Yesterday, we saw that “no weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed.” I’m sure you’ve heard that verse many times before; we often quote it when we are praying for people and seeking to encourage them.
The previous verse (Isaiah 54:16) gives us even more confidence. God says, “I have created the blacksmith who blows the fire of coals and produces a weapon for its purpose.” In other words, God is saying, “I am even in control of the weapons. So you don’t need to be afraid.”
In the context of the time, Israel was fearful, “The Babylonians are too strong for us, we will never be able to come back to the promised land.” And this is God’s answer, “No, they are not too strong for you, because I am sovereign, I rule over them.”
When we feel under such attack, we can think to ourselves, “the enemy is too strong for me.” But, God is saying, “No! Don’t be afraid. Don’t you know that I’m in control of the enemy? The weapon that is formed against you cannot succeed because I am in control of it. I allowed it for a reason, I will turn even this for your good.”
Of course, this does lead to the question, “If God is in control, why does He allow this to happen to me?” That’s why we’re called to trust Him, because we don’t always see His purposes. So Proverbs 3:5 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”
Yes, we want to understand, but isn’t it better to know that God is in control, than to be fearful that the devil is in control, or people are in control, or that everything is random?
We can be at peace, even in great trouble, because we know that God rules. Nothing can touch us without His permission. And because He is our loving heavenly Father, we can be at peace because all things He does – even the hard things – are out of His love for us.
The best is yet to come 