A New Found Energy

A New Energy

Introduction:

New and exciting days are ahead of us. A new year, new challenges, new opportunities. We can look at this and become overwhelmed with many questions of doubt, fear, negativity. We can look at it and say it's too much to deal with and I just don't want to deal with it right now. It may seem too big or out of reach or even impossible. When I think about my dreams as a kid, I wanted to just like all the rest, to play sports as a professional. Never in a million dreams did I come across one that looked like where I am today. The point is this, somewhere along the way to adulthood dreams became dreams and reality became reality because I gave up. I was tired of trying and failing. We get tired and want to give up. Why? Because it's hard? Because it takes too much time? It's different? Nobody will listen? The main reason is this: we aren't letting God take the lead. We either dig our heels in and resist which causes exhaustion, or we take off without his guidance which causes exhaustion.

Let's look at Isaiah. In chapter six was the turning point. When he had his dream and after seeing the Glory of God and changing his life he said Here I am send me! He knew he had a long hard journey in front of him. One that people wasn't going to listen to, yet he still persevered and let God lead the way. In today's message Isaiah was trying to tell the people they were about to be carried away into exile, but not to fear because the strength of the Lord was enough to get them through. The problem was they had too much stuff in their life that was blocking their view of God. They were worshipping idols and not God! Isaiah gives us a pretty good picture of the fullness of our God in the verses before our main text. How big he is, how great he is, how strong he is, how smart he is and how loving he is.

You are not alone! You have a God that loves you and wants to lead you and will give you strength when you are weak!

There are three facts about God that these scriptures show us today:

A. God is everlasting, both in creation and energy. He is beyond our comprehension.

1. Expound vs 28

Everlasting- Without end. Our minds are fixated on time. Some even fixate on it so much that they schedule their day down to the minute.

Everything in our minds have a beginning and an end

a birthday and a shelf life

It's hard for us as humans to imagine something without a beginning or an end.

This is one of the main reasons for Atheism today

So when Isaiah describes God he is building on what he has already told them about God in the previous verses.

See vs 4, 7, 11, 12

He never tires- To see all that he is and all that he does we can't understand how he can do it and not get worn out

2. Application:

God is the everlasting, unending, always there, creator of the world

He's the only one who can make the way for his children straight.

He takes out the mountains and the valleys, but our sin and our choices to follow our will tends to put them back in place

He had a plan for you from the moment he created the universe.

He knew you would play a specific part, a particular role

Just like a shepherd, he takes care of his flock. Like a good father he watches over his children

3. Illustration:

Most people in here have children. By the end of the day you are absolutely exhausted from having to meet the needs of your kids. All you want to do is crawl into bed and be left alone while your body and mind fall into a hopefully uninterrupted coma for a few hours before you have to get up and do it all again.

Now look at God: He keeps his children, meets their needs, guides their path, all the while maintaining perfect balance in the universe without missing a single beat!

How great is our God! How strong in our God! How loving is our God!

We can't fully wrap our minds around it.

4.Amplification: tells us that God specifically says that His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways but his are higher

Transition: There's no book that's going to be able to explain God more than His word. Even then he will be beyond your comprehension. That is where your faith begins! Because...

B. Man can't do it on his own - Ever since man was put on this earth he has failed. Left alone we will always wear down.

1. Expound vs 29-30

When we look at the whole context of this scripture and remember why Isaiah is telling them this, we have to remember they were worshipping idols.

These things are man made.

How can something you make give you energy

How can it bring you blessings

How can it sustain your life

How can it bring you joy, and love, and protection

How can it bring you out of bondage and slavery

How can it give you the strength to make it through the day when you feel like you can't go on because you may be battling something much bigger and stronger than you?

It can't!

Isaiah tells them that God, the one true God, has enough strength in Him to provide to those who are weary, who are give out, who seem to think they can't make it another day.

He was foretelling them also of the coming exile into Babylon, although they didn't yet understand it.

Illustration: holding a heavy weight

2. Application: Heres the key, you have to look to Him for help

He hath strength enough not only for himself, but for all, even the weakest of his creatures, whom he can easily strengthen to bear all their burdens, and to defeat all their oppressors.

The problem lies not with God not wanting to help but with man trying to do it himself

Not only does He “not faint” () but He gives power to them who do faint.

no might … increaseth strength—a seeming paradox. They “have no might” in themselves; but in Him they have strength, and He “increases” that strength

How does he do it?

And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.

There's nothing you can put before him or spend more time on that can solve your problems.

There's no way you can do it on your own

I don't care how strong you think you are, how good of a person you think you are, how organized of a person you may be, you will fail!

You will run out of gas

Life is a marathon and not a sprint, you have to learn to be patient and trust God and His timing

Their will be times when he allows you to fail and there is a reason for this; it's to strengthen your reliance on Him

C. When man waits for God great things happen.

A. Expound vs 31

The key word that brings this verse in is the word "but"

It shows that in the previous verses they wear out because they don't have the patience to wait on God's timing.

This is still crucial in today's society where we have limitless knowledge at our fingertips. Where meals are cooked in the microwave in a fraction of the time, where if we have to wait more than a couple minutes in a drive through we get irritated.

But those who wait on the Lord...

those who are patient

those who seek God

Those who are tired, burdened, beat down, but whose faith never waivers

that rely upon him for strength to bear their burdens, and for deliverance from them in due time.

their strength shall be renewed!

their faith shall be made stronger and stronger

patience, and fortitude, will be exercised whereby they shall be more than conquerors over all their enemies and adversities.

They will mount up with wings like eagles

Rather, “They shall put forth fresh feathers as eagles” are said to renovate themselves; the parallel clause, “renew their strength,” confirms this. The eagle was thought to moult and renew his feathers, and with them his strength, in old age (so the Septuagint, Vulgate, ).

They shall mount up with wings as eagles; which fly most strongly, and swiftly, and high, out of the reach of all danger.

However, English Version is favored by the descending climax, mount up—run—walk; in every attitude the praying, waiting child of God is “strong in the Lord”

2.Application

You too are to wait on the Lord

There will come a time in your life where mere natural and physical powers will not avail in the hour when one is called upon to face great mental and spiritual emergencies.

But they who have learned to refer everything to God and to wait quietly upon Him will be given all needed strength to rise above difficult circumstances;

thereby enabling them to mount heavenward as eagles facing the sun, to run their race with patience and to walk with God with renewed confidence and courage, knowing that they are ever the objects of His love and care.

Be patient and seek his will

It's one thing to wait on God and another to wait for God:

While waiting on God we are changed into His likeness

While waiting for God we are taught patience and delivered from worry and fretfulness, knowing that God is never late

Know that your strength, your faith will be renewed daily when you put him at the forefront of your life

3. Illustration-

H.A. Ironside wrote that someone once told him vs 31 looked like Christians of different ages: the young believers mount up with wings of hope and expectancy as eagles flying into the height of heaven. The middle-aged ones are running with patience the race set before them while those who have reached old age have come down to a queit walk with God as they near the portals of the eternal Home of the saints.

Conclusion: Will you put away your idols today and see how God wants you to trust in him for your every need. Will you exercise the faith it takes to submit to God's will for you life? Will you realize that today you are not alone and you will never be alone if you will only trust Him?