“Say to them that are of a fearful heart,
Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a
recompense; he will come and save you.” -- Isaiah
35:4
This is God's command to all his preachers: "Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God!" Our commission is a most blessed one. We are sent to preach the gospel of peace, to comfort God's people by encouraging their faith in Christ (Isa. 40:1-2). God takes great care to supply his people with comfort (Isa. 43:1-5); and it is the preacher's job to convey that comfort to them.
Fear
The word "fearful" in our text means "hasty". Fearful men and women are always hasty. They jump to conclusions based upon their present circumstances. Fear is never wise, patient, or reasonable. The fearful heart says, with Jacob, "all these things are against me!"
Bro. Fearheart forgets the promises, the providence and the power of God. Sis. Fearheart forgets the truth, wisdom and faithfulness of God. Acting on impulse, they get into trouble. They judge the Lord by feeble sense and fail to see his grace. They see the cloud of providence, but not God's smiling face. Fear and unbelief flood their hearts, increasing hour by hour. They taste the bitter, bitter bud, but not the sweetness of the flower. To you, Bro. and Sis. Fearheart, God says, "Be strong, fear not: Behold, your God!"
I do not mean to imply that fear and faith cannot live together in the same heart. I know that they do (Ps. 56:3). But fear is terribly inconsistent with faith and robs the believer of much comfort and joy.
Faith
This is the cure for every fear that may arise in the believer's heart: "Behold, your God!" If you trust the Lord Jesus Christ, that God who rules the universe in total sovereignty is your God! That means that there is never any cause for fear.
Your salvation is finished! Christ has redeemed you. He has both put away your sins forever and given to you an everlasting righteousness with which God himself can find no fault. Your Savior is in complete control of the universe! He who is too wise to err, too good to do wrong and too strong to fail is your God; and he works all things together for your good. The glory of God, that which you desire above all else, is certain! Your God will, in, by and through all things, get glory to himself. Your troubles will soon be over! Soon, you will be with Christ, your God, in glory. So, "be strong, fear not: Behold, your God!"