Isaiah 35:4 – What Are Your Fears?

“Say to those with fearful hearts,
“Be strong, and do not fear,
for your God is coming to destroy your enemies.
He is coming to save you.” (Isaiah 35:4)

For me, one fear I can’t shake is my fear of heights. I’ve gotten past my fear of spiders by living in Mexico. That’s a good thing – they’re giants down here! But this verse isn’t limited to fears of that nature, but to our overall dread of the testing and temptation we will face in life.

Context (Isaiah 35:1-10): As a remedy for fear, Isaiah was given such a beautiful prophecy picturing the day of the Lord when all will be restored. We don’t have to fear when we remember what God’s victory looks like. For the Israelites also hearing of the coming doom, words of hope and everlasting joy would sound great. Isaiah’s own heart would be rejoicing from the promise.

Isaiah vividly paints a picture of that glorious day that we, too, can look forward to. When we keep in mind the promise that God is coming, we can do a better job of keeping our fear at bay. Even Isaiah was given the message that God was coming. Jesus came to save, and now we await His return.

I love it when Old Testament prophecies come true, and, at the same time, have a promise yet to come. This is one of those examples. Who are those enemies this verse speaks of? Anyone or anything that keeps us from drawing nearer to God can be considered an enemy, robbing us of our joy.

You may be very aware of your fears and enemies. This verse calls us to “be strong”. Sometimes we feel weak when our situation is out of control. When our circumstances are challenging and we feel powerless, we can find comfort in this verse, our strength coming from the knowledge that God’s rescue is near. Jesus is coming for you!

Take time today to just take some deep breaths. Use each breath in to imagine the hope you have in Christ, and let your exhale release all tension, fear, and worry.

Let’s pray. Lord, I give you my fears for the future to come. I trust you with my life and know your rescue is promised and sure. Give me the courage to stand with the assurance of your promises. Equip me to help others see you and trust you with their lives. I want to stand strong on your truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.