Always Victorious: I will not fail (Isaiah 54:17)

If this is your first time here, my name is Jeff. I’m one of the pastors here at Genesis. You have come at a good time.

Because next week we begin a new sermon series called Body Language. God gives us a lot of instructions on how to treat each other. He has given us several statements called the “one another” statements: love one another, encourage one another, forgive one another, serve one another and the like. These one another statements will help in your relationships. You take these and apply them to your spouse, you apply them to your parents, you apply them to the people you work with or go to school with. If there is a relationship you think you need to work on this Body Language is for you. That begins next week.

Today, we conclude our summer series called Always True. We have been looking at five promises of God that are always true. Today we look at the fifth one: God is always victorious and because of that you will not fail. We are not talking about perfection, but we are talking about when it’s all said and done you win because you belong to God.

Let’s take a look at this in Isaiah 54:17, “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me. I, the LORD, have spoken!” (NLT). God gives His people an incredible promise that will completely change the way you see your critics, those who make fun of you, and those who spread rumors about you. Let’s unpack this promise one phrase at a time.

Every believer has days where they are attacked

Number one, every believer has days where they are attacked. Verse 17 begins by saying, “But in that coming day.” God was telling His people that difficult days were coming, but in “that coming day” God was going to protect them and give them victory.

You have many days ahead of you. Most of them are not going to be filled with troubles, problems, heartaches, headaches, and pains. However, there will be those days when you feel attacked, falsely accused, rejected, and criticized. In those days of difficulty God wants you to know that “no weapon turned against you will succeed.” This takes us to number two.

Every believer will experience success

Number two, every believer will experience success. God goes on to say in verse 17, “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed.” The word “weapon” means “any tool or utensil used against a person.” A weapon is anything anyone would use against you for evil intent.

If anyone would use their position or rank against you, it will not succeed.
If anyone would use their cell phone against you, it will not succeed.
If anyone would use their finances against you, it will not succeed.
If anyone would use their car against you, it will not succeed.
If anyone would use their computer against you, it will not succeed.

Nothing “turned against you will succeed.” Nothing built, sharpened, aimed, or fired against you, your family, your church family, God’s kingdom, or God’s people will succeed. This is a promise from God.

These weapons that are turned against you may seem or appear to succeed for a while – you may lose your job, you may lose some friendships temporarily, tragedies will still happen, pain will still occur, problems in your life will still arise – but in the end even these tragedies will assist God’s success in your life and for His kingdom. Nothing “turned against you will succeed.”

Another way to say this is, “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (Rom. 8:28, NLT).

Joshua said it this way when he looked at his brothers who had thrown him into a well, sold him into slavery which resulted in a false accusation of rape and which ended him in prison but eventually Joshua became the second most powerful man in the land and when he say his brothers he graciously and humbly said, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good” (Genesis 50:20, NLT). No weapon turned against you will succeed.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into a fiery pit to die because they worshipped God, but God showed up and protected them and they did not burn. No weapon turned against you will succeed.
Noah was commanded by God to build an ark because a great flood was coming. The people laughed at him, mocked him and his God but one day the animals arrived and the door of the ark closed and the floods came. Noah’s family survived the flood. No weapon turned against you will succeed.
Jesus was falsely accused and lied about to the point they found him guilty on trumped up charges, they whipped his back, plucked his beard, punched him, and spat in his face, nailed him to a cross, and mocked him while he died. They placed him in a tomb, rolled a huge stone in front of it so no one could get in or get out, but three days later they discovered “no weapon turned against him would succeed.” And the same is true for you.

Before we move on, let’s look at this word “success” for a moment. The book of Isaiah was originally written in Hebrew. So various translations have tried to capture the meaning of this Hebrew word for success. Some Bible translations use the word prevail, others use the word prosper. Whether it’s succeed, prevail, or prosper it’s still the same. The ultimate point is that at the end of the game, at the end of the war, at the end of your life no weapon that is turned against you will have the final victory. Even when that weapon, that rumor, that event, that person, that situation looks like it is succeeding, prospering, or prevailing over you it is not. Just because it’s the third quarter and you are losing by a touch down doesn’t mean you’ve lost the game.

Today is not the finish line. The finish line is up ahead. You’ve been knocked down, get back up and keep running. You may be in the fiery pit, God is about to show up. You may feel like you have been left in the bottom of a well by people you trusted, but God is taking you somewhere and He will have the last word. You may feel like you have been nailed to the wall and left for dead, but God is about to roll your stone away. Are you hearing what God is saying today? No weapon turned against you will succeed.

Every believer will silence their accusers

Number three, every believer will silence their accusers. God goes on to say in verse 17, “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you.” Have you ever been a target for hurtful words because of your stand for the Lord? Have you ever been accused of something you know you didn’t do? Have you experienced ridicule where you work or where you live because of your commitment to Christ? Have you ever been made fun of because of your dedication to God’s Word? If you haven’t yet as a follower of Jesus, it’s coming. Every believer, every follower of Jesus eventually will be accused, blamed, and charged with something falsely simply because they are obeying God. We are told in 2 Timothy, “Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (v.12, NLT).

God says, “You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you.” This means that those who rise up against you will not have the last word. I don’t know exactly how God pulls all this off, but I do know that he takes very seriously the attacks and accusation against His children. Paul told the believers who were being persecuted in Thessalonica that, “In his [God’s] justice he will pay back those who persecute you” (2 Thess. 1:6, NLT). You don’t have to pay them back, you don’t have to get revenge. God will eventually take care of it. If someone is making it hard for you as a believer? If they are challenging you in your obedience to God? If they are resisting you when it comes to God, rest assure that God will silence them. God is saying let them be my problem, not yours. He will eventually take care of them. You keep obeying God. You keep following God. You keep doing what God has called you to do and don’t worry about your accusers, attackers, and ridiculers. Eventually they will be silenced. They will be proven wrong. The truth will come out.

Every believer can enjoy God’s benefits

Number four, every believer can enjoy God’s benefits. God says in verse 17, “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD….” Not everyone can experience these benefits we are looking at today. These benefits and blessings are only experienced by God’s people. Those who are followers of Jesus.

Is Jesus the Lord and leader of your life? Have you asked God to forgive you of your sin and acknowledge His Lordship over you? Jesus called this becoming “born again.” This happens when you place your faith in Jesus Christ for your salvation. It’s only the those who are serving God who receive these benefits.

Every believer will be vindicated

Number five, every believer will be vindicated. God says in verse 17, “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me.” This vindication is referring to justification, proof, evidence and exoneration. Some translations use the word righteousness rather than vindication. What God is saying is that He is going to prove that His people were right. He will show evidence they were correct. You don’t have to vindicate yourself, God will do this for you. God says, “Their vindication will come from me.” God will do it in His time and in His way, but He promises to vindicate His people who have been falsely accused, lied about, and rumored about.

You keep doing what God has called you to do, you keep loving people, blessing people, growing spiritually, stay in God’s Word, and keep talking to God and let Him take care of vindicating all the lies about you.

Every believer has God’s word on this victory

Number six, every believer has God’s word on this victory. God concludes this incredible statement by saying emphatically, “I, the LORD, have spoken!” God says what He means and He means what He says. This is God’s way of saying, the issue is settled, you can count on me, I’m going to do this, no more discussion. “I, the LORD, have spoken!”

Again we see one of God’s promises connected with His name LORD. When it’s in all caps its referring to God’s all powerful and sovereign nature. This LORD is all-powerful, all-knowing, and everywhere present. He can do whatever He wants in the way He wants and when He wants. He is perfectly wise. Never makes a wrong decision. Never takes a wrong action. Never lies and always tells the truth. So when God says, “…no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the LORD; their vindication will come from me,” it will happen on the right day at the right time. You have God’s word on this victory.

Conclusion

As you walk in faith and obedience to God you can count on God to bless you and vindicate you. You don’t always need to prove you are right. Sometimes you need to trust God, be silent, and let God do His thing.

This promise is for those who are followers of Jesus. If you would like to know more about Jesus and the salvation He offers we want to talk to you. (Welcome Card)
If there is something you going through and you would like to talk with someone or pray with someone we are here for you. (Welcome Card)