Are there times when your life becomes difficult & you feel like quitting?
Everything presses in around you -- & the future looks dark.
Instead of facing the day with excitement & eager expectation -- you face the day with weariness & depression. -- You are ready to faint!
Some people -- when they get to this difficult experience of life -- turn to some substitute -- drink or dope or entertainment -- only to discover that these can never carry them through!
My friends -- in the difficult hours of life -- when you feel like fainting & giving up -- turn to the magnificent promise from Isaiah chapter 40.
The prophet Isaiah is one of the great men of history!
He ministered to his people at a time when the nation was suffering from moral decay from within -- & invasion from without. He saw the coming of the great Babylonian armies -- & he knew that they would destroy Jerusalem -- taking his people captive -- & leave the nation in ruin.
But in the midst of all this confusion & discouragement - Isaiah received a message from God!
It was a message of hope & encouragement for a suffering people! -- Let me read it to you today: -- Isaiah 40:27-31
40:27 -- “Why sayest thou, O Jacob, & speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, & my judgment is passed over from my God? -- (how can you say the Lord does not see your troubles? -- How can you say God refuses to hear your case?).”
40:28 -- “Hast thou not known? Hast thou not heard that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? -- there is no searching of his understanding -- (No one can measure the depths of his understanding).”
40:29 -- “He giveth power to the faint; & to them that have no might he increaseth strength (He gives power to those who are tired & worn out; he offers strength to the weak).”
40:30 -- Even the youths shall faint & be weary, & the young men shall utterly fall:”
40:31 -- How here is the magnificent promise of hope & encouragement for hurting people -- “But -- (Oh, how important that little word of transition is) -- but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, & not be weary; & they shall walk, & not faint.”
My friends -- in the difficult hours of life -- when you feel like giving up -- remember this magnificent promise -- in Isaiah 40:31!
There are times in every life when discouragement comes like a chilling blast! -- That discouragement brings weariness & depression.
The great American poet & writer -- Ralph Waldo Emerson -- said: “When it is dark enough, -- men see the stars.”
If darkness has engulfed your life today -- then look to the stars found here in Isaiah 40:31! -- May I point them out to you?
1. God Promises to Help us Fly!
There are times in our lives when the only solution is to fly; -- that is to rise above the problems of life & soar over them!
The promise is that as we wait before the Lord for strength -- we will fly high on wings like eagles!
There is a fable (only a fable) -- about the way the birds got their wings at the beginning.
The fable states that at the beginning -- birds were first made w/o wings
Then God made the wings & put them down before the wingless birds -- & said to them -- “Come, take up these burdens & bear them.”
The birds had lovely sweet voices; -- they could sing, -- & their feathers gleamed in the sunshine so that they were beautiful, -- but they could not soar in the air!
They hesitated at first -- when bidden to take up the burdens that lay at their feet -- but soon they obeyed -- & taking up the wings in their beaks -- they laid them on their shoulders to carry them.
For a little while the load seemed heavy & hard to bear -- but in time, as they went on carrying the burdens -- folding them over their hearts -- the wings grew fast to their little bodies -- & soon they discovered how to use them -- & were lifted by them into the air!
The weights they at first dreaded to carry -- became wings!
It is of course only a parable. -- We are often like the wingless birds -- & our duties & tasks that make us weary -- are the wings God has made to lift us up -- & carry us heavenward!
We tend to look at our burdens & heavy loads -- & shrink from them.
But as we lift them -- & bind them about our hearts -- they become wings -- & on them we rise & soar toward God!
There is no burden which -- if we lift it cheerfully & bear it with love in our hearts -- but will become a blessing to us!
God means our burdens to be our helpers!
To refuse to bend our shoulders to receive a load -- is to decline a new opportunity for spiritual growth!
God wants to make eagles out of us -- but sometimes we prefer to crawl like ants! -- Oh, what a tragedy!
God is able to lift you above those difficult circumstances that have trapped you.
This doesn't mean you ignore your burdens -- or forget about them.
It means that we embrace them -- hold them next to our hearts -- & allow them to become wings -- so that we rise above them -- & get a heavenly perspective!
The eagle is able to fly miles up in the sky -- & when you do that -- the things of this earth start to look much smaller!
Yes -- my friend -- God promises to make you fly!
When Robert Louis Stevenson - 19th-century Scottish author - caught himself lapsing into despair - he would say: ‘I must get out my wings.’
Now Stevenson didn’t have any misconceptions about owning ‘angel wings’; -- neither was he referring to ‘chicken wings’ -- to ‘fly the coop’ -- to flap away in frustration!
He knew there was a way to ‘get on top’ of his problems!
Stevenson once testified: -- “When Christ came into my life -- I discovered I had wings.”
He was referring to the promise: ‘They will fly high on wings like eagles.’
Yes -- my friends -- God promises to help you fly!
Of course -- if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Savior -- you cannot claim this wonderful promise.
If that’s the case -- then your first step is to bow before Him -- & give your heart to Him by faith.
Then you can ask God to help you fly -- & He will lift you above -- & give you victory!
2. God also Promises to Help us Run!
All of us know what it is to be weary!
There are times when we just have to keep running! -- Those crisis hours when we simply cannot quit.
Perhaps you work all day -- & then spend time visiting a loved one in a hospital -- or caring for a friend -- & then go back home to care for responsibilities there; -- & on it goes -- day after day.
It is then that God promises to give us the strength to run & not be weary.
Doctors tell us that in times of emergency -- life releases into our bodies strength that we never knew we had.
Our glands go to work -- & put extra power into the blood-stream -- & we are able to do amazing things.
If this is true physically -- it is even truer spiritually!
In the emergency hours of life -- when we are sure we cannot keep going -- God enables us to run & not be weary!
We just keep going -- through His strength & power -- & do His will!
Unfortunately -- I say, unfortunately -- not everyone runs well!
Some become side-tracked -- or waylaid -- or detoured -- or defeated -- & they just give up.
The Apostle Paul wrote in Gal. 5:7 -- “You did run well (you were getting along so well); -- Who has interfered with you to hold you back from following the truth?”
A wonderful beginning to a race is great -- but unless the runner completes the course -- the effort is w/o merit!
We must not be guilty of beginning the race with a tremendous burst of speed -- & then after a while pause -- to enjoy a picnic beside the track.
The writer of Hebrews urges us to “run with patience (with endurance) -- the race that God has set before us.”
The secret of success seems to be expressed in Isaiah’s condition -- “they that wait upon the Lord.”
Have you been faithfully waiting upon the Lord in prayer -- in your Bible reading -- in your devotions?
That -- my friends -- is -- the only road to spiritual success!
I love that story about the athlete -- of whom someone observed that the whole time he was running the race -- his lips were moving.
When asked as to why his lips were moving -- he responded by saying: “I was praying.” -- They asked, “Were you praying to win?”
“Oh, no” he replied, -- “I was praying, ‘Lord, You pick them up, & I’ll put them down. -- You pick them up, & I’ll put them down.”
My friends -- the Lord will help us to run the race successfully -- for the promise is “they shall run, & not be weary.”
3. God Promises to Help us Walk! -- “They shall walk -- & not faint.”
Frankly -- I think it is more difficult to keep on walking -- than it is to fly.
For somehow during those crisis hours of life -- we turn to the Lord -- & find His power to help us soar above the problems.
There is a special excitement & challenge about the emergencies of life
But what about the full daily routine of life?
It is one thing to mount up with wings as the eagles -- or to run & not be weary -- but what about walking, walking, walking -- day after day -- walking, walking?
Someone said: “You know the trouble with life is that it’s so daily.”
Well -- it is daily; -- day after day, life comes to us.
But God has promised to give us the strength we need each & every day.
With His strength -- we can ‘walk & not faint’ -- even though tedious, dull routine makes the way seem dreary & long.
There may not be anything romantic about your daily routine -- but it is important to you -- to God -- & to others who look to you & depend on you
This -- my friends -- is the ultimate in Christian experience!
For we are told in the Bible -- that when Enoch walked with God -- the Lord took him home!
To walk with the Lord means -- walking when He walks -- & stopping when He stops -- & continuing when He moves.
No one can walk with the Lord -- & at the same time be far from Him! -- We can only walk with Christ in eternity as we have faithfully walked with Him on earth!
Grant me, Lord, -- a closer walk with Thee.
Oh, for a closer walk with Thee!
Near to Thy side -- I ever would be.
Shield me & hide me; -- Constantly guide me
into a closer walk with Thee.
Walking in sunshine, -- all of my journey,
Over the mountains, -- thro’ the deep vale!
Jesus has said, -- “I’ll never forsake thee.”
Promise divine that never can fail!
When we walk with the Lord
In the light of His Word,
What glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will,
He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust & obey.
Just a closer walk with Thee.
Grant it, Jesus, is my plea.
Daily walking close to Thee.
Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.
Conclusion: -- The prophet Isaiah declared that people who wait upon the Lord -- will receive strength to fly -- to run -- & to walk!
God can help you fly -- run -- & walk!
I have often wondered about the strange progression of these verbs.
It would seem more natural that walking should come first - & flying last.
Yet after reflecting further on this verse -- I can see how the sequence of these activities beautifully fits various phases of the Christian experience
When we first get saved -- it is not uncommon for us to soar as if on eagles’ wings.
This is especially true in the life of someone who has just been delivered from deep sin! -- He has a wonderful sense of God’s power & presence. -- We just need to keep that person away from the older saints
But -- you're right -- this ‘flying high’ does not go on indefinitely!
It is usually followed by a second phase in the believer’s life -- that of running. -- We need strength to move ahead in service with unflagging enthusiasm & zeal.
But again -- no one is able to do this continually.
Even the most devoted servants of God sometimes encounter set-backs & disappointments.
That’s why it is so important that every Christian also learn to “walk & not faint.”
This means persevering with a thankful & peace-filled heart -- even though nothing exciting is happening -- & the pathway is rough.
People often say of their children -- “They must crawl before they can walk -- & they must walk before they can run.”
But that is not so with God’s new born babies!
They can fly before they can run -- & run before they can walk.
This is the path that leads to spiritual maturity!
God can help you to fly -- to run -- & to walk!
But -- but there is something YOU must do!
Isaiah says: - “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.”
Waiting on the Lord -- is the secret of keeping going when we feel like quitting!
What does it mean to wait on the Lord?
First & foremost -- it means we must spend time in His presence -- in worship & in prayer!
If only we will wait on the Lord -- & remain quiet in His presence -- we will get the wisdom & the strength we need to keep going day after day.
“Wait on the Lord” -- says the psalmist. -- “Be of good courage -- & He shall strengthen your heart; -- wait, I say, on the Lord” (27:14).
What a difference it makes when we quiet our hearts before God -- read His Word -- talk to Him in prayer -- & wait patiently for His strength.
That word “renew” -- in Isaiah 40:31 -- actually means “exchange.”
“They that wait upon the Lord shall exchange their strength ...”
We exchange our weakness -- our weariness -- for His strength!
We hand in our little pocket batteries & plug into His dynamo!
He has all the strength we need to keep going -- & there is no reason for us to quit!
My friends -- if you are considering giving up -- please take time to consider the promise in Isaiah 40:31.
Wait before the Lord -- & let Him quiet you down.
Exchange your weakness for His strength -- & spend time before Him every day -- in prayer -- in devotion -- in private worship!
You will be amazed at the changes that will take place.
Instead of fainting -- you will be flying!
You will mount up with wings as the eagle; -- you will run & not be weary; -- you will walk & not faint!