The Lord is my Helper

As I was seeking the Lord earlier tonight the following verse from Hebrews 13 was quickened to me

“The LORDis my helper;

I will not fear.

What can man do to me?" v6

What an amazing promise to the redeemed people of God.

We may be conscious of our absolute helplessness and weakness but in that weak state, we have this amazing promise and assurance, that we are not without or devoid of help, because the Lord is our HELPER!

Not mere man. Nor do we have to look within and rely on our own resolve or strength.

No, when we recognise our weakness, then we give the Lord the opportunity to become our SOURCE OF STRENGTH AND HELP.

To understand this verse we must examine it's context.

5¶Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

6So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me

Paul instructs believers in v5 to ensure that their conduct and behaviour is without covetousness.

The Greek word for covetousness is

"aphilarguros" (Strong's g866) and means "not loving money, not avaricious, not greedy of filthy lucre".

Paul clearly states that we are not to covet or love riches but that we should be content with such things as we have, because more precious and important than all the riches this world could give us, is this unalterable truth and amazing promise:

"I will never leave you or forsake you".

It is this unalterable truth, that gives us the boldness, assurance and confidence (So that we may boldly say) - to proclaim

"The Lord is my helper, I will not fear what man shall do unto me".

The Lord has promised to never leave us or forsake us. This is the foundational and fundamental truth - the solid rock - on which we can build our lives, knowing that no matter what happens, Jesus will not leave us.

He will not forsake us. In fact the opposite is true, He has promised to help us, to be there for us. He has promised to make the resources of heaven available to us, if we will allow this truth to be an anchor of the soul, the stabilising and unshakable truth, that gives us confidence in the time of trouble and distress, to know that we know, that God is for us, He is on our side!

What a mighy God and Saviour we serve!

Going back to Hebrews 13v5&6 we are to be content in the knowledge that the Lord will never leave or forsake us. We need to have such a life changing revelation of this truth that controls our way of thinking, our outlook and our worldview.

The Greek word for content is "arkeó" (Strong's g714) and means "be satisfied, be enough, suffice, to be sufficient".

We are instructed to be satisfied with what we already have because what matters above all else, is that the Lord won't leave or forsake us, this should be sufficient. What else do we need?

The Greek word for "helper" is "boéthos" (Strong's g998) meaning "helping, helper and it originates from boe and theo (to run); a succourer.

This reminds us of the promise in Hebrews 2v18, that as our Great High Priest, He is able to succour or run to rescue, deliver and help us when we are tempted because He himself suffered being tempted.

The Amplified Bible says

For because He Himself [in His humanity] has suffered in being tempted (tested and tried), He is able [immediately] to run to the cry of (assist, relieve) those who are being tempted {and} tested {and} tried [and who therefore are being exposed to suffering].

God is on our Side

Romans 8v31-34

31¶What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

32He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

33Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

34Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

Jesus is our Helper and our Intercessor. That means, that He is for us! If He is on our side then who can stand against us?

What a promise in v32. God demonstrated that He is on our side by not sparing but delivering up His only begotten Son. On that basis then, we can be assured that because He did not spare Jesus the death of the cross (he offered up Him who was most precious to Him, He couldn't have given anyone or anything more precious) that He will with Him give us freely all things!

As our Great High Priest, He will not condemn us but He will intercede on our behalf and plead our case.

1 John 2v1b says

If any man sin we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous.

The Greek word for Advocate is the same word that Jesus uses for the Comforter or Holy Spirit in John 14v16 and 16v7, "paraklétos" (Strong's g3875) and means (a) an advocate, intercessor, (b) a consoler, comforter, helper, (c) Paraclete.

Literally one who comes alongside to help!!

Psalm 121 - God the Help of Those Who Seek Him

What a Psalm. Eight verses packed with faith building promises and encouragement.

1¶A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? 2My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. 3He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber. 4Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5The LORD is your keeper; The LORD is your shade at your right hand. 6The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night. 7The LORD shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 8The LORD shall preserve your going out and your coming in From this time forth, and even forevermore.

A few points:

1. We must lift our eyes, focus in faith and with an earnest expectation on the source of help and salvation

2. God alone must be our source. Salvation belongs to our God Psalm 3v8, Revelation 7v10

3. Who else can provide us with help in the day of trouble? The Bible says "vain is the help of man" Psalm 60v11, 108v12

4. Our help comes from the Lord who created the heavens and the earth. He is unequalled in power and might. Is it any wonder that Satan has done everything to deny God as the Creator of all things. Darwin and the theory of evolution is accepted dogma in our post Bible, humanistic, secular society

5. The Lord is not just our Helper, He is also our Keeper and He never sleeps on the job. He never stops watching over and caring for us because he neither slumbers or sleeps

6. The Hebrew word for Keeper is "shamar" (Strong's h8104) and means "to keep, watch, preserve". It originates from a primitive root; which conveys the deeper meaning, to hedge about (as with thorns), i.e. Guard; generally, to protect, attend to, etc...

7. The Lord is our shade on our right hand ie. the hand not carrying a shield. He is our shield. Compare Psalm 3v3.

8. He will protect us day and night v6

9. The Lord will preserve our souls (interestingly the word for preserve and keeper are the same Hebrew word "shamar"

10. He will preserve us from all evil

11. He will preserve our going out and coming in

12. Temporarily? No from now and forevermore!

That sounds to me like the Lord has all the bases covered!

What a mighty and loving God we serve. Angels bow before Him, heaven and earth adore Him, what a Mighty God we serve.

Be encouraged today. God is for us. He is on our side. Whatever valley you are passing through, whatever deep waters would try to overwhelm you, remember this unalterable truth:

The Lord is our Helper.

He will not forsake you in the fiery furnace. He will not leave you to be drowned and overwhelmed by the rivers.

Isaiah 43v1&2

1¶But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine.

2When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.

You and I are the redeemed of the Lord.

We were redeemed by the precious blood of Christ.

We are not our own we are bought with a great price.

The One who bought and paid for us with His own blood, will watch over us, protect and preserve us, keep and help us. He will make His saving and delivering power available to us because we are His sons and daughters.

We have been adopted into His family. We are accepted in the beloved.

As our Great High Priest, Advocate and Intercessor He will intercede for us and fight our corner.

As our Comforter and Paraclete He will run to our cry and succour and deliver us in our hour of greatest need.

Lift up your eyes to the hills. That's where our help, salvation and deliverance comes from.

The Lord Jesus will make a way for us!