As Israel stood before God’s judgement seat filled with fear, something marvellous happened: God did not condemn His people. Instead, He restored their courage through His help, strength, and nearness.
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41: 10). This is the Bible text Helge Mutschler, then Chief Apostle Helper, based his sermon on in Erica West in South Africa on Wednesday, 20 May 2026.
The passage refers to a specific situation experienced by the prophet Isaiah during a time of great uncertainty. The Assyrian king had conquered one country after another. “There were refugees and poor people everywhere.” The future seemed very uncertain. In a prophecy, God then showed Isaiah a courtroom into which all the nations of the world had been summoned. “And then God said from His throne: ‘Now I will judge you.’” Trembling and filled with fear, little Israel presented itself before Him.
A word that carries weight
“And then the big wonder happened. God did not condemn His people.” He stood up publicly for His people and spoke the words recorded in 41: 10. This is the gospel of the Old Testament; this is the loving and caring God. “His light was already perceptible in the Old Testament. This is Jesus Christ,” the Chief Apostle Helper emphasised. He neither judges nor condemns but offers support and comfort: “Do not be afraid.”
With the fall into sin, fear entered the world. And it has spread everywhere: across nations, throughout society, within the congregation, and in people’s hearts. “From time to time, we do not know what to do or how to handle this fear.” God, the Almighty, knows each of us in our individual circumstances and in our fear. “He says, ‘Fear not, and I will give you five reasons that counter fear.’”
Security in uncertain times
The five reasons that counter fear are:
- I am with you. “We are surrounded by the love of our heavenly Father every day,” emphasised Helge Mutschler, referring to Psalm 139. Each morning anew, God wishes to accompany each one of us through our problems.
- I am your God. God is a true God, not an idol. He can do anything and has created everything. For Him, all things are possible. He is not a distant God, but our personal God. “I wish that you can trust this God.”
- I will strengthen you. God gives us strength in moments of weakness and exhaustion. “I wish that your personal God strengthens you so that you can fly with wings like an eagle,” explained Chief Apostle Helper Mutschler, referring to Isaiah 40: 31. So that you may gain a new sense of sovereignty and be able to leap over walls.
- I will help you. In the struggle against evil, sin, and temptation, God wants to come to our aid. In this struggle, we are often powerless, but help comes from the cross. Jesus goes “where our sin is, where our pain is, and even where our death is, in order to help us overcome sin.”
- I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. God wants to honour each one of us, for we are all precious to Him. That is why He offers us His right, just, and strong hand—the place of honour—to give us support and security, and to protect us from falling. The day will come when Jesus Christ returns and will extend His right hand to us, as His bride, and say to us all: “Now let us go into My kingdom. My bride, I love you so much.”
Photo: NAC Southern Africa
