Morning Light – July 11th, 2016: Faith Under Fire

Morning Light – July 11th, 2016: Faith Under Fire
Today: [Psalm 62-64] Faith Under Fire. In psalms 62-64 we see David’s response to the attacks and assaults of his enemies. He calls upon God and trusts in God when sudden problems crop up in his life. He is an example to us if we follow the simple strategies expressed in the prayer life of David we will see the same results. When we trust God first and foremost. When we seek Him early in the situation that is pressuring us. When we choose to praise and worship Him instead of giving in to fear and torment God will come through for us and you will be delivered.
[Psa 62:1-12 KJV] 1 [[To the chief Musician, to Jeduthun, A Psalm of David.]] Truly my soul waiteth upon God: from him [cometh] my salvation. 2 He only [is] my rock and my salvation; [he is] my defence; I shall not be greatly moved. 3 How long will ye imagine mischief against a man? ye shall be slain all of you: as a bowing wall [shall ye be, and as] a tottering fence. 4 They only consult to cast [him] down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah. 5 My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation [is] from him. 6 He only [is] my rock and my salvation: [he is] my defence; I shall not be moved. 7 In God [is] my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, [and] my refuge, [is] in God. 8 Trust in him at all times; [ye] people, pour out your heart before him: God [is] a refuge for us. Selah. 9 Surely men of low degree [are] vanity, [and] men of high degree [are] a lie: to be laid in the balance, they [are] altogether [lighter] than vanity. 10 Trust not in oppression, and become not vain in robbery: if riches increase, set not your heart [upon them]. 11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power [belongeth] unto God. 12 Also unto thee, O Lord, [belongeth] mercy: for thou renderest to every man according to his work.
Psalm 62 is a psalm of faith under fire. Most scholars believe this psalm was written while David was being pursued by Saul but there are others who feel this was a prophetic psalm of David looking forward in time to the captivity of Judea by the Babylonians and the Persians. There will be times in your life that your situation or circumstance will be beyond your control. This is a form of captivity. When people who do not value your life or situations that you cannot dispense with are holding you down and oppressing your life on a daily basis. David’s writing here is an encouragement intended to strengthen you when you feel defenseless and out of control of the circumstance.
In verse 1 when David says “wait upon the Lord” the understanding is an exhortation to be resigned to His timetable. God doesn’t work within our time frames. When we are under pressure we want deliverance and we want it now but that isn’t always the case. We can wonder about this – why does God delay seemingly when all we want is relief from whatever we are facing? Many times I have been given to know that divine delay is often God’s choice because He is not only working in my life but in the lives of those who are creating difficulties for me. Always remember that Jesus died even for those that may bring misery into your life. In seeking to bring them to a place of repentance he may allow you for a time to go through some things. This isn’t because He doesn’t love you or because He loves the other party more than He loves you. It does however mean that in working in your life He will not exclude the other person from His grace. Because of this delay can be the result but know this that one day God will say “that will be enough of that…” and will deliver you from the expectation of those who seek to control you and put pressure on your life.
In verse 11 we find the great lesson that David learns regarding the often suffered oppression of men against Him. Power belongs to God. Many times people may suggest to you that they are in control of what happens next. Never allow yourself to be intimidated by this. When your enemy does their worst God will do His best. Refuse to react to the situation. Wait upon God. Stay before the Lord in prayer and listen for what He has to say in the situation. You will never go through divine delay without an explanation as to why. God will inform you if you can stand hearing the truth. Just stay humble, correctable and keep a listening ear and at the end of the day you will be the last man standing along with all of those who put their hope in God.
[Psa 63:1-11 KJV] 1 [[A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah.]] O God, thou [art] my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; 2 To see thy power and thy glory, so [as] I have seen thee in the sanctuary. 3 Because thy lovingkindness [is] better than life, my lips shall praise thee. 4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name. 5 My soul shall be satisfied as [with] marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise [thee] with joyful lips: 6 When I remember thee upon my bed, [and] meditate on thee in the [night] watches. 7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. 8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. 9 But those [that] seek my soul, to destroy [it], shall go into the lower parts of the earth. 10 They shall fall by the sword: they shall be a portion for foxes. 11 But the king shall rejoice in God; every one that sweareth by him shall glory: but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.
Psalm 63 is a song of David’s priorities in life. David says in verse 1 that seek the Lord early. In other words David will turn to God first and foremost in a problem. He doesn’t wait until he has exhausted every other avenue of redress. God is not the refuge of last resort. He wants us to come to Him in the beginning of a problem and not at the end. When you turn to God first your testimony of faith is made manifest. Even a sinner who hates God will turn to God when all else fails. David trusts God and takes his stand in trusting God at the beginning of the trial and not at the end.
In verse 2-3 David speaks of longing to see the glory of God in the earth. He doesn’t say this because he looks for God’s judgment or wrath but because he expects God’s loving kindness to be made manifest. Many today speak of God’s glory and majesty in terms of wrath and judgment but the greatest glory of God is manifest as lovingkindness and mercy. Let your rejoicing be not because one day the wicked will be judge but because TODAY you have been extended mercy.
In verses 4-6 David describes the postures and activities of his praise to God. He will lift his hands in worship. He will sing songs of praise and with joyful lips make known his love for God. The church in the last 20 years has gravitated more into worship than it has praise but the scriptures tell us that the strength of God originates in us through praise. Ruth Ward Heflin taught that we must have both worship and praise. She was fond of saying “praise until the spirit of worship comes, worship until the glory comes – then stand in the glory!”
In verses 7-11 we see that because David waits for God and waits for Him in praise and worship that his enemies will be defeated before his face. When God shows up by His presence in your life He will take inventory of your need and act in your defense. We must do more than cry and lament. We must learn to turn FIRST to God and seek Him in praise with joyful lips knowing that He will act in our defense every time to deliver us.
[Psa 64:1-10 KJV] 1 [[To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.]] Hear my voice, O God, in my prayer: preserve my life from fear of the enemy. 2 Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked; from the insurrection of the workers of iniquity: 3 Who whet their tongue like a sword, [and] bend [their bows to shoot] their arrows, [even] bitter words: 4 That they may shoot in secret at the perfect: suddenly do they shoot at him, and fear not. 5 They encourage themselves [in] an evil matter: they commune of laying snares privily; they say, Who shall see them? 6 They search out iniquities; they accomplish a diligent search: both the inward [thought] of every one [of them], and the heart, [is] deep. 7 But God shall shoot at them [with] an arrow; suddenly shall they be wounded. 8 So they shall make their own tongue to fall upon themselves: all that see them shall flee away. 9 And all men shall fear, and shall declare the work of God; for they shall wisely consider of his doing. 10 The righteous shall be glad in the LORD, and shall trust in him; and all the upright in heart shall glory.
Psalm 64 is a psalm of David when he knows he is being stalked by an unseen enemy. Have you ever just known in your heart that something was about to happen? Have you ever had the premonition that somewhere in your life enmity was about to break out? What was your response? I remember once that I got out of bed a 4 a.m. in the morning and stepped out into the hallway. I felt in that instant that I was tackled by an unseen force. It was as though our home had been invaded but there was no one there in the natural. I immediately told Kitty and she immediately got it by word of knowledge what would happen. She said that at 4 p.m. that day that 3 people would come into our place of business. She named them and said what they would say and do when they confront us. It happened just like that – and because we were forewarned by God it led to a great testimony instead of a great defeat.
God will never leave you uninformed. David knows something is afoot and he makes his voice heard to God. He says what he sees in the spirit of the secret counsels of his enemies and he asks the Father to turn their strategies back upon their own selves. The end result for David and the end result for you will be when you have a listening ear and a response of faith that your enemies will fall before your face and you will be glad because He came through for you in the time of confrontation and attack.