Faith over fear
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Who and what is ISAIAH?
Who and what is ISAIAH?
### Isaiah isn’t just another book in the Bible—it’s one of the most controversial, compelling, and convicting books ever written. Think about it: penned over 700 years before Jesus walked the earth, yet it reads like a firsthand account of His life, death, and resurrection. Isaiah 53 is the bullseye—describing a “suffering servant” who was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities. It’s so precise, so prophetic, that some faith traditions skip over it entirely in their regular readings because it’s impossible to ignore its connection to Christ.
But here’s the thing—Isaiah isn’t just about ancient prophecies. It speaks directly to us today. It’s raw. It’s real. It confronts the stuff we’d rather avoid—like fear.
Let’s be real for a second. Who here is scared of spiders? 🙋♂️
Yeah… me too. So scared that I used to struggle to play video games with spiders in them, or even watch movies—even though I knew they were fake, just pixels on a screen! And I’ve got a weird story about why I think I’m scared, but you’ll have to ask me later.
Now, who’s scared of public speaking?
Yep, me too! I know—it sounds ridiculous considering where I am today. But it’s true.
Fear is powerful. It can make you avoid things, shut down, or believe the absolute worst is going to happen.
And that’s exactly where we find God’s people in Isaiah 41:8-10—paralyzed by fear, drowning in doubt, and tempted to believe the worst.
Sound familiar?
Fear imagines our worst; faith knows God’s best.
So, the question is: What voice are you listening to—the voice of fear or the voice of the God who’s been writing this story long before your fears ever showed up?ear Grips When We Forget Who’s Speaking
###
Isaiah 41:8–9 “But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you, the offspring of Abraham my friend, you whom I grasped from the ends of the earth and called from its remotest parts and told, “You are my servant; I have chosen you and I have not rejected you.”
###
We Are the Seed of Abraham—But We Often Feel Like Jacob
We Are the Seed of Abraham—But We Often Feel Like Jacob
God starts by reminding His people, “You are the offspring of Abraham, my friend.”
That’s a massive statement.
Abraham was the father of faith, the one God called out of obscurity and into promise.
Through Abraham, God promised blessing, legacy, and a future as countless as the stars.
And if you’re in Christ, you’re part of that promise ### (Galatians 3:29 “And if you are Christ’s, then you are descendants of Abraham, heirs according to the promise.” ).
But here’s the tension:
We know we’re part of that blessing.
But most days? We don’t feel like the seed of Abraham—we feel like Jacob.
And that’s the key.
Because guess what? Jacob was a descendant of Abraham.
He carried the promise, but he also carried the baggage.
He was born into blessing, but lived like he had to fight for everything.
Sound familiar?
We’re inheritors of the promise, but we still wrestle with: ###
Doubt: “Am I really chosen?”
Fear: “What if I’m not enough?”
Shame: “Why do I keep failing?”
FEAR IMAGINES OUR WORSE
We Are Jacob—Flawed, Wrestling, Full of Fear
We Are Jacob—Flawed, Wrestling, Full of Fear
###
Who knows the story of JACOB?
Jacob was born grabbing his twin brother Esau’s heel—literally—and that pretty much sums up his life. From the start, he was a schemer, always trying to get ahead. He tricked Esau out of his birthright, deceived his own father to steal the blessing, and spent years on the run because of it. Jacob manipulated people, controlled situations, and relied on his wits instead of trusting God. His life was marked by fear, deception, and striving—until the night he wrestled with God. But before he became Israel, he was just Jacob: flawed, fearful, and desperate to prove himself.
You see God doesn’t skip over Jacob’s name. He doesn’t say, “You, Israel, the victorious one.” No—He says, “Jacob, whom I have chosen.”
Jacob the deceiver.
Jacob the runner.
Jacob the one who wrestled with God instead of resting in Him.
That’s us.
We wrestle with God’s plans when they don’t make sense.
We manipulate, control, and scramble, trying to secure what God has already promised.
We carry the name of Abraham’s blessing but feel the weight of Jacob’s struggle.
FEAR IMAGINES OUR WORST
Here’s where fear gets us!
Here’s where fear gets us!
### Here’s where fear grips us:
Fear whispers: “If you were really blessed, you wouldn’t feel like this.”
Fear points to the gap: “Look at you—Abraham’s seed? You’re more like Jacob the mess.”
And you start to believe it.
“If I was chosen, why do I feel so anxious?”
“If I’m blessed, why do I still struggle with the same sins?”
“If God is with me, why am I so afraid?”
Fear thrives in that gap.
It convinces you that because you feel like Jacob, you’ve somehow fallen out of the promise.
But God’s Voice Breaks Through
But God’s Voice Breaks Through
### And right there, in the middle of that mess, God speaks:
“Jacob, whom I have chosen.”
“I have not cast you off.” I have NOT REJECTED YOU
God isn’t surprised by your struggle.
He chose Jacob knowing exactly who he was.
And He chose you knowing exactly what you’d wrestle with.
You are both—the seed of Abraham and the struggler like Jacob.
Chosen in spite of your flaws.
Loved in the middle of your mess.
Secure even when you feel shaken.
###
“Fear grips us when we believe that feeling like Jacob disqualifies us from being Abraham’s seed. But God says, ‘I chose you, Jacob—and I haven’t changed my mind.’”
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.” — Isaiah 41:10
FAITH KNOWS GODS BEST
Fear thrives in isolation. It’s like mold—it grows best in the dark, in hidden places where no light gets in. That’s why fear’s first tactic is to convince you that you’re alone in your struggle. But here’s the truth that crushes fear:
“Fear not, for I am with you.”
Notice what God doesn’t say. He doesn’t say:
“Fear not because you’re strong enough.”
“Fear not because you’ve got it all figured out.”
“Fear not because you’ll never face hard things.”
No—the reason you don’t have to fear isn’t because of you. It’s because of Him.
“I am with you.”
“I am your God.”
###
Fear Tells You You’re Alone—But You’re Not
Fear Tells You You’re Alone—But You’re Not
Think back to Jacob’s story.
After years of scheming, running, and burning bridges, Jacob found himself alone in the dark, wrestling with God.
That’s where fear loves to meet us—when we feel isolated, like no one understands.
Jacob wasn’t just wrestling with God that night. He was wrestling with himself—with his identity, his failures, his fears.
But here’s the wild part:
Even in the dark, even after all his mistakes, God showed up.
Jacob wasn’t alone. He never had been.
And neither are you.
###
The Power of Presence
The Power of Presence
God’s presence isn’t just a comfort blanket—it’s a game-changer.
Moses faced Pharaoh because God was with him.
David stood before Goliath because God was with him.
The disciples turned the world upside down because God was with them.
And here’s the thing—God’s presence doesn’t always remove the battle, but it redefines it.
The giants are still big—but they’re not bigger than your God.
The storm is still raging—but Jesus is in the boat.
Death doesn’t go away - but to live is Christ, to die is gain.
Fear shrinks when we realize who’s in the fight with us.
###
Faith Isn’t the Absence of Fear—It’s Knowing Who’s Greater
Faith Isn’t the Absence of Fear—It’s Knowing Who’s Greater
You might still feel afraid.
That’s okay.
Faith doesn’t mean you never feel fear.
It means you don’t let fear have the final word.
Why? Because:
God is with you in the anxiety.
God is with you in the unknown.
God is with you when you feel like you’re drowning.
###
“Fear thrives in the lie that you’re alone. But faith flourishes when you know God is with you—right here, right now.”
“I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” — Isaiah 41:10
Fear loves to play the “what if” game.
“What if I fail?”
“What if I’m not enough?”
“What if everything falls apart?”
And here’s the thing—sometimes, our worst fears do come true.
People leave.
Plans fall apart.
We mess up.
###
But here’s the truth that crushes every worst-case scenario: God’s character doesn’t change when our circumstances do.
“I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you.”
Notice those three words:
“I will.”
“I will.”
“I will.”
God doesn’t say, “I might,” or “If you’re good enough, I’ll consider it.”
He says, “I will.”
It’s not based on your performance.
It’s based on His unchanging character.
###
God’s Strength > My Weakness
God’s Strength > My Weakness
“I will strengthen you.”
Not “I’ll give you a pep talk.”
Not “I’ll make your problems disappear.”
“I will strengthen you.”
When life hits hard, God doesn’t just hand you a crutch—He becomes your strength.
When you feel like you can’t stand, He holds you up.
When your faith feels weak, He’s strong enough for both of you.
###
God’s Help > My Helplessness
God’s Help > My Helplessness
“I will help you.”
We don’t like admitting we need help.
We’d rather fake it, tough it out, pretend we’re fine.
But here’s the thing—you don’t have to be strong enough, smart enough, or brave enough.
God doesn’t help the “strong.” He helps the surrendered.
The moment you admit, “I can’t do this on my own,” God says, “Finally—I’ve got you.”
###
God’s Grip > My Fears
God’s Grip > My Fears
“I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Think about that—the same hand that created the universe holds you.
The hand that parted the Red Sea.
The hand that calmed storms.
The hand that was nailed to a cross to save you.
That’s the hand holding you.
Not loosely.
Not carelessly.
Securely.
Your fears might feel big—but God’s grip is bigger.
###
“Your worst-case scenario isn’t stronger than God’s ‘I will.’”
Fear has a voice, and it’s loud.
It whispers, “You’re not enough.”
It shouts, “What if everything falls apart?”
It nags, “You’ll never get it right.”
But here’s the truth: fear imagines our worst; faith knows God’s best.
You might feel like Jacob—flawed, fearful, wrestling with doubts. But God still calls you chosen. He hasn’t changed His mind.
When fear says, “You’re too weak,” God says, “I will strengthen you.”
When fear says, “You’re alone,” God says, “I am with you.”
When fear says, “You’re going to fall,” God says, “I will uphold you.”
This isn’t about you holding it together.
It’s about the God who holds you—with His righteous right hand, the same hand that’s never lost a battle, never broken a promise, and never let go of His people.
So here’s the question:
Will you let fear write your story?
Or will you trust the God who’s been writing it all along?
Because in the end, fear may shout—but God’s voice is the one that lasts.