The Comforting Victory

Chapter 40 of Isaiah is the beginning of what has been described as the “New Testament of Isaiah.”  The last twenty-seven chapters in Isaiah correspond with the twenty-seven books of the New Testament. Chapters 40-43 has been called the Book of Comfort.  In the first verse of chapter 40, God is speaking to His people “Comfort, comfort my people” In Hebrew, the word comfort is nacham; it is a word that contains deep emotion, compassionate words that bring solace, relief, and tender care to people. (TPT footnotes)

The next verse is very tender. God speaks of revival for His people and proclaims the war to be over. He goes on to say that the debt of sin is paid for, and our blessing will be twice as many as all the sin!

God is prophesying the future. He is assuring them that because the debt of sin is paid for ( by the blood of Jesus ) the war is over! The war has been won. He is proclaming because the war is over we have received mercy of judgement. It is our time to live in the victory of Christ Jesus. When we live in that victory, we recieve twice as many blessings than what our sin stole from us. 

This is comfort.

No one has lived a life without sin. We all need comfort from those sins. We all need to hear God’s tenderness speak words of comfort, revival, and blessings over life. His life-givng words. And, in turn, we can do the same for others. Gentle, comforting words that give life.

Jesus paid with his life for our sin. Huge, sacrifice! And, God delights in the blessings that come from that sacrifice. He wants us to live in victory.

“Make a highway straight through the desert for our God! Every valley will be raised up, every mountain brought low. The rugged terrain will become level ground and the rough places a plain. Then Yahweh’s radiant glory will be unveiled, and all humanity will experience it together. Believe it, for Yahweh has spoken his decree!” verse 3-4 (TPT)

Victory is knowing that there is always a way to God, even in the driest of deserts. Victory believes that when we are in the valley of hoplessness, and the impossibilities of mountains loom in front of our way, God will show us the direction. Victory is seeing that the rugged path-all those obstacles we encounter dail- the lies, the pain, the fears, and the questions, God finds a way to smooth them out. He comforts us through the journey. Victory is knowing that the glory of God is unveiled, and we will experience it together. Victory is claiming the reality of God’s words over ourselves and others.

A couple days ago I started to study Song of Songs. It begins with words that are tender and comforting:

“Smother me with kisses-Your Spirit kiss is divine. So kind are your caresses, I drink them in like the sweetest wine!” (TPT)

In this verse it is the Shulamite speaking. I am the Shulamite, so are you.  The Spirit kiss is there to comfort us, to breathe life upon us, and to bless us with revelation. When we Let Him Kiss us, we are living in victory!

Back to Isaiah. 

“You who proclaim joyous news to Jerusalem, shout it out and don’t be afraid. Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Here is your God!’ Verse 9 (TPT)

I do not always live in victory. I don’t always feel like a mighty warrior, or life giving. Sometimes the valleys feel endless, or the mountains permanent. It is during these times that I must seek comfort and allow Him to kiss my thoughts, my attitude, my heart, and my beliefs. When I sit before Him and ask Him for his breath of life, He changes my pain into the victory that is already mine. It truly is fascinating. I recently heard Brian Simmons say this: “The greatness of God has to become our fascination!” He’s right. When we see, actually behold, the incredible greatness of God to the degree of fascination, we also see everything in perspective. The endless valleys have a path that leads to hope. The insurmountable mountains are like hills. The rugged terrain becomes level. We see through the eyes of God, and victory takes us through!

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