Title: How to keep faith when life gets hard
Speaker: Pastor Jeremy Archer
Date: 12th April 2026
Location: Bristol, UK

Summary:
Waiting on the Lord is not standing still. It is standing firm. That distinction sits at the heart of this episode, which takes one of the most quoted verses in scripture and roots it back in the ground it came from.

Isaiah 40:31 is familiar to most people who have spent time in the Bible. But familiarity can strip a verse of its weight. The people who first heard those words were Jewish exiles in Babylon, thirty-five years into what would become a seventy-year captivity. They had lost their king, their temple, their language, their culture, and their homeland. They were exhausted, displaced, and mocked. When Isaiah wrote that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, he was not writing an inspirational caption. He was writing to people in the middle of a crisis with no visible end.

The Hebrew word translated "wait" in this passage is qava, and it carries none of the passivity the English word suggests. The picture behind it is a rope pulled taut in a tug of war, an archer drawing a bowstring, a runner braced on starting blocks. The episode also looks at how Jesus opened his public ministry in Luke 4 by reading from Isaiah, applying the same captivity scriptures to a new generation living under Roman rule. That connection shows how these words keep speaking across centuries to people in remarkably similar circumstances.

Key Points:
Reading scripture without knowing its context risks turning the Bible into a collection of slogans or proof texts
The Hebrew word qava, translated "wait" in Isaiah 40:31, means active, tensed readiness, not passive inactivity
Isaiah 40 was written to Jewish exiles thirty-five years into a seventy-year Babylonian captivity, a people stripped of everything familiar
That exile forced Jewish people to develop a portable, personal faith, one no longer grounded in the temple but carried individually
Jesus opened his public ministry by reading from Isaiah 61 to Jews under Roman rule, showing how captivity scriptures keep speaking to new generations in similar circumstances
Waiting on the Lord means standing firm under pressure and serving faithfully while trusting God to complete what he has already started

Reference Scriptures:
Isaiah 40:27-31
Psalm 130:5
Isaiah 61:1-3
Luke 4:14-20
Haggai 2
Ezra 3
Micah 6:8
Habakkuk 3:17-18
Matthew 23:37
Hebrews 10:10

Listen to the entire Podcast Revival library by visiting https://podcastrevival.com 

The Revival Fellowship is a Bible-directed, Spirit-filled Church and we welcome visitors to our meetings at any of our locations worldwide. To find your nearest venue visit https://therevivalfellowship.com 

© 2026 The Revival Fellowship. All Rights Reserved.

Title: How to keep faith when life gets hard Speaker: Pastor Jeremy Archer Date: 12th April 2026 Location: Bristol, UK
Summary: Waiting on the Lord is not standing still. It is standing firm. That distinction sits at the heart of this episode, which takes one of the most quoted verses in scripture and roots it back in the ground it came from.
Isaiah 40:31 is familiar to most people who have spent time in the Bible. But familiarity can strip a verse of its weight. The people who first heard those words were Jewish exiles in Babylon, thirty-five years into what would become a seventy-year captivity. They had lost their king, their temple, their language, their culture, and their homeland. They were exhausted, displaced, and mocked. When Isaiah wrote that those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength, he was not writing an inspirational caption. He was writing to people in the middle of a crisis with no visible end.
The Hebrew word translated "wait" in this passage is qava, and it carries none of the passivity the English word suggests. The picture behind it is a rope pulled taut in a tug of war, an archer drawing a bowstring, a runner braced on starting blocks. The episode also looks at how Jesus opened his public ministry in Luke 4 by reading from Isaiah, applying the same captivity scriptures to a new generation living under Roman rule. That connection shows how these words keep speaking across centuries to people in remarkably similar circumstances.
Key Points:
<ul>
<li>Reading scripture without knowing its context risks turning the Bible into a collection of slogans or proof texts</li>
<li>The Hebrew word qava, translated "wait" in Isaiah 40:31, means active, tensed readiness, not passive inactivity</li>
<li>Isaiah 40 was written to Jewish exiles thirty-five years into a seventy-year Babylonian captivity, a people stripped of everything familiar</li>
<li>That exile forced Jewish people to develop a portable, personal faith, one no longer grounded in the temple but carried individually</li>
<li>Jesus opened his public ministry by reading from Isaiah 61 to Jews under Roman rule, showing how captivity scriptures keep speaking to new generations in similar circumstances</li>
<li>Waiting on the Lord means standing firm under pressure and serving faithfully while trusting God to complete what he has already started</li>
</ul>
Reference Scriptures:
<ul>
<li>Isaiah 40:27-31</li>
<li>Psalm 130:5</li>
<li>Isaiah 61:1-3</li>
<li>Luke 4:14-20</li>
<li>Haggai 2</li>
<li>Ezra 3</li>
<li>Micah 6:8</li>
<li>Habakkuk 3:17-18</li>
<li>Matthew 23:37</li>
<li>Hebrews 10:10</li>
</ul>
Listen to the entire Podcast Revival library by visiting <a href="https://podcastrevival.com">https://podcastrevival.com</a>&nbsp;
The Revival Fellowship is a Bible-directed, Spirit-filled Church and we welcome visitors to our meetings at any of our locations worldwide. To find your nearest venue visit <a href="https://therevivalfellowship.com">https://therevivalfellowship.com</a>&nbsp;
&copy; 2026 The Revival Fellowship. All Rights Reserved.

Podcast Revival aims to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to people all around the world through inspiring talks from speakers of diverse backgrounds and nationalities. The podcast includes messages that offer instructions for salvation and encourage listeners to live a life in obedience to God.

You will hear speakers from various countries that share their personal experiences and insights from the Word of God, providing a truthful perspective on Christian life. Listeners can expect to hear stories of transformation and hope, along with practical tips and guidance for living a life that is grounded in the teachings of the Bible.

The podcast features topics such as salvation, miracles, faith, and the second coming of Jesus Christ, providing an experienced understanding of what it means to follow God. Listeners can also expect to hear readings from the Bible and discussions on how to apply biblical principles to everyday life.

Overall, Podcast Revival is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to have a relationship with God and grow in their understanding of the Christian faith and how to walk in the Spirit.

Romans 10 v 17
So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Podcast Revival aims to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to people all around the world through inspiring talks from speakers of diverse backgrounds and nationalities. The podcast includes messages that offer instructions for salvation and encourage listeners to live a life in obedience to God.
You will hear speakers from various countries that share their personal experiences and insights from the Word of God, providing a truthful perspective on Christian life. Listeners can expect to hear stories of transformation and hope, along with practical tips and guidance for living a life that is grounded in the teachings of the Bible.
The podcast features topics such as salvation, miracles, faith, and the second coming of Jesus Christ, providing an experienced understanding of what it means to follow God. Listeners can also expect to hear readings from the Bible and discussions on how to apply biblical principles to everyday life.
Overall, Podcast Revival is a valuable resource for anyone seeking to have a relationship with God and grow in their understanding of the Christian faith and how to walk in the Spirit.
Romans 10 v 17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Podcast Revival

Talks straight from the Word of God.

Podcast Revival is a selection of talks from Revival Fellowship meetings from all across the globe.

Talks straight from the Word of God.
Podcast Revival is a selection of talks from Revival Fellowship meetings from all across the globe.

Waiting on the Lord is not standing still. It is standing firm. This episode takes a close look at Isaiah 40:31, one of the most quoted scriptures in the Bible, and unpacks what the Hebrew word for wait actually means and who it was written for. The original audience were Jewish exiles in Babylon, thirty-five years into a seventy-year captivity, with everything stripped away. The episode then traces how Jesus used Isaiah's captivity scriptures to speak to a new generation under Roman rule, and why that context still speaks today.