This week in Crisis Counsels we will be looking at a single verse in the book of the prophet Isaiah:

Fear not, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

This is a good verse to commit to memory! It says a great deal.

It begins by saying “Fear not.” But the mere encouragement to not be afraid does nothing to release us from fear. The answer to fear comes in the next phrase: “for I – the Lord – am with you.” It is when we know that God is with us that we are truly set free from fear.But how can we know that God is with us? We know because of Jesus Christ, who is called Emmanuel – God with us – precisely because He is God come directly to us, to prove that God loves us infinitely. When we receive Christ in faith, we live in the deep assurance that we are not alone, and we can genuinely “fear not.”

Prayer – Release us, O Lord, from fear, as we know that You are with us. Click To Tweet

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About the Author

Dr. David A. Palmer has been the senior pastor at the United Methodist Church of Kent since 1995. He has a B.A. from Wittenberg University, a Master of Divinity from Duke University, and a Doctor of Ministry from Princeton Theological Seminary. A native of Wooster, Ohio, he has served three other churches in east Ohio before coming to Kent. He and his wife, Mavis, have three children.