The Lord of hosts has sworn, as I have planned, so shall it be. And as I have purposed, so shall its stand.
– Isaiah 14:24
This verse is a rock-solid foundation to stand on in your life today, tomorrow, and every single day, no matter what comes your way to know that God has a purpose. Isaiah 14:24. As I have purposed, as I have planned… God has a plan and God has a purpose and his plan, and his purpose ultimately will be accomplished. As I have planned, so shall it be. And as I have purposed, so shall it stand.
Isaiah 14:24 teaches us that God will accomplish all his plans.
God will accomplish all of his plans, and all of his purposes. And you think about it, this is very different from you and me. We make all kinds of plans and we set out to do certain things and sometimes those plans play out exactly like we thought, like we envisioned, but many times they don’t.
But that is not the case with God. Everything he plans, everything He purposes comes to pass. And this is really good news for all who trust in God because all of his plans for you and all of his purposes, for your life and purposes in the world, are good for all who trust in him so that you and I can know no matter what hardship challenge trial valley we walk through, we can know God has a good purpose ultimately.
And even in the hardest things, even in evil, wicked, sinful things, or just the effects of sin and evil and wickedness in this fallen world, we know that God ultimately has a purpose to bring about salvation and redemption for all who trust in him, that God has a purpose. He said it in Romans 8, to work all things together… Everything together for the good of those who love him, who’ve been called according to his purpose.
Isaiah 14:24 reminds us that God wants to make us more like Jesus.
And that purpose is to draw you closer to him and his love and his grace and his mercy towards you, to draw you more into the image of Jesus, and ultimately one day to dwell with him free from all sin, sorrow, suffering, trial, tribulation, challenges, hardship. This is the purpose that God will bring about through everything we experience for everyone who trusts in him.
So I want to encourage you today, to trust in the plans and purposes of God. Even when you don’t understand his plans in your life, trust that as he has purposed, so shall it stand. And for all who trust in him, his purpose is good. Oh God, we praise you for your perfect plans and purposes in the world and in our lives. God, we trust in you today that you see all things you know, all things in our lives, our families, and the lives of people around us and the world around us.
And you are working everything together for the good of those who love you, who trust in you. So we pray, oh God, bring about your good purposes. We submit to your plans and your purposes. We trust in you. Help us to keep our eyes fixed on you. God, I pray for those who are walking through hard times right now who are struggling to see how this fits into your plan, and how this would accomplish your purpose.
This verse encourages us to trust God’s plan and purposes.
God, I pray for just a deeper measure of faith than they’ve ever experienced before to trust in you and your plans and your purposes that you are accomplishing and we pray that you would accomplish them all. Lord, glorify yourself. Draw us closer to you, draw others closer to you. Show your glory and work all these things together for our good in a way that only you can, oh God, we trust in you and we pray for the accomplishment of your purposes in the world.
Hallowed be your name in all the earth. We know that’s your purpose, to show all the earth your glory, your greatness, your mercy, your justice Lord, we look forward to the day as a previous part of Isaiah said, when the knowledge of your glory will cover the earth like the waters cover the sea. Oh God, bring it about. Use our lives to bring that about God.
Prayer for the Tamasheq Tuareg People
We pray for people like the Tamasheq Tuareg people of Mauritania and men and women across Mauritania, millions of them who have little to no knowledge of the gospel. God, we know your purpose is to bring about your salvation among all the peoples of the world. So God, bring about your purposes, your saving purposes among the Tamasheq Tuareg. God, use our prayers right now as part of the means by which your salvation spreads to them and our resources send laborers.
We pray to the Tamasheq Tuareg of Martinia that they might be reached, that your purposes of salvation might be accomplished among them, that they might be able to trust in and stand upon your good purposes in their lives, all made possible through Jesus, the one who died and rose again, who accomplished your purposes. Even when people planned to kill him, and crucify him. Your purpose stood to bring about our salvation and the salvation of the nations. Oh God, we pray all of this with trust in you according to your Word in Isaiah 14:24. In Jesus’ name, amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
