God Never Forgets His People

Turn with me to James 1:2. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.” And we know the word “temptation” means “test.” And we know the test we are to count as joy is when Satan tries to get us to give up, to give in or to get out when it relates to God and His Word.

Now, sometimes, those tests can be really, really trying. And we know that we go through seasons when sometimes the test is more trying than others. And we find it difficult to have joy during those times. And the test, ladies and gentlemen, is always, always is whether or not we’re going to be obedient to God and trust that His Word is truth.

When the pressure is on we sometimes find it very difficult, well let me say it this way – more challenging – to have joy when you’re being tempted.

But the thing I want you to know tonight is that there is not one test, there is not one trial that you are ever going to go through alone. Amen! You are not going through it alone.

The enemy of our souls wants us to think that when we face the trials and tests, we are facing them alone. And honestly, sometimes we have felt that way haven’t we? But our Heavenly Father wants it to be very clear to us that is not the case.

What we’re going to see in this message tonight is that God loves us more than we realize. And that whenever we think that we are alone, whenever we think the enemy has gotten the best of us, God says “No.” He says “No.”

The issue is this: as we’re going through the trial, as we’re going through the test, do we believe that God is with us and that what we are going through – we are going through it – we’re not camping, we’re not staying. We are going through it.

David said in Psalm 23:4, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil …”

We are always going to have issues that we’re going to have to go through. The enemy doesn’t stop. Just because you conquer him in one area doesn’t mean he’s not going to try to find another one. But you must remember: God is always with you.

Turn with me to Isaiah 49. I really believe that this is a message that will bless you, because it’s going to help you realize that no matter what the situation, no matter what it looks like, you’re not fighting this by yourself. God is always there.

The book of Isaiah is prophesy, primarily about the Messiah and then about His Church. As we read these passages, yes, it’s talking about Zion, it’s talking about Israel, it’s talking about Jacob, but they are prophecies that relate to us and who we are now as the body of Christ.

Look at Isaiah 49. In this chapter, it talks about the Messiah coming. It talks about the trials He’s going to face at the hand of Zion (Jews). It also talks about Him eventually coming out victorious. Remember this part – He’s going to come out victorious.

(13) Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted.

(14) But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me.

There were times when I felt this way and I knew, in my heart, that God had not forsaken me. But we have that sinking feeling sometimes and we have to remind ourselves that what we’re experiencing is not from our Father and that it is coming from the enemy of our souls. That’s when we need to bring our minds back to God’s Word.

(15) Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? Yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.

The word “woman,” the first time it was used, it was used by Adam when he said God has brought him woman, who was now bone of his bone. In other words, the woman was the wife of the man. A better rendering of the word in the context would have been “mother.”

The word “forget” means “to ignore, cease to care.” Can a mother cease to forget about her child? Can she ignore him?

The image “sucking child” presents is one of a child being totally dependent upon his mother for everything.

God says, it’s possible for a mother to forget her child. Yes, that’s possible. But it is IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME! And we see this in the word “not,” which expresses an unconditional prohibition.