And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways will be raised up. Behold, these shall come from afar—and, behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim (China).
(Isa. 49:11-12)

An evil report. Is there anything worse? The doctor hands you an evil report. The girlfriend or boyfriend says they want to break it off. The spouse says he or she has been in an affair. The boss says, "I'm sorry but I have to lay you off." The evil report: we all hate them.

Whenever I am hit with an evil report, it usually affects me in one of two ways: it either hits my heart like a hammer of fear or covers me like a blanket of disappointment. However, neither of these emotional states are acceptable to me. They might come, but I will not allow them to stay. Why? Because as a child of God I am not one without hope...and the evil report is not the end of the story!

Second Corinthians 6:2 says:

For He says, I have heard you in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I helped you: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Salvation means, "To be saved—to be delivered from the power of enemies or evil circumstances. To receive aid, health, welfare, prosperity, and victory."

Salvation. This is what happens when we let today be touched through faith in what God speaks to our hearts through His Word. Today becomes "a day of salvation"—a day when we allow God to bring help, aid, health, prosperity and victory to our lives.

It is for this reason that I do not let an evil report govern my emotions or destroy my faith. I hate when an evil report tries to melt my heart!

God tells us things like "Today is the day of salvation"—a day in which we can be led into places of blessing and increase.

But then it comes down to whether we will sincerely believe. Will we believe Him? Will we believe His Word of promise? The Lord reiterates that point in Isaiah 53:1 by saying, "Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?" He is talking about two things when He said this. Who will believe in Jesus and who will believe in His promises?

When an evil report comes, whose report are you going to believe? Are you going to let the report be the thing that melts your heart and causes you to fall apart? Or, are you going to remember that you are a child of God and that "Today is your day of salvation"?

When you are facing an evil report, it might seem devastating (or at least extremely disappointing). You may momentarily be stricken with shock or grief, but that is when you need to remember who you are in Christ and say out loud:

God is my salvation—today. His report is the report of the Lord. It's His report I believe. He will help me in my time of trouble—today. I may not see all that He is doing but I have the right by faith to ask and believe that "God is my hope, my hiding place, and source of trust and strength and very present help in trouble" (Ps. 46:1). I believe His report!

Remember the verse from above— Isaiah. 49:11-12? It reads, "And I will make all my mountains a way, and my highways will be raised up. Behold, these shall come from afar—and, behold, these from the north and from the west, and these from the land of Sinim (China)."

What is He saying in these verses? He is saying that those mountains may represent circumstances that can be difficult to climb and navigate; the low places may be hard to climb down into, but He doesn't leave things that way. He says He will use the mountains to direct you to His help.

When God says He will raise up highways, it means He will give you grace—His supernatural help, strength and resources as you walk the journey to victory.

When He says "Behold these shall come from afar," He is saying that even the person in the most difficult place—who has the most impossible circumstances—can come to God's help.

Remember, the Lord is not far away, but near, and He desires to turn the worst circumstances into blessings.

That is what the Lord is saying when He is revealing we have a "day of salvation." So, whose report will you believe? Will you let your heart melt? Will you let fear and discouragement push you into despair and hopelessness? Will Satan defeat you with an evil report and get you to quit?

Or, will you let today be your "day of salvation?" Will you believe His report? Will you believe His arm is not too short to reach you? Your heart, your faith, your prayers and your words will reveal whose report you believe!

Believe the report of the Lord!

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