Fear Not: I Am With Thee

When God spoke these words, His people were staring down exile. Babylon was coming. The future was terrifying, and fear was the most reasonable response in the room. So God did not argue with their fear. He answered it with Himself: "Fear thou not; for I am with thee."

Notice what God did not say. He did not promise the trouble would disappear. He promised His presence. Then He stacked promise on promise: "I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Three times He says "I will." That is not a suggestion. That is a covenant.

Fear feeds on the lie that you are alone in it. The devil whispers that the trouble is bigger than you, and in a sense he is right, because the trouble IS bigger than you. But it is not bigger than the God who lives in you. The same Holy Spirit who raised Christ from the dead is the Helper Jesus promised, and He does not sit on the sidelines of your life. He strengthens hands that have gone weak. He lifts the head that has been hanging low.

The church of Acts did not conquer the world because it had no fear. It conquered the world because it was filled with the Holy Ghost in the middle of its fear. Boldness is not the absence of trembling. Boldness is trembling and obeying anyway, with God holding your right hand.

So what are you afraid of today? A diagnosis. A bill. A child wandering from God. A door that needs to open. Bring it before the Lord boldly, because you do not pray alone. The Spirit Himself intercedes for you. Then get up and walk like someone heaven is backing, because heaven IS backing you.

Prayer: Father, I refuse to let fear have the last word today. You said fear thou not, for I am with thee, and I take You at Your word. Strengthen me by Your Holy Spirit. Help me where I am weak. Uphold me with Your righteous right hand. I walk into this day knowing heaven is with me. In Jesus' name, Amen.