I Will Be With Thee

Temple Baptist Church - 8-23-2009

Isaiah 43:1-7

A. There are great parallel passages of Scripture in the Old and New Testaments that should literally thrill the soul of the believer. In Isaiah 43, God is talking to Israel in troublesome times.

B. Notice with me four things God told Israel in the first verse:

1. I created thee
2. I redeemed Thee
3. I called the
4. I own thee

C. Could Israel trust God? They could! Can my family trust God this morning with in the morning? I believe with all of my heart that we can! I have preached and preached over these years with conviction and I will do so this morning also.

D. In Hebrews 13:5, God said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”

1. The Person of God’s Presence – “I” (Not an angel, but the very God of Heaven and Earth. Jehovah God Himself!)

Psalms 68:8 The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. Psalms 97:5 The hills melted like wax at the presence of the LORD, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

Nahum 1:5 The mountains quake at him, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at his presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.

2. The Promise of God’s Presence – “Never” The song says, “He promised never to leave me, never to leave me alone!” No circumstances, no times, never! When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee.

3. The Power of God’s Presence – “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

4. The Potential of God’s Presence - “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

Isaiah 43:2 When thou passest through the waters (and you will), I will be with thee; and through the rivers (and you will), they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire (and you will), thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.

E. 1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

1. Moses Faced The Fear Of The People And The Immensity Of The Sea Because He Obeyed God!

Exodus 14:16 But lift thou up thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide it: and the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea. (What an amazing place of faith God placed Moses in! To stretch out his hand over the sea and wait for God to open it!)

Moses, was your God with you? Yes, God was there and delivered by allowing Israel to pass through on dry ground!

2. Joshua Passed Through The Flooded Jordan River On Dry Ground!

Joshua 3:17 And the priests that bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD stood firm on dry ground in the midst of Jordan, and all the Israelites passed over on dry ground, until all the people were passed clean over Jordan. (What an amazing place of faith God placed Joshua in! To replace Moses and to cross over a flooded Jordan in the sight of the people into a land of walled cities and giants!)

Joshua, was your God with you? Yes, God was there, exalted Joshua, and delivered Israel into the Promised Land!

3. Elijah Faced 850 False Prophets As Well As Jezebel!

1 Kings 18:36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word. (What an amazing place of faith God placed Elijah in! Alone and facing that devil, Jezebel, and 850 false prophets!)

Elijah, was your God with you? Yes, God was there, answered by fire, delivered!

4. The Three Hebrew Children Where Thrown Into The Fiery Furnace Because They Would Not Bow!

Daniel 3:25-27 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire. 27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them. (What an amazing test of faith! Easy to bow and not burn, it was not easy to stand and face certain death!)

Three Hebrew Children, was your God with you? Yes, God protected them from both the fire and smell of smoke!

5. Daniel Was Cast Into The Lion’s Den Because He Was Faithful To Pray!

Daniel 6:20-22 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions? 21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever. 22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions' mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt. (What an amazing place of faith God placed Daniel in! He could have closed his windows and prayed in the closet but opted to trust God and pray as usual.)

Daniel, was your God with you. Yes, God shut the mouths of the lions!

6. Disciples Face The Power And Fury Of The Sea!

Mark 4:39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. (What an amazing place of faith the Lord brought the disciples to! It is one thing to have a ship in the sea but another thing entirely to have the sea in the ship!)

Disciples, was your God with you? Yes, God stood and rebuked the wind and the waves, bringing them to safety.

7. Paul Faced The Emperor Of Rome When All Men Forsook Him!

2 Timothy 4:16-18 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (What an amazing place of faith, when everyone else who is near and dear to you forsake you.)

Paul, was your God with you? Yes, God stood with him, strengthened him, and delivered him from the “mouth of the lion!”

Conclusion: there are many things in this world that are uncertain, but you can be certain of this: in your darkest hour you can depend upon the Lord being with and delivering you from all harm!