Today’s Reading:
Isaiah 41-43
43 But now thus says the Lord,
Isaiah 43:1-4
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
The Spirit of the Lord says,
What does living in freedom look like? It looks like fearless living. It looks like having absolute trust in Me, absolute faith in my faithfulness, absolute belief that I Am with you, and I will do what I said I will do. It looks like knowing beyond a shadow of a doubt that I will come through for you. This kind of bold fearless living is so attractive, is so magnetic, is so inspiring. This is the faith that strikes the match of faith for others. This kind of faith emboldens, encourages and causes faith to rise up in the hearts of others. It reveals the lion hearts in others.
18 “Remember not the former things,
Isaiah 43:18-21
nor consider the things of old.
19 Behold, I am doing a new thing;
now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?
I will make a way in the wilderness
and rivers in the desert.
20 The wild beasts will honor me,
the jackals and the ostriches,
for I give water in the wilderness,
rivers in the desert,
to give drink to my chosen people,
21 the people whom I formed for myself
that they might declare my praise.
As long as it is done in purity and in close relationship with Me, the consequences of this kind of living are adventure, freedom, miracles, outrageous favor and story after story after story, proof after proof after proof of My faithfulness. For those who live in purity and truth, for those who keep their ear on My chest, close to My heartbeat, delight and adventure await.
10 fear not, for I am with you;
Isaiah 41:10-14
be not dismayed, for I am your God;
I will strengthen you, I will help you,
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
11 Behold, all who are incensed against you
shall be put to shame and confounded;
those who strive against you
shall be as nothing and shall perish.
12 You shall seek those who contend with you,
but you shall not find them;
those who war against you
shall be as nothing at all.
13 For I, the Lord your God,
hold your right hand;
it is I who say to you, “Fear not,
I am the one who helps you.”
14 Fear not, you worm Jacob,
you men of Israel!
I am the one who helps you, declares the Lord;
your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
Fear not, for I Am with you. I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness. When you lean into fear, press through it into Me. That’s where you find joy. In Me is the fullness of joy and pleasures are at My right hand forevermore. I love you. I Am for you, and I have many adventures stored up just for you. Fear not.
How to Respond
- Ask the Lord to help you identify any current sources of fear in your life. Ask Him to reveal to you what wrong beliefs or lies are behind that fear. Ask the Lord to reveal to the truth to you and to walk forward with you.
- Pray, Holy Spirit help me to walk by faith and not live paralyzed and short changed because of fear. I want to live in the fullness of all that you have for me. I want a life of adventure and favor and miracles that can only come from pressing past fear and leaning into you. Help me to take the first step needed and then the next. I desire to draw closer to You, so I can get Your perspective, Your heart and Your right thinking on every situation that I face.
- Declare, fear is a liar, but it is also a tool. Fear reveals areas that I need to change my mind about the Lord. The Lord desires for me to have an adventure-filled life, hand-in-hand with Him.
- Decree, I will not let fear rob me of adventure, of miracles, of favor and of opportunities to see and experience the Lord’s faithfulness. I will lean into the Lord when fear arises, and I will ask Him to help me change my mind so I can experience the fullness of life that He has stored up for me.
For more encouragement from Glory & the New Wine, check out the post from this day one year ago: Choose the Lord.
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