Standing Firm in Faith
by David Raggett
King Ahaz and the people of Judah were facing an attack. Jerusalem was under threat. The king and his people were shaken, as their enemy was plotting their ruin and destruction. Doesn’t this sound familiar to us today? We have an enemy who seeks to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10).
Isaiah and his son are sent to meet the king with a word of encouragement and challenge from the Lord: ‘Be careful, keep calm and don’t be afraid. Do not lose heart’ (Isaiah 7:4). He was exhorted to stand firm in his faith. In other words: simply trust God.
It all sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Maybe we’ve heard that ‘advice’ from others: “Just trust God.” King Ahaz was told that his enemy would not destroy him and his people. He must stand firm in his faith or he wouldn’t stand at all – depend on God, or fall. How could Isaiah give such a direct message? Again, the Lord speaks: ‘Ask the LORD your God for a sign, whether in the deepest depths or in the highest heights’ (Isaiah 7:10). God desired to give him a word that would assure him he was safe and couldn’t be overcome by his enemy.
Despite his reticence to ask for it, Ahaz was given a sign: ‘Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: the virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel’ (Isaiah 7:14). Here’s the answer, the assurance, the reason why he could, and we today can, stand firm and have faith: Immanuel means ‘God is with us’. In Matthew 1:21-23, it is explained that Jesus would come in fulfilment of what God had said through Isaiah, to be ‘God with us’. And Jesus came into our world to deal with our enemy. Through His victory at the cross we can simply trust and depend on Him, and we’re safe. He’s with us and we don’t need to fear. We can stand firm. But if we don’t trust God, we won’t stand at all, and the enemy will win. So, let’s be encouraged: our God is with us. Trust Him.
Prayer: Lord, I choose today to trust and depend on You. I choose to stand firm in my faith knowing You’re with me. Thank You, Lord. Amen.
David Raggett has been on the Associate Ministry Team at Ellel Grange for the past seven years. Previously he was in full time Christian ministry involved in preaching, teaching and children's ministry across the UK and in Zambia. His great desire is to see people set free, healed and knowing who they are in Christ.
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