Many servants of God are bearing heavy burdens today and God wants to remind each one, “My righteousness is near, my salvation has gone forth, and My arms will judge the peoples; the coastlands will wait upon Me, and on My arm they will trust” (Isaiah 51:5).
God is saying, “I have already spoken the word of your deliverance — I decreed it in my covenant promises — and I have stretched forth my mighty arm to take you out of your wilderness experience. Why don’t you claim what I have decreed and walk in the light of my freedom, joy and peace?”
God promises his people, “The Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in it, thanksgiving and the voice of melody” (51:3). He wants his people to know, “I’m going to bring you comfort. Right now all you see is failure, but that is about to change! I’m going to turn your wilderness into a garden where you will enter into my joy and gladness.”
These are not foolish, empty promises. They are spoken to us by Almighty God, he who reigns over all. His thoughts for his people are good; he loves us and he is set on delivering us from all fear and depression. But the Lord also wants to show us how we came to such a low condition. “You’ve allowed the devil to trample all over you.”
We see an example of this in King David, who admitted, “I am feeble and severely broken; I groan because of the turmoil of my heart” (Psalm 38:8). David knew he was adding to his discouragement by allowing his own fear to foment his turmoil.
Then we see the terror experienced by the disciples when they were in an awful storm. Their boat was being tossed by powerful winds and high waves … but then Jesus appeared with this life-giving word: “It is I; do not be afraid” (Matthew 14:27).
That is the word for every believer today. Jesus is with you in your crisis and he will come alongside you and speak peace.