Be Not Afraid!

By Pastor Matt Black

24 December 2006
Lord's Day evening
Isaiah 10:24-25

Open your Bibles to Isaiah 10:24-25.  The title of this morning’s message is “Be Not Afraid!”

Introduction: Do not be afraid.  This is how our text begins in Isaiah 10:24, “Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt.

I. Bible Principle: Nothing in this world ought to bring us fear (verse 24).

God’s command is: Be not afraid of the Assyrian!  Friend, Assyria is a small illustration of God’s absolute control of the universe.  Don’t be afraid of Assyria or anything else!  It is God who “changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings” (Daniel 2:21).   As 1 Samuel 12:24  says, “Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.”  God’s done so much to deliver you!  He brought you out of your former life.  He’s set your feet upon a rock!  What is there to fear?  And yet we have that continual temptation to fear.  Friends, fear of this world is a lack of trust and confidence in God.

A. What do you fear?

Israel feared the Assyrian.  Remember Ahaz was willing to do anything Assyria wanted, and Assyria still sacked them!  Instead of being dominated by their love for God, they were dominated and possessed by their fear of the Assyrian nation.  We face the same temptations today. 

You have two choices every day and every minute of your life: FEAR or FAITH!

1. Isaiah 26:3, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

2. Psalm 119:165, “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”

We live in an age dominated by fear. Elaborate security systems guard homes, offices, automobiles, and numerous other items. Yet it is the vast array of personal fears deep within the human soul that create the greatest conflict and generate increasing levels of anxiety.

Yes, bad things are going to happen in your life!  Just as Israel is told of the King of Assyria that “he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt” (verse 24).

Difficult and terrible things happen to us and those around us: death, illness, rejection, failure, old age. If we don’t keep our eyes on the Lord we WILL be caught up in fear of some kind. 

Ø There may be only occasional bouts with these kinds of fears.

Ø Or they can become quite possessive.

Ø Certain fears are even healthy. It's quite normal to be wary of poisonous snakes or drunk drivers.

Others may be irrational fears that take control of us:

Ø Fear of heights

Ø Fear of flying

Ø Fear of open places

Ø Fear of strangers

If you are a child of God you are not a prisoner to fear!  Romans 8:15, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.”

Fear may have become so strong that you are imprisoned by them. Avoidance of the places or people who remind you of your fear becomes a common practice.

The good news of the gospel is good news for any form of fear. Jesus came not only to save us from our sins and give us eternal life; He also came to give abundant life, a life that overflows with the peace, joy, and stability of Christ Himself.

You can be set free from fear, even the most irrational kinds that keep you from enjoying life, and experience the normal Christian life.

B. Who should we fear? 

1. 1 Samuel 12:24  Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

2. All the world feared the Assyrians, but what does Scripture tell us to fear?  Psalm 33:8  Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.

3. Isaiah 41:10, “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”

With that kind of a promise you have nothing to be afraid of!  Remember God’s command: Be not afraid of the Assyrian!

II. Bible Principle: You have nothing to fear if you are a child of God!  God’s chastening lasts for a little while, but His wrath abides forever!  Look at verse 25, “For yet a very little while, and the indignation [AGAINST ISRAEL] shall cease, and mine anger [AGAINST ASSYRIA] in their destruction.

A. For the child of God, chastening and trials will eventually cease!  Trials, temptations, and tribulations are always for our good.  Read it again, “yet a very little while, and the indignation [AGAINST ISRAEL] shall cease”

What are you going through?  God’s love for you is allowing you these trials.  Remember:

1. God’s indignation [chastening] upon you is a form of His love.  Hebrews 12:6, “For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” I think sometimes when we think of chastening, we think always of the wrong that we’ve committed.  And that is true. We are all sons and daughters of Adam.  There is not one day that goes by when we love God and obey Him perfectly.  “Love the Lord with all your heart”.  Have you done that?  Then you should thank God when He sends trials your way to make your love for Him stronger!

2. God will not give you more than you can handle.  Friend, Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.”  You can bear any trial! 

3. Thirdly, we need to remember that God’s chastening of you will one day cease! Revelation 21:4 tells us that there’s coming a day when “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”

4. God’s chastening of you is for you good!

Ø Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Ø In fact, James tells us to “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:2-3).  You can only count it all day if you know that these trials will work an unrelenting trust in God and Christ will be formed in you!

So you have nothing at all to fear if you are a child of God! 

B. But if you are not a child of God you have everything to fear.  Look again at verse 25, “For yet a very little while, and the indignation [AGAINST ISRAEL] shall cease, and mine anger [AGAINST ASSYRIA] in their destruction.

Every bad thing that happens to the unbeliever ends in destruction, and every good thing that happens ends in destruction!  For the unbeliever, Romans 8:28 works the opposite in the life.  Listen to it: And we know that all things work together for bad to them that do not love God, to them who are not the called according to his purpose and work out their own purposes.

Conclusion:  Do not be afraid!  You have nothing to fear!  Chapter 10 of Isaiah prophesies the end of Israel.  Verse 33 says, “Behold, the Lord, the LORD of hosts, shall lop the bough with terror”.  In other words, God is going to cut down the tree of Israel.”  Some of you might have lost a loved one this year.  You might have lost your health or financial strains have been almost more than you can bear this year.  Let me encourage you!  You may think it is all over.  I think Psalm 30:5 says it well, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

Weeping may endure for the night!  Oh, the valleys we can remember in our lives.  Some of you here tonight have had brushes with eternity.  Can I ask you a question?  Is God still on the throne?  Can you testify that Jesus is Lord?  When Jesus is present, there is always sunlight at the end of that dark tunnel.  Hold on to this dear brother, dear sister, “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”

You see the opening verse of chapter 11 speak of the need for Israel to be cut down!  Look at verse 1, “there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots”.  The Branch, our Lord Jesus Christ came from this cut down tree.

As we close, here is the application.  If you are a child of God, God is working in you to form Christ in you.  He’s cutting you down for His own glory!  Don’t be afraid of Assyria.  Don’t be afraid of anything in this world!  If you are in Christ tonight, He Himself speaks this word to you tonight found in 2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Child of God, fear will not help you!  Cast your care on Him for he careth for you!  The Prince of Peace has come not so you will fear, but so that you will rest in perfect faith in Him!

Closing Hymn:  223 Thou Didst Leave Thy Throne