God Is Our Help!
Thank you for reading the post. Knowing that God is our help is such an important truth for us to know! I am sharing how we can lock into that knowledge and live a more victorious life while we are here on the planet. Eric
Seeing as how you are here and reading the post today assures me that you are living in this world. I am convinced, if you are living in this world, you experience trouble, tribulation, distress and pressure. I know that because, the Word of God, which is absolute truth, reveals in John 16:33 (NIV), “ in this world you will have trouble."
We are going to think about and examine what we should do in regard seeking help and finding solutions to our problems.
Over the years, I have had those who needed help come to me for counsel. Some admitted, after their desperation increased, that they had not sought God for a solution. When needed, your primary source of help should always be God.
Can God use men to help you? Absolutely! Possibly, He may even use an angel to intervene for you. This is what happened when the car my wife, Donna, was driving was being pulled off the highway by deep snow in a blizzard. She called out, “Jesus!” and immediately found herself back on the highway behind the car she had been following. Praise God! I have no doubt God sent an angel to move the car back onto the highway. However, you see, she called on the Source of her help, God, and He provided the angel.
Today, I want to share Scriptures which will reveal and remind us to build our trust in God as our Source of help and shows us who He helps.
Psalm 146:5-9a (NIV) is a good place to start. I am including Greek meanings for some of the words. “5 Blessed are those whose help (aid, support) is the God of Jacob, whose hope (expectation) is in the LORD their God. 6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them--he remains faithful (reliable) forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, 8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down (weighed down), the LORD loves the righteous. 9 The LORD watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow,”
“True blessedness comes from relying on God’s help rather than human strength and wisdom. This reliance brings peace and assurance in life’s uncertainties.” (Bible Hub Study Bible).
King David knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God is sovereign and was his help. He relied on God constantly for victory. What God was to David, He is to you! He is sovereign over your life and He is your help!
Relying only on human strength and wisdom is futile. (Psalm 60:11 NIV).
Other amazing truths you need to be aware of are revealed in Psalm 139:16, 17 and 1 (NIV), “Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, God! How vast is the sum of them! 1 You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.” His thoughts of you are too numerous to count and He is aware of everything in your life. Job 34:21 (NKJV), reads, “For His eyes are on the ways of man, And He sees all his steps.” God knows your victories, struggles, difficulties, temptations and all of your needs!
God watches over those who are His and hears their prayers. Psalm 34:15, 17-19 (NIV) reveals, “The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and his ears are attentive to their cry; ... 17 The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. 19 The righteous person may have many troubles, but the LORD delivers him from them all;” I‘d like you to take particular notice to the phrase ‘ears are attentive to their cry’ in verse 15 and ‘cry out’ in verse 17. We will return to these phrases later.
Hebrews 13:6a (NIV) reads, “So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid…” ‘Helper,’ boethos in the Greek is a compound word taken from boe, meaning ‘a cry for help’ and theo, meaning ‘run’. Put together, the word boethos means one who comes running when we cry for help. “This word describes the Lord as poised and ready to rush to the relief of His oppressed children when they shout for His assistance.” (Word Wealth, NSFLB). What an amazing revelation! When you cry out for help, He comes running to help you!
Another dynamic provision of God’s help for you is the gift of the Holy Spirit, who after your acceptance of Chris as Savior, was sent to live inside you. In John 14:16 (NIV), “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever--” The word ‘advocate’ (parakletos) also means: Comforter, and Helper and Counselor. Parakletos is derived from the Greek verb parakaleo, meaning ‘to call to one’s side,’ ‘to summon’ or ‘to comfort.’ The term ‘parakletos is used in the New Testament to describe someone who is called to aid, support, or intercede on behalf of another. In a legal context, it refers to an advocate or legal assistant. In a broader sense, it signifies a helper or comforter who provides encouragement and support. In the New Testament, parakletos is primarily used to describe the Holy Spirit, who acts as a divine helper and guide for believers. (Strong’s, Greek Lexicon, Usage).
How close is our help? The Spirit lives inside us!
I cannot end today’s post without sharing how we initiate the help He sends. One way to summon His help, we have already touched on - ‘cry out’ to Him. Psalm 18:6 (NLT), “But in my distress I cried out to the LORD; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears”
Psalm 103:20 reveals that the angels respond to the Word of God. “Bless the Lord, you His angels, mighty in strength, who perform His word, obeying the voice of His word. (NASB77).
God’s Word is His will. This is why it is so vital for us to know the Word of God. When you pray the Word of God, you set the angels in motion to accomplish what His Word is sent forth to accomplish. Isaiah 55:11 (NASB20) reads, “So will My word be which goes out of My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the purpose for which I sent it.“
Look at what He revealed in 1 John 5:14 (NASB20), “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.”
Some of the troubles or distress we encounter today can come from: divorce, addictions, loss of loved ones, parenting dilemmas, oppression, lack of direction, depression, family instability, lack of funds, workplace conflicts, illness, and results of our indulging in bad habits…
Here are some Scriptures you can pray when you cry out for help:
John 16:33 (NIV), “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." You could pray in this way, ‘Thank you Lord that You have overcome the world and even in the midst of my troubles, I can have peace.’
James 1:5 (NIV), “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” You could pray in this way, ‘Father, thank You for Your Word. Your Word declares that if any of us lacks wisdom, we should ask You, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to us. Lord, I need Your wisdom, to know how to deal with the situation that is before me - I will listen Lord, to what You will speak to me. Thank You Father for Your wisdom.’
2 Chronicles 15:4 (NIV), “But in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, and he was found by them.” You could pray in this way, “Lord, Your word declares that when the Israelites were in distress they turned to You, sought You and You were found by them. Father, You know the distress I am experiencing and You know the cause of it. I come and cry out to You for Your intervention in this situation so that I can have this distress lifted from me. Thank You Lord for hearing my prayer and I praise You for what You are going to do.’
Isaiah 61:3 (NIV), “and provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.” You could pray in this way, "‘Father You are aware of the grief I am experiencing right now. I thank You that You Word declares that You give beauty for ashes and a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Father, You see my heart and need. I pray You will comfort me with the comfort of the Holy Spirit for Your glory and honor. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Isaiah 43:2 (ESV), “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” Pray this Word back to the Father as His Spirit leads.
Philippians 4:19 (ESV), “And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” Pray this Scripture when you have any need.
Psalm 32:7 (ESV), “You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah. ‘Place’ in this verse means: shelter, refuge, sanctuary. ‘Shall preserve’ means: give me divine protection, be a safeguard. Trouble’ here means: distress, straits, enemy, foe, tribulation. ‘Compass means: encompass with protection, surround. ‘Shouts in this verse means: shouting for joy, shout of deliverance, a ringing cry. When you find yourself needing any of these things. Cry out to Him with His Word, thank Him for the truth of His Word and thank Him for hearing You and responding.
Philippians 4:6 and 7 (ESV), “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.” The Lord, our helper, watches us with a divine oversight. He is intimately aware of every minute detail of our lives. He has detailed knowledge of every aspect of our life. He is a very personal God and, thankfully, is intimately involved in our lives.
Whatever need you have, trouble you are facing, or distress you are experiencing, remember: The Lord and the Holy Spirit are Your Help!
Read, learn and know the Word of God.
When troubles come:
Cry Out
Pray from your heart and His Word!
Listen for His direction, wisdom and guidance.
Obey any directives He may give you!
He is your Source for any help you need.
God Is Your Help!
Scriptures used are from the:
NIV New International Version
NKJV New King James Version
NSFLB New Spirit Filled Life Bible
NASB77 New American Standard Bible 1977
ESV English Standard Version
NASB20 New American Standard Bible 2020