A WONDERFUL PROMISE

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee;
yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isaiah 41:10)

Do you not recall times of labor and trial in which you received such strength that you wondered where it came from? In the midst of danger, you were calm; in bereavement, you were at peace; in slander, you were self-contained; in sickness, you were patient and enduring. The fact is that the Lord gives unusual strength when unusual trials come upon us. We rise out of our feeble selves. He promises, “I will strengthen thee.” (Isaiah 41:10). He tells us “as thy days, so shall thy strength be.” (Deuteronomy 33:25). “The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlasting arms.” (Deuteronomy 33:27).

When divine strength comes, human weakness is no more a hindrance: cowards become brave; fools become wise; the helpless become hopeful and trusting. “The battle is the Lord’s,” said David and he went out and faced and defeated the giant warrior, Goliath.

The question is not to be, “Is the task possible?” The question is to be, “is this the will of God for me?” If it is, He has promised to supply the needed strength and He cannot lie.

The child of God who says “amen” in his heart to the will of God will receive an anointing, an unction from the holy One. This will enable him to have wisdom beyond his own ability, his service will be more effective, his labor will not be in vain.

Two types of people are mentioned in Psalm 1, by metaphor; the chaff blown about by every convenient wind and the deeply-rooted tree, which will not be moved. One is unstable the other firmly fixed. The deeply-rooted tree’s roots go as deeply into the ground as its limbs go into the sky. The source of their strength is not visible, but is established deeply in the heart that is turned toward God.

In His wonderful name,

Pastor Ed Bowen

August 29, 2010