NO FEAR

Isa 41:14

'Though you are a lowly worm, O Jacob, don't be afraid, people of Israel, for I will help you. I am the LORD, your Redeemer. I am the Holy One of Israel.'

    "For the believer there should be no fear.  Our hearts ought always to be full of hope and faith.  We have the courage to face any situation, knowing our Lord can never fail us; no never.  Our trust is in the everlasting One.  Why be sad, when he has promised to keep us from all harm and protect us from all evil?  We have victory in the name of Jesus.  Turn your eyes away from men, and grow in the knowledge of the Lord.  Know him, draw close to him, for his word is your strength, your might, and your double portion.  As you look to him and nothing else, you will know his power and your strength will be restored.  Men will fail, but Jesus never.
    Only as you begin to doubt your Lord, do things appear too hard to accomplish and you begin to imagine you are too sinful or too weak to do what he has asked you to do.  You think you will fail.  But you are looking to your flesh and you are right.  You cannot do it and you are too weak.  You will always fail.  So put your hope and faith in Christ alone.  In him alone is there victory.  It is Christ who produces the fruit; you are only the vessel he uses.  As you begin to declare praise to God and place your love upon him, your faith will start to rise.  Look to the flesh and faith wanes.  Trust in the Lord and joy will fill your soul.  With doubt comes oppression, worry, fear, and defeat.  You are tempted to give up.  Simply remember when things look bad, or you are being tempted, it is the Father having his way with you.  Was not Jesus himself tempted?  He is working out his will in you, and it is his will that you give him thanks in every situation.  It is your duty to give him your love and praise.  So resting in his love and praising him, you will show forth your utmost faith and trust in him and you will enjoy the fellowship which comes from trusting in the Lord.  He will aid and deliver you from all evil.  He will produce good fruit in your life.  It is Jesus who does all things well and he always will.  You have nothing good in yourself, but what he has given to you first.  It is he who gives you the victory!
    He has loved you eternally.  He has taken you out of darkness and brought you into the light.  He has clothed you with a robe of righteousness--his righteousness.  He has called you and chosen you, not to trust in your own strength, but in his supernatural power.  You are to exalt him and lift him up among the people, and then they will be drawn to him and find help.  When you ask, believe that you have received the answer and it shall come to pass and you shall have what you asked for.  It matters not what you ask for, as long as it is in his word, for his word is his will.  You shall receive what you ask for because of his grace.  Trusting in him to do his will, is trusting him to do what pleases him, and his will shall be done.  He has promised to fulfill his will in you.  Only he can do the work, only he can bring it to fulfillment, and what he has appointed for you, he will bring to pass.
    Do not doubt his love.  Do not doubt his will.  He longs to bless, heal, and forgive, and he is no respecter of persons.  His love is extended to all.  He longs to do mighty miracles and wonders through you, so let him take control of the reins of your heart, and the fullness of life, joy, peace, and love will be yours.  Even in times of trouble, he will be your refuge and strength.  You will have no fear, though the mountains be removed and cast into the sea.  Abide in his strength, and he will do the works through you.  Lay aside your own strivings and find rest from your labors, as you let him work through you.  He will surely answer your prayers and show you great things.  He is not deaf.  He hears every word, every prayer you pray, and he sees the desires of your heart.  He is a great and mighty God, and there is no limit to his power.  Even while you are yet speaking, he will hear and answer you.  Do not be afraid to come into his presence with your requests, for he will not fail you, or refuse you the answer.  Only see that you do not ask for your own lusts or greed, but for the glory of his Kingdom.  Wait upon the answer, trusting in him fully, and from Heaven the answer will come.  Goodness and mercy shall follow those who wait upon the Lord, trusting in him.  Every mountain and obstacle he promises to remove, as you begin to move Heaven's power by your prayers.
    Do you want to see greater things than you have ever seen before?  Then ask for them.  This is his promise in his word.  Do not refuse his call to believe him for great things.  Do not grow cold in your heart.  Do not look at the circumstances of your own life.  Walk in the way he has told you to walk.  Lift up your eyes to the heavens.  Look to the hill from where your help comes.  See the Father upon his throne.  Have a pure desire to follow him, and you shall see him grant your desires.  He will use you to lead many others to him.  He will do it.  Don't be afraid, for he will speak through you.  He will give you wisdom and tell you what to say.  If you lack wisdom, ask without doubting, and wisdom will be yours.
    Your shoes shall be iron, and your feet shall be brass.  Your foot shall never be moved, for he will sustain you by his righteousness which never can be moved.  He will anoint you and your strength shall increase.  Obey the One who redeemed you, the One who is your help.  Lay down your life for the One who gave his life for you, and you shall obtain joy and gladness.  You are his chosen bride.  He desires all your heart, so he may use all of you.  It is time to be glad and rejoice in his salvation, for he has saved you from the wrath to come.  He has delivered you from this present evil world.  He has never forsaken his children and he will not forsake you now, even to the very end.
    He has not left us to our own devices.  He still has a work for us to do.  Looking into his word we shall see, and he will open our ears to his voice and we shall hear.  Then we shall open our mouth and speak his word, and souls will be drawn to him.  His power has healed us and made us whole.  Let us never allow discouragement or doubt to hinder us.  Instead of looking at people and the things around us, let us look only to Jesus.  The world has nothing to offer, for it cannot satisfy our soul.  He longs for us to draw close to him, so he can reveal to us the treasures hidden in the darkness.  He longs for us to come to him expectantly, for we are the joy of his heart.  It is not our actions which please him so much, as it is the love of our heart which brings him pleasure.  Though we go through trials or chastisement, he brings what he pleases into our life only because he loves us.  As we endure, he will bring us through to victory, for he is all-powerful.  Before we were born he had his hand upon us.  We are his, and no man can pluck us out of his hand.  Shall he not create and cause to be brought forth?  Shall he not speak and cause it to come to pass?  Is his arm shortened, or his strength weakened?  Is he not the God who is more than sufficient to save us?
    He will hold you by your right hand.  He will uphold you in his paths.  He will never leave you, nor forsake you, neither fail you, for he is who he is and he changes not.  Fear not, but rest in his love.  Let your soul be even as a weaned child.  Rest in the bosom of your Father, who has fed you, clothed you, brought you forth, watched over you, protected you, defended you, strengthened you, held you close, worked for you, blessed you, forgiven you, washed you, cleansed you, had mercy on you, guided you, given you wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, given you the full measure of his richest treasure, filled you with his good Spirit, given you the fruits of the Spirit, made his face to shine upon you, loved you freely, fulfilled his word to you, brought you forth from the fire, from great trial and tribulation, from great sorrow and temptation, from vexations and fears, from trouble and dread, from evil and darkness, and who enabled you to overcome the enemy who was too strong for you.  He delivered you and set you in a safe place, his secret place, away from the storm and the tempest.  He set your feet on a solid rock, where once you walked on slippery depths, near dreadful pits, but with cords and bands of love he kept you from slipping and utterly falling, for his word cannot be broken and he swore to never let you go.
    For his word's sake and for his great name's sake he ransomed you and made you his own, keeping you from the destruction of your own design.  He restored gladness, light, laughter, joy, peace, rest, contentment, righteousness, happiness, true riches, health, wealth, healing, power, the light of the eyes, the beauty of your countenance, freedom from pride and passions, liberty, rejoicing, the garment of praise, the robe of cleanness and holiness, new desires, hope, and a zeal for life.  Your children shall be his.  They shall learn of him and be at peace.  They shall come from the east, west, north, and south.  From all lands shall they come, and to his brightness, as moths, they shall be irresistibly drawn.  So rest, and have not an evil, unbelieving heart, doubting that he is able to save.  Do you not believe that he is stronger than any sin?  Has he not erased the guilt and failures of the past?  So trust him to keep you from sin and rest in his word, as a little child would rest in the arms of his father."