A promise is never better or worse than the character of the one who's making it. A believer's faith can never rise higher than who he sees God to be. If we're sitting here singing songs that we're going to see a victory, then the blood shall never lose its power. If these are words and songs that we actually believe because we believe in the character of God, then our faith begins to rise up with that.
An inadequate view of God has to result in weak faith because faith depends upon the character of God, and that's why this is so important.
In the book of Isaiah, the prophet wrote that fear was beginning to fill the land. Isaiah knew the men who were stepping into power and that many of them were corrupt; the people didn't know what to do, and backsliding was taking place in their nation. They were being faced with outside enemies from Assyria and Babylon. With all of this mounting up, the people were starting to fear.
He said, “Go on up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good news; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good news; lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’” (Isaiah 40:9, ESV). In the next 20 to 25 verses, Isaiah began to unpack the greatness of God, saying stuff like “Behold, the Lord God comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?” (Isaiah 40:10-12).
From verse 13 down, Isaiah listed over and over again how great and powerful God is, and this links back to our ability to trust God’s promises. Remember what Isaiah said in verse nine. "Do not be afraid. Here is your God.” When fear begins to grip our minds and hearts, this is how we respond. We lift our eyes to the great God who saves.
After pastoring an inner-city congregation in Detroit for thirty years, Pastor Tim served at Brooklyn Tabernacle in NYC for five years and pastored in Lafayette, Louisiana, for five years. He became Senior Pastor of Times Square Church in May of 2020.