In Isaiah 51, the Lord delivers a powerful message to all who pursue righteousness. He declares, “Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the Lord” (51:1). A few verses later, he again calls to those “who know righteousness, you people in whose heart is My law” (51:7). When Isaiah delivered this message, his immediate audience was Israel, yet God directs this call to every devoted believer today — everyone who would pursue Jesus with a greater passion. Later God addresses his hearers as “you afflicted, and drunk but not with wine” (51:21).

Consider one of the most powerful promises in all of God’s Word: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; though its waters roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with its swelling. There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High. God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.

Any discussion on sufferings and trials must begin with the most despairing believer of all time — a righteous, faithful, God-fearing servant, devoted to prayer and worship. Yet, when sorrow and trouble overwhelmed his life, this same man began to make some very disparaging remarks about God at the height of his suffering. “If I called and He answered me, I would not believe that He was listening to my voice. For He crushes me with a tempest, and multiplies my wounds without cause” (Job 9:16-17).

“War broke out in heaven” (Revelation 12:7).

We hear a lot of talk today about war — war on terrorism, war in the Middle East, nuclear threats from various nations. Never in history has there been such a time of war throughout the earth. And because of the instant communication we have now, almost immediately we receive reports of bombings, ambushes, death tolls.

Are you in a frightening place right now? Do you feel hopeless, empty, stripped to nothing? I say to you, your trial will pass but what does God expect of you now, in the midst of it?

When God says to humankind, “Believe,” he demands something beyond reason. Faith is totally illogical and its very definition has to do with something unreasonable. Think about it: Hebrews says that faith is the substance of something hoped for, the evidence that is unseen (see Hebrews 11:1). We are being told, in short, “There is no tangible substance or any evidence at all.” Yet we are asked to believe.

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

We may hear teaching about the need to pray, fast and study the Scriptures. And we may plead with God for a deeper hunger for him, a closer walk with him, and a greater passion for Jesus. But Proverbs tells us we must reckon with even deeper issues than these. This verse speaks of heart issues, hidden, secret things that determine the life-flow that comes out of us.

Jeremiah the prophet was a man who set his heart to seek the Lord, and the Word of God came to him. Over and over we read of the prophet, “The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah.”

Claiming power in Christ’s name is not some complicated, hidden theological truth. Libraries are full of books written solely on the subject of the name of Jesus which the authors wrote to help believers understand the deep implications hidden in Christ’s name. Yet, most of these books are so “deep,” they go right over the heads of the readers.

You may have had a situation you were praying about but you didn’t seem to get an answer. You may say, “I prayed in faith, believing God, but he didn’t hear me. I waited and waited, but he never answered. How can I surrender my life to God if he doesn’t answer my prayers?”

You may not be angry with God but you have certainly lost confidence, which keeps you from committing your heart to him fully. Therefore, you have stopped prayer and you don’t enjoy the fullness of his blessings anymore.