September 10, 2015
“Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.”—Isaiah 43:1–21
God’s Word tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will we not fear, though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea. Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof.”2
That’s His promise. He is our refuge and strength, and through the trying days that now are and shall yet come, He is “a very present help in trouble.” If we love Him and are doing our best to keep His commandments, we can rest in His unfailing presence.
Just read the Bible and you’ll see story after story of how marvelously the Lord protects and keeps His children. Once in a while they got in trouble and they suffered some, but He always delivered them! He doesn’t say that we’re never going to have any trials or afflictions, but He promises He’ll deliver us out of them all.3
Sometimes God may allow things to happen to us to try our faith, to see how determined we are, how much patience we have, and to build our endurance. That’s why we’re to “count it all joy” when we face trials, knowing that the trial of our faith produces patience and endurance.4
Once, when I was concerned and worrying about the future, the Lord answered me with a question. He said, “Will I not care for My own?” What an encouragement from the Lord! “Will I not care for My own?” The Lord is able to keep us through anything and everything. He will care for us. In fact, He won’t let a hair of your head be touched without His permission. “He that touches you touches the apple of My eye.”5
The Lord is our deliverer in times of trouble, our strong fortress where we hide, our strong tower in which the righteous hide and are kept safe. The Lord promised, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty,”6 and we know that’s the best protection possible from anything we face in life.
Don’t ever forget, God’s children are surrounded by the angels of God. We are hedged in, as the Devil himself said about Job. The Devil complained to God about Job, “How can I touch him? You’ve got him fenced in! You’ve got him so hedged in, I can’t reach him. I can’t even touch him.”7 God has also placed a hedge of angels around us. “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.”8 Thank God for His great company of angels!
When it looked like the prophet Elisha was cornered and surrounded by an entire army of his enemies, his servant became very worried and upset, as it looked like a truly impossible situation. “And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, ‘Alas, my master! How shall we do?’”9
But the prophet answered, “Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them! And Elisha prayed, and said, ‘Lord, I pray Thee, open his eyes, that he may see.’ And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”10
So that’s something that we need to remember and constantly thank the Lord for—His marvelous, miraculous, supernatural protection! Thank God for His angels that encamp round about us.
Keep close to the Lord and constantly claiming the protection of the Lord, always asking the Lord to keep you, and bless and protect you, because lots of things can happen that are totally beyond your control, but not the Lord’s!
“Men ought always to pray and not to faint,”11 God’s Word says. And He says, “Pray without ceasing.”12 Jesus said, “Watch and pray.”13 He didn’t say that for no reason. He not only knew you would need it, but it’s one way the Lord has of trying to keep you close to Him, continually in His presence, and constantly dependent upon Him and His protection and provision.
Your best protection through the storms of life is to stay strong in the Lord and the Word and in prayer and the Spirit. Jesus Himself said, “A strong man armed keepeth his goods in peace.”14 What did Jesus mean by that? To be strong is to be watchful and to be wise—not just prepared physically, but strong in spirit, strong in prayer, armed in prayer.
When people get upset and worried about things, we often say, “Don’t worry about it!” Well, if anybody could say that to us, it’s the Lord. “Don’t worry about it! You’re My child, and I’m going to take care of you no matter what happens.”
Don’t worry about whatever you’re facing. Just trust the Lord, and He’ll take care of you. He never fails, no matter what the conditions. He says, “Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust.”15
Once, when I was very burdened about something, I just cried out, “Lord, what should we do?” And instead of telling me what to do, He told me what not to do. I wasn’t asking the Lord for a scripture; I wanted to know what to do. But He simply told me, “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.”16
So whatever you’re facing and whatever you do, don’t be afraid. Be like King David, who exclaimed, “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid.”17 Keep your faith in the Lord and trust the Lord and know that He is in control, and nothing’s going to happen but what the Lord allows. The Lord’s going to take care of us, whatever happens, and He’s going to do what He wants to do.
God is in control and nothing happens to His children without His permission, and all things that He allows will eventually work together for our good.
Lord, help us not to worry or fear, but only to fear You and love You. You said, “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge.”18 Help us to remain at peace in You, Lord. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee.”19 Help us not to worry about any of the waves and winds and billows that we face. Help us just to look to You, Lord, and keep our eyes on You, and trust You. We know You work everything out for the good somehow. All things, Lord, shall work together for good to us who love You. In some way it’s all going to work together for our good, in Jesus’ name. Amen.
The Lord is our refuge in times of trouble.
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe on His gentle breast,
There by His love o’er shaded,
Sweetly my soul shall rest.
Safe in the arms of Jesus,
Safe from all worry and care,
Safe from the world’s tribulations,
Nothing can harm me there.
Jesus, my heart’s dear refuge,
Jesus has died for me;
Firm on the Rock of Ages,
Ever my trust shall be!
—Franny Crosby
Originally published March 1990. Adapted and republished September 2015.
Read by Jon Marc.
1 NLT.
2 Psalm 46:1–3.
3 Psalm 34:19.
4 See James 1:2–3.
5 Matthew 10:30; Zechariah 2:8.
6 Psalm 91:1.
7 Job 1:10.
8 Psalm 34:7.
9 2 Kings 6:15.
10 2 Kings 6:16–17.
11 Luke 18:1.
12 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
13 Matthew 26:41.
14 Luke 11:21.
15 Psalm 40:4.
16 Isaiah 41:10.
17 Psalm 56:11.
18 Proverbs 14:26.
19 Isaiah 26:3.
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