This week, I want to encourage us with Isaiah 41:10. This is what I feel God saying to us as a church as we prepare to enter a season of fasting and prayer. There are five assurances here in this verse that God supplies.

1.  God’s help is present for our journey forward

“Fear not, for I am with you.”

This is both a command from God and His promise to us. At the point of this writing, I am accompanying one of my children as the caregiver to stay over in the isolation ward of KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital due to a viral infection. Yes, there may be feelings of doubt, uncertainty, and even fear. Yet God reminded me that it is when we humble ourselves to repent from these human tendencies that “the power of Christ may rest” (2 Corinthians 12:9) upon us. Our God is above us, beneath us, beside us, and all around us. He never leaves nor forsakes us (Hebrews 13:5).

2.  God has established a relationship with us

“Be not dismayed, for I am your God.”

In this hospital isolation ward, I have had the joy of accompanying my child in doing morning devotions, and even dancing together to praise and worship God in the ward. Whatever situation you may be facing now, our loving Heavenly Father is right there with you. This is when our Christian faith truly makes a difference, when we yield to our God who is lovingly in control over the matter. He works all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purposes (Romans 8:28).

3.  God gives us assurance of His strength and help, including victory over sin and death 

“I will strengthen you.”

Are you aware of all the ways God has helped you? He has given us victory over death itself. When we are tempted to put our trust in something other than the living God – money, career, temporal pleasure – we should stop and ask the fundamental questions. Will it eternally provide what you are looking for? Will it unfailingly remove your fears? God’s strength enables Him to help us, and it is His innate character of love that wills Him to do so. Our God is perfect in love – and perfecting us in His love (1 John 4:18)!

4.  God’s help spans across nations and generations 

“Yes, I will help you.”

Our God rules over the nations before Him and is God over the generations past, present and future (Isaiah 41:2-4). In the context of Isaiah’s generation, Israel was surrounded by nations whose gods supposedly had special powers, such as helping crops grow and providing victory in war. These gods however failed to deliver. A god with limited or no power is not really a god at all. Our God presides over space and time, seeing who we can become 10 years from now as clearly as who we were 10 years ago. And He wants to help us to become all that He has created us to be in His image (Genesis 1:27).

5.  When God makes a promise, He keeps it

“I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

Make a faith decision today, knowing that God’s hand is going to hold you up. See God’s righteous right hand holding you up, and giving you strength over fear, doubt, and to do what is right in our everyday lives. Our faith is in a loving God who pursued us even when we were rebellious towards Him (Romans 5:10). He chose us and loves us (Isaiah 41:8-9). And He is committed to the process of refining and moulding us to become all that He has created us to be. What more do we need? If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

Invite the Lord to perfect His love in you. Draw near to Him today (James 4:8). He says to you, “I am with you…I am your God…I will strengthen you…I will help you…I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”