2025’s Bible verse of the year is the perfect encouragement to see revival in our generation

For the fourth time in six years, Isaiah 41:10 has been declared the YouVersion Bible App’s most popular verse of the year.

It reads: “Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

This verse tells me that God is not insecure. He knows who he is. He doesn’t say: “I might be with you”, or: “I might strengthen you and help you”. He says: “I will strengthen you and help you”, “for I am your God.”

He is who he says he is.

I’m grateful that I’ve given my life to God. Because he knows who he is, I can know who I am through reading his word.

I don’t know about you but, in my humanness, I feel insecure sometimes - about what people might think about me or about something I’ve said or done. It brings fear, worry, confusion and sadness into my heart and mind.

Let’s not let fear get in the way of telling people about Jesus

Sometimes I distract myself by scrolling on Instagram, despite knowing that doesn’t really help. I know that, really, I need to get on my knees and ask God to remind me of who he is, so I can be reminded of who I am in him. Slowly, I am learning to do the latter more often that the former.

Faltering in fear

Often, fear and pride stop us from letting God move. I’ve heard the term ‘quiet revival’ going around and, honestly, I don’t really know what that means. I think the Church needs to rip that label up and let God do what he wants to do. Let it be loud, if God wants it that way.

I do believe revival is happening, but is Gen Z the revival generation? I don’t know. Every generation carries revival - it just looks different.

Social media has enabled my generation in particular to record things and capture incredible moments, but other generations have experienced such things too. It just wasn’t captured on an Instagram story.

Revival certainly isn’t just for Gen Z. It’s all generations coming together, learning from each other and running after the presence of God.

Revival is about giving our ordinary life to God

Real revival

I have sat through a lot of revival talks over the years – and I am passionate about revival. I bought 41 Bibles to give out to people on the street. I talk about Jesus all the time. I want to see it happen in front of my eyes.

But revival is going to require us to be friends with people who don’t look like us.

Revival is going to require us to not ignore people who walk through our doors.

Revival is going to require us to be authentic.

Revival is going to require us to confess our sins.

Revival is going to require us to repent.

Revival is going to require us to not look down on people.

Revival is going to require us having people over for dinner who think and live differently to us.

Revival is about giving our ordinary life to God. Discipling those who come to faith, saying sorry when we mess up, being generous with our money, bringing secrets into the light, using our time wisely and honouring God with the things we have.

We just have to be faithful and obedient to the voice of God in our ordinary life. Let’s see what God does with that.

So, let’s truly believe the words of Isaiah 41:10. Don’t let fear get in the way of telling people about Jesus. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit. He is always with us.