Fear Not

Fear not…For I am with thee, says the Lord

What is God’s solution for us & what he can do for us as we go through difficulties in life.

Isaiah 43: 1 But now, this is what the Lord says-- he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. 2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel,your Savior; …. 4 Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you, I will give men in exchange for you, and people in exchange for your life. 5 Do not be afraid, for I am with you;

No one is immune from trials, tribulations, troubles and distresses in this life. These things affect us all. Jesus said: These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” John 16:33.

Notice the words “when you’….. in vs 2 this doesn’t mean “if’ it means when…..

You may try to avoid the waters & rivers and the fire but you won’t be successful . You will Either do it with God… or alone… but you will go through.And remember: “If God’s will brings you to it… His grace will bring you through it!”

We do not all go through the same waters. Some of us will go through the waters of poverty, impaired health, discrimination, physical or mental handicap, abuse of some sort, etc.

AND THROUGH THE RIVERS ... Throughout life we will have rivers to cross. There will be times when our faith is not as strong as it should be; times when sorrow and grief seem greater than we can bear and times when the challenges facing us come when our strength is depleted.

But there is a promise here “THEY WILL NOT OVERFLOW YOU."Even though you will pass through the waters, some very deep and dark, and rivers that threaten to overflow you and dash you against the rocks hidden from your view, God’s promise is sure. “They will not overflow you!”

And then…. we walk through the fire ...I was looking up what “through the fire “means its a process of burning, a changing from one substance to another.

ILLUS>:There was a woman who called up a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn’t mention anything about the reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot - then she thought again about the verse, that he sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.The woman was silent for a moment.Then she asked the silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" He smiled at her and answered, "Oh that’s easy. When I see my image in it."

I don’t know about you but I think we are going through the refiner’s fire lately with all these things that are going on, its just a little trial here, trial there. It’s just fire for the purifying process.

As you study the history of Israel, you will find out that God always made a way for them. He made a way to get them out of Egypt, He made a way for them to cross the Red Sea, He made a way for them in the crossing of the wilderness, and He made a way for them to go into the promised land. Deut. 1:19 Then, as the Lord our God commanded us, we set out from Horeb and went toward the hill country of the Amorites through all that vast and dreadful desert that you have seen, and so we reached Kadesh Barnea. 20 Then I said to you, "You have reached the hill country of the Amorites, which the Lord our God is giving us. 21 See, the Lord your God has given you the land. Go up and take possession of it as the Lord, the God of your fathers, told you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.