungodly govt. pass

• Listen to His Words, Beloved, let them wash over your soul…
• I am Your God!  You belong to Him & He belongs to you
  • If, as we have just said-argued, God is Faithful, then when He makes that declaration to us, that He is our God, and He cannot lie, and He cannot change….
  • Those wds takes the strength of a covenant vow to us.
  • We, who’re Abe’s Descendants, becoz we have the same faith in God as Abraham had, He Vows to be Our God
• I will strengthen you,
  • no matter how daunting, how steep, how windy, how narrow the road, and difficult the walk becomes…
  • he does not stand back & say:
    • come on, u can do it, yes you can!… No.
  • PTL, our God steps in beside us, wraps his all-powerful arms around our waist, and lifts us, takes our weight, and walks, for us, in His strength…
• I will help You! – I will Uphold You!

• Why should we Not fear?
  • Because God is Sovereign, He chose us to be His Own
• Why should we Not fear?
  • Because God is Our Shepherd, He Holds us Securely
• Why should we Not fear?
  • Becoz God is Personal, speaking, listening, relating to us,
• Why should we Not fear?
  • Because God is Faithful: Unchanging, in His Person, His Purposes & His Promises to Us – He cannot deny Himself
• Why should we Not fear?
  • Because God is our Lord, our Master, He commands us:
    • Fear Not – I am with you
    • Don’t be Dismayed – I am your God

Now, Some of us are sitting, listening, watching: But I am Afraid!

• Listen, Great Truth, must be Received By Faith
• We hear them, We receive them, We believe in God & them…
• As we believe and throw ourselves on God, then we begin to experience that Peace that God promises us….

The Evidence, the truth of scripture is:

• God is Sovereign, Choosing you – Receive that truth, by faith!
  • Do you Believe it?
• God is: Shepherd, Securely Holding onto You – Receive: truth,
  • Do you Believe it?
• God is Personal, Speaking to You – Receive: Truth, Listen 2 Him
• God is Faithful, Keeping His Promises….
  • He will not cast us away – Becoz He is Faithful
  • He will strengthen us – Becoz He is Faithful
  • He will uphold us – Becoz He is Faithful
• There is no need to Fear – For God is with us

Closing Prayer

Benediction:  1 Thessalonians 5:23–24

²³ Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

²⁴ He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.