july 18th
July 18, 2025
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 32–35
(My sisters, today make sure you read the 🙏 prayer. Pray it into your heart and also pray it into each other’s heart. I truly believe that when our hearts are anchored in the hope of Jesus—renewed hope every day, every morning, for whatever’s going on—our walks will be stronger, and our witness will shine brighter in this dark world, glorifying Jesus in all that we do.)
Today’s Reading: Isaiah 32–35
(My sisters, today make sure you read the 🙏 prayer. Pray it into your heart and also pray it into each other’s heart. I truly believe that when our hearts are anchored in the hope of Jesus—renewed hope every day, every morning, for whatever’s going on—our walks will be stronger, and our witness will shine brighter in this dark world, glorifying Jesus in all that we do.)
📖 Scripture Focus
Isaiah 32:1–2 (NLT)
“Look, a righteous king is coming! And honest princes will rule under him. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land.”
Isaiah 32:17–18 (NLT)
“And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in safety, quietly at home. They will be at rest.”
Isaiah 35:3–6 (NLT)
“With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees. Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.’ And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!”
Isaiah 35:10 (NLT)
“Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.”
✨ Reflection:
Holding On to Hope
Isaiah 32–35 comes right after a long and heavy section of judgment (chapters 13–31), where Isaiah speaks of God’s righteous anger toward nations that have turned from Him—nations marked by pride, rebellion, and dependence on worldly alliances. It’s a painful message, and at times, the weight of sin and destruction can feel overwhelming.
But then Isaiah 32 brings a shift: a prophetic breath of hope. A righteous King is coming. The Spirit will be poured out. Peace and justice will flourish. What a beautiful glimpse of Jesus, the true King who brings restoration!
These chapters are a reminder that God's story doesn't end with judgment—it leads to redemption. And in a world today that feels so much like Isaiah’s time—marked by injustice, persecution, violence, and disasters—we might feel powerless, overwhelmed, or even discouraged. But Isaiah reminds us that we don’t need to be powerful to push back the darkness.
We need to rest in the One who is all-powerful.
Our hope isn’t in government, success, money, or even family. All those things can change or fail. But our hope is in the unchanging, righteous, and victorious God who is coming to set all things right.
💔 Hopeless Without God
Ephesians 2:12 (NLT)
“In those days you were living apart from Christ… You lived in this world without God and without hope.”
🙌 Hope Through Christ
Romans 15:13 (NLT)
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
1 Peter 1:3 (NLT)
“It is by his great mercy that we have been born again… Now we live with great expectation.”
(Other versions: “a living hope”)
Colossians 1:27 (NLT)
“Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.”
(Other versions: “the hope of glory”)
Hebrews 6:19 (NLT)
“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.”
💡 Lesson for Me
Hope isn’t just an emotion—it’s an anchor. It holds us steady when everything around us shakes. God has not forgotten us. He is coming to save, restore, and reign in righteousness. My job is to keep trusting, keep walking, and keep hoping.
📝 Application Questions
🙏 Prayer
Lord, thank You for being my source of hope in a hopeless world. When everything seems dark, You shine with promises of light. I choose today to anchor my heart in You—not in circumstances, not in people, not in success, but in You alone. Help me to walk in confident hope and strengthen others with the same. Let Your Word be my daily reminder that joy is coming and Your Kingdom will never fail. 🙌🙏
⸻
🔎 Insight: What Can We Learn About Jesus from Isaiah 32–35?
These chapters are full of prophetic glimpses of Jesus—some pointing to His first coming, and others to His return in glory.
💠 Isaiah 32:1
“Look, a righteous king is coming!”
This is a prophecy about Jesus as the righteous King. It’s a foreshadowing of both His first coming—when He brought the Kingdom of God to earth (Matthew 4:17)—and His future reign when He will establish justice forever (Revelation 19:11–16).
💠 Isaiah 32:15
“…until at last the Spirit is poured out on us from heaven.”
This is likely pointing to Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out after Jesus ascended to the Father (Acts 2:17–21), showing how His reign transforms hearts, not just nations.
💠 Isaiah 35:4–6
“Your God is coming to save you… the eyes of the blind will be opened…”
This clearly reflects Jesus’ earthly ministry:
•He opened the eyes of the blind (John 9:6–7)
•The lame walked (Luke 5:24–25)
•The mute spoke and the deaf heard (Mark 7:31–37)
Jesus quoted from Isaiah 35 when speaking of His identity to John the Baptist’s disciples in Matthew 11:4–6, confirming that He is the promised one.
💠 Isaiah 35:8–10
“A great road will go through that once deserted land… Only the redeemed will walk on it… crowned with everlasting joy.”
This is a beautiful picture of the eternal joy and safety of God’s people in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:3–4). It’s a clear end-times fulfillment—no more sorrow, no more danger, only joy for the redeemed.
⸻
✨ So what can we learn about Jesus from these chapters?
•He is the righteous King who brings justice and peace.
•He is the one who pours out the Holy Spirit to renew hearts.
•He is the miracle-working Savior who came to heal and restore.
•He is the Redeemer who will return to reign forever and lead us on the Highway of Holiness into everlasting joy.
..
Isaiah 32:1–2 (NLT)
“Look, a righteous king is coming! And honest princes will rule under him. Each one will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a parched land.”
Isaiah 32:17–18 (NLT)
“And this righteousness will bring peace. Yes, it will bring quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in safety, quietly at home. They will be at rest.”
Isaiah 35:3–6 (NLT)
“With this news, strengthen those who have tired hands, and encourage those who have weak knees. Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.’ And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy!”
Isaiah 35:10 (NLT)
“Those who have been ransomed by the Lord will return. They will enter Jerusalem singing, crowned with everlasting joy. Sorrow and mourning will disappear, and they will be filled with joy and gladness.”
✨ Reflection:
Holding On to Hope
Isaiah 32–35 comes right after a long and heavy section of judgment (chapters 13–31), where Isaiah speaks of God’s righteous anger toward nations that have turned from Him—nations marked by pride, rebellion, and dependence on worldly alliances. It’s a painful message, and at times, the weight of sin and destruction can feel overwhelming.
But then Isaiah 32 brings a shift: a prophetic breath of hope. A righteous King is coming. The Spirit will be poured out. Peace and justice will flourish. What a beautiful glimpse of Jesus, the true King who brings restoration!
These chapters are a reminder that God's story doesn't end with judgment—it leads to redemption. And in a world today that feels so much like Isaiah’s time—marked by injustice, persecution, violence, and disasters—we might feel powerless, overwhelmed, or even discouraged. But Isaiah reminds us that we don’t need to be powerful to push back the darkness.
We need to rest in the One who is all-powerful.
Our hope isn’t in government, success, money, or even family. All those things can change or fail. But our hope is in the unchanging, righteous, and victorious God who is coming to set all things right.
💔 Hopeless Without God
Ephesians 2:12 (NLT)
“In those days you were living apart from Christ… You lived in this world without God and without hope.”
🙌 Hope Through Christ
Romans 15:13 (NLT)
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.”
1 Peter 1:3 (NLT)
“It is by his great mercy that we have been born again… Now we live with great expectation.”
(Other versions: “a living hope”)
Colossians 1:27 (NLT)
“Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.”
(Other versions: “the hope of glory”)
Hebrews 6:19 (NLT)
“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls.”
💡 Lesson for Me
Hope isn’t just an emotion—it’s an anchor. It holds us steady when everything around us shakes. God has not forgotten us. He is coming to save, restore, and reign in righteousness. My job is to keep trusting, keep walking, and keep hoping.
📝 Application Questions
- What things have I been tempted to place my hope in besides God?
- How can I actively encourage someone with the hope I have in Christ?
- What does it look like for me to live as one “on the Highway of Holiness” today?
🙏 Prayer
Lord, thank You for being my source of hope in a hopeless world. When everything seems dark, You shine with promises of light. I choose today to anchor my heart in You—not in circumstances, not in people, not in success, but in You alone. Help me to walk in confident hope and strengthen others with the same. Let Your Word be my daily reminder that joy is coming and Your Kingdom will never fail. 🙌🙏
⸻
🔎 Insight: What Can We Learn About Jesus from Isaiah 32–35?
These chapters are full of prophetic glimpses of Jesus—some pointing to His first coming, and others to His return in glory.
💠 Isaiah 32:1
“Look, a righteous king is coming!”
This is a prophecy about Jesus as the righteous King. It’s a foreshadowing of both His first coming—when He brought the Kingdom of God to earth (Matthew 4:17)—and His future reign when He will establish justice forever (Revelation 19:11–16).
💠 Isaiah 32:15
“…until at last the Spirit is poured out on us from heaven.”
This is likely pointing to Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out after Jesus ascended to the Father (Acts 2:17–21), showing how His reign transforms hearts, not just nations.
💠 Isaiah 35:4–6
“Your God is coming to save you… the eyes of the blind will be opened…”
This clearly reflects Jesus’ earthly ministry:
•He opened the eyes of the blind (John 9:6–7)
•The lame walked (Luke 5:24–25)
•The mute spoke and the deaf heard (Mark 7:31–37)
Jesus quoted from Isaiah 35 when speaking of His identity to John the Baptist’s disciples in Matthew 11:4–6, confirming that He is the promised one.
💠 Isaiah 35:8–10
“A great road will go through that once deserted land… Only the redeemed will walk on it… crowned with everlasting joy.”
This is a beautiful picture of the eternal joy and safety of God’s people in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 21:3–4). It’s a clear end-times fulfillment—no more sorrow, no more danger, only joy for the redeemed.
⸻
✨ So what can we learn about Jesus from these chapters?
•He is the righteous King who brings justice and peace.
•He is the one who pours out the Holy Spirit to renew hearts.
•He is the miracle-working Savior who came to heal and restore.
•He is the Redeemer who will return to reign forever and lead us on the Highway of Holiness into everlasting joy.
..