WHEN YOU GO THROUGH DEEP WATER

by Tammy Phillips
April 10, 2021

Listen to the LORD who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. ² When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. ³ For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. 4…you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. (Isaiah 43:1-4 NLT)

While sitting at the feet of Jesus on the beach and listening to “Oceans” by Hillsong (https://youtu.be/dy9nwe9_xzw) , I heard the Lord ask me to trust Him completely.  He called me to go deeper with him.  This lyric from Oceans became my reoccurring prayer:

“Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders
Let me walk upon the waters
Wherever You would call me
Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander
And my faith will be made stronger
In the presence of my Savior”

I cannot tell you how much this song and encounter with the Lord has changed my life.  And then Holy Spirit gave me a guiding scripture to stand on, Isaiah 43:1-4.

The Lord God has paid for our life with His own blood, and He has called us with His loving voice.  And He will call us into some pretty uncomfortable places “where feet may fail.”  However, He assures us that we are His.  He is always with us.  He goes with us. We are precious to Him and most of all that HE LOVES US.

When He calls us deeper, He encourages us in Isaiah 43 by saying “when you go through deep waters, I will be with you.”   He does not say, if you make it through this. He assures us that we will go through. 

Think about it like this. 

“When you pass through deep waters…”.

When God led Moses and Israel to the Red Sea in Exodus 14, He called them out upon the water to trust Him through deep waters.  He was faithful to make a way. He made away that we could never imagine, through the sea on dry land.  Moses trusted God.  He brought them through and saved them.

“When you pass through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.”

When God called Joshua and the Israelites to cross the River Jordan in Joshua 3, He gave them very specific directions. In Joshua 3:5, “He told the people, ‘Purify yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do great wonders among you.’” (Joshua 3:5 NLT). The Jordan was overflowing its banks.  However, as soon as the priest put a foot in the river, the flow of water was cut off up stream, the river backed up, formed a wall and all of the Israelites crossed over on dry ground.

“When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, nor will the flame kindle on you.”

In Daniel 3 Shadrach, Meshach and Abendnego, were ordered to bow to the government and worship, King Nebuchadnezzar or be thrown into the fire.  They paid no attention to the order.  They refused to serve the king or worship the gold statue he sat up. King Neb even gave them a second chance to bow, but hey said in Daniel 3:17, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty.”   They were bound and thrown into the roaring fire that was so hot that it killed the men that through them in.  BUT GOD, He was with them, showed up in the middle of the fire and loosed them.  They came out unscathed.

And then there is Peter!  He sees Jesus walking on the water.  Jesus tells them, “Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:27 NKJV). Peter and His silly self said, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” (Matthew 14:27-28 NKJV) Jesus calls Him out to the deep water, “Come.” Peter stepped into the deep and walked on the water.  However as soon as the wind came, He lost focus on Jesus.  “But when he saw that the wind [was] boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”  And immediately Jesus stretched out [His] hand and caught him, and said to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 30-31 NKJV).  

Even when we are called to go through the deep waters and fail, Jesus is always there to pick us back up.  Deep will challenge, stretch and grow us.  Our faith will increase when we go through the deep waters with Him.

I enCOURAGE you not to be afraid.  He is with you.  He has redeemed and called you out into the deep waters, the roaring rivers and fiery furnaces with Him.  He will get you through because you are precious, prized, valuable and very rare in His sight.  There is only one of you and He loves you more than you can imagine.  Go deeper with Him.  You will not regret it.