Promise of Victory Psalm 125

Why would God give us a sword and shield if we were not in a fight?


Psalm 125 Those who trust in the Lord will not be moved. Ps 125:1 The scepter of wickedness will not rest on the land (promise) of the righteous. Ps 125:3


Here in Psalm 125 is a promise that we will not be moved from the promise of God.


Unfortunately Satan does play by the rules. If we know who we are in Christ and the power of Christ within us, we can dislodge Satan our enemy and gain the victory.


1 The force of faith of perseverance, expectation, speaking and acting on the word of God. Rom 16:19,20; Romans 10:9,10
2 The violence of the kingdom. Matt 11:12
3 The perseverance of the saints. Rev 14:11,12
3 The prayer of faith. James 5:15
4 Casting down strongholds. 2 Cor 10:3-5
5 Taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ. 2 Cor 10:3-5
6 Persistence of standing on the promises. Eph 6:13
7 Being led by love of God and others and the peace of God. Isaiah 55:12; 1 Peter 1:22
8. The blood of Jesus, our testimony of Christ and love Rev 12:11


Proverbs says that if a person steals from us we get 7 fold back Proverbs 6:30,31. Isaiah says that if we are under loss we will get a double portion. Isaiah 61:7 We can cast out the enemy and gain more than if he just left us alone. So in view of this, we can relish a fight, looking for the reward to come. God will crush Satan under our feet. Romans 16:19,20

Not that we would want to fight, but if a fight comes, we can know we will be rewarded for it.

Live ready. Luke 12:35

Pruning

Pruning
Thinking about John 15:2
"Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit."


There are times when what we are doing is taken away from us. As this verse points out, there would be 2 reasons for this happening. One; the activity is not bearing fruit. It is not productive. So it is stopped. Then on the other hand Two: it is taken away so that more fruit can be produced.


Either way the reason for the stoppage is for more fruit to be produced. When I experience a hindrance to ministry for the Lord I am looking at producing more fruit in the future. Sometimes it is not God that has stopped the ministry. Sometimes it is Satan.


1 Thessalonians 2:18
"For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us."


What is our response to be in this stoppage?


It is my thinking that we should be praying. If we are ministering, we pray to prepare for the ministry. And if there is a stoppage of ministry we should be praying for the ministry that we are not able to do. Pray for the people that are not being ministered to, that they will receive from the Lord.



So we are praying and ministering, or we are praying and preparing to minister in the future, by further prayer.

Charles Capps The Tongue A Creative Force - Notes

It's not christian science, it's Christian sense.

-don't deny the existence of the mountain, deny the right for it to exist in your way. Live by faith not by sight. You see the mountain but when you get there it will be gone.

-Jesus said you can have what you say, and you say its getting worse or its still there. You will have what you say.

-Plant the seed. Prayer without faith won't work.

-Grace and peace are multiplied through the knowledge of the word. 2 Pt. 1:2

-2 Cor 4:13 faith speaks.

-2 Pt 1:3 God has given to us all things pertaining to life and godliness.

-If you say what God says until it gets into your spirit then you'll get it.

-James 1:21 the word of God grafted into your spirit will save you.

-2 Pt 1:4 we are partakers of the divine nature by the promises.

-The tongue can stop the course of nature.

-Everything can be tamed by the tongue.

-Man can't tame the tongue but we can speak by the spirit.

-Peter's tongue changed after Pentecost.

-Don't deny disease, deny the right of the disease to live in your body.

-We are free from the curse.

-I beg your pardon, the Word says you are healed.

-How you feel has nothing to do with God preforming His word.

-They prayed in faith, I know they prayed in faith and I believe God, I'm getting up in the name of Jesus. (While they don't feel any different)

If you have lack and you confess the word of God which says God supplies all your needs. Are you telling a lie or are you confessing the truth? God's word is truth.

There is a process of weeding out religious traditions from the truth.

And having done all to stand. Watch what you say and stand. Stand on the word and your confession.

-Rev 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony. Watch your idle words.

-If you don't feel healed, go to the Word of God and get some feelings.

-Prov 4:22 God's word is healing to all our flesh. WOW

Romans 3:4 "that thou mayest be justified in thy sayings?  When people would disbelieve what we say in faith!

-!-! Matt 10:32 If we confess God before men Jesus will confess us to the Father. And if we are confessed before the Father we will have the answer. 1 Jn 5:14,15

-When the dry winds of doubt come just proclaim more boldly what God has said to your spirit.

-Speak what God says and not what you think.

-Putting the tongue to our faith ignites it to power. The word of His power. Hebrews 1:3

-Acts 1:8 we receive power by Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit causes us to be witnesses of the word of God.

-We overcome the world by our faith. Faith works from obedience. And obedience starts with our confession.

-Proverbs 6:2 You are ensnared by the words of your mouth.

-God releases His faith in words. Heb 1:3; 11:3 Gen 1:. We are to imitate God Eph 5:1 so talk and act like God.

-We are doing the binding, and God stands behind what we say in faith. Matt 16:19 Mark 11:22-24

-Words are containers they carry faith or fear and they produce after their kind.

-Prov 4:20-22 Ps 107:20 God's word is medicine to all our flesh.

Your faith can't rise beyond your confession.

Church Breaks out of Mold

Here is a link to a refreshing story of a church reaching out to its community.

PEACE

Peace is knowing that the God who made the universe and has set us here for a purpose will keep us in His will and will protect us from all the attacks of the enemy. (Heb 1:2; Eph 2:10; 6:16)

Peace is abiding in the shadow of the Almighty. It is being in His protection. (Psalm 91:1-3)

Peace is knowing that nothing can separate us from the love of God. (Rom. 8:31-39)

Peace is knowing that we are overwhelmingly conquering through Jesus who abides within our spirit. (Rom. 8:37)

Peace is knowing that the troubles of this world have no bearing on the outcome of our life because our life is hid in Christ and the treasures that we have are in His kingdom. (Col. 3:3; Matt. 6:20)

Peace is knowing that we don't need to worry about protecting our rights, because when we suffer unjustly we know that we have found favor with God. (1 Pt. 2:20)

Peace is having the word of Christ richly abiding within us so that when the darts of Satan come they are put out by the brilliant light of God's word. (Col. 3:16; Eph. 6:16; John 1:5)

Peace is having our mind stayed on the word of God so that when the worries of the devil attack our soul, our hope is in the promise of God and not in the effects of the trial. (Phil 4:8; Josh. 1:8; James 2:4)

Peace is knowing that God does not even remember our sin. (Isa. 43:25)

Peace is knowing that we can come to God any time we need to, and present our case before Him. (Heb. 4:16)

Peace is knowing that God hears our prayers, and if He hears our prayers we know that He will answer our prayers. (1 Jn. 5:14,15)

Peace is knowing that Jesus is right now praying for us in heaven and He is interceding for us before the Father. (Rom 8:34; Heb. 7:25)

Peace is knowing the fear of God. (Prov. 14:26,27)

Peace is knowing that the wisdom of God will bring forth righteousness. (James 3:13-18)

Peace is knowing that the word of God will not come back void, but will perform its task and will divide between soul and spirit. (Isa. 55:10,11; Heb. 4:12)

Peace is knowing that obeying God has more rewards than all this world could offer. (Heb. 11:24-26)

Peace is knowing that when a man's ways please God, even his enemies will be at peace with him. (Prov. 16:7)

Peace is knowing that no weapon formed against you will prosper and those who accuse you in judgment will be condemned. (Isa. 54:17)

Peace is knowing that those who make war with us will vanish like a dream. (Isa. 29:8)

Peace is knowing that had it not been the Lord who was on our side we would have been torn by our enemies. But our soul has escaped as a bird out to the snare of the trapper; the snare is broken and we have escaped Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. (Ps. 124)

Peace is knowing that the Lord who protects us neither slumbers nor sleeps. (Ps. 121)

Peace is knowing that it is the Lord who leads us through the valley of the shadow of death and we have nothing to fear. (Ps. 23)

Peace is knowing that we can speak God's words because He has covered us with the shadow of His hand. (Isa. 51:16)

Peace is knowing that the blood of Jesus is against Satan. (Col. 2:14,15)

Peace is knowing that death is swallowed up in victory. (1 Cor. 15:54)

Peace is knowing that God is a shield around us, even if 10,000 angry people surrounded us. (Ps. 3)

Peace is knowing that the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth to show Himself strong to those whose heart are completely His. (2 Chron. 16:9)

Peace is knowing that God is a God who heals us! (Ex. 15:26)

Peace is knowing that we don't need to take our own revenge, but we can leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "vengeance is Mine, I will repay says the Lord." (Rom. 12:19)

Peace is knowing that God will do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works within us. (Eph. 3:20)

Peace is knowing the Love of God which surpasses knowledge. (Eph. 3:19)

Peace is knowing that the Lord has written these things to us that in Him we may have peace, in the world we will have tribulation, but be of good cheer Jesus has overcome the world. (John 16:33)

Peace is knowing that every promise is yes and Amen as we are in Christ. (2 Cor. 1:20)

Peace is knowing that the God of hope will fill you with all joy and peace. (Rom 15:13)

Peace is knowing that the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. (Rom. 16:20)

Peace is knowing that the God of peace will be with you as you follow the teachings of the Bible. (Phil 4:9)

Peace is knowing that the God of peace will sanctify us entirely. (1 Thes 5:23)

Peace is knowing that the Lord of peace Himself will continually grant you peace in every circumstance. (2 Thes 3:16)

Peace is knowing that the God of peace who raised Jesus from the dead, will equip you for every good thing. (Heb 13:20,21)

Peace is knowing that we can bring all our problems to God and He will deal with them. (Phil. 4:6,7; 1 Pt. 5:7)

Peace is knowing God! (John 16:33)

Preach the Word

Thurmon Scrivner told of a Baptist preacher who asked God why he did not see signs. God responded saying preach it and I will do it.

Well he did and God did.

That week after he preached about God raising the dead. A lady that went to his church called him and told him her husband just died in the hospital. Would he come to pray to raise him up? And he asked, “why are you asking me?” She replied, “Well you preached on it.”

As he was going to the hospital he was complaining to God that he was not ready for this. And when he got to the hospital the doctor told him to hurry up they wanted to take the dead man away. The wife wouldn't allow him to remove the body.

He got down on his knees and prayed a simple prayer just seeming to go through the motions. But after he prayed the man woke up.

Sower and the Seed: Good Soil

Good Soil

Matthew 18:8,9; Mark 4:9; Luke 8:8

“Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”And He was saying these things, He would call out. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

I've talked about roadside soil, rocky soil and thorny soil. Now I come to the good soil. It is the good soil that we want.

Good soil yields 30 60  and 100 fold.
What that means if you  plant a bucket of seed you will get 30, 60 or 100 buckets back when you harvest.

What is required to get this kind of harvest?
1 Hears it
2 Understands it
3 Accepts it
4 Honest heart
5 Good heart
6 Bears fruit with perseverance

Hears the word of God. To hear the word of God it is not just hearing with your physical ears. But also with the ears of your heart. Yes our heart has ears also.

To hear with our ears of our heart is to accept it as valid and true for us today and that means we will act on it. To accept something is to say it is true. It is valid and it is right.

Understand it. We can hear a teaching but not understand the meaning of what is being taught. It is the Holy Spirit that teaches us the word of God. To understand something of the spirit, we at times need to let the Spirit of God minister to us. This may take time. When we pray over a Scripture and think of it and consider it in our mind for a period of time we will gain the knowledge of what God is saying to us.

Honest heart. There are times when we hear a teaching but we have reasons why we can't do it. We have excuses for not doing it. We excuse ourselves because we say it is not directly for us. Honesty will admit wrong doing. Honesty will admit that we are wrong. Honesty will say, yes that's me and I need to change. Honesty will not make excuses but will accept and respond to the teachings of the Bible.

Good heart. What is being good? It is working for the betterment of others. It is building and not tearing down. It is blessing and not cursing. It is hoping for the best. It is acting in love that God provides. A good heart has God in mind when it listens. It has others in mind to help and minister to when it hears and receives. A good heart will at times go beyond what is asked or required.

Bears fruit with perseverance. To bear fruit is work. It takes many months to build a building. You can blast it down in an afternoon. Perseverance will build something over a period of time.

Trouble will come in bearing fruit. To build something you have to overcome the trouble. If it was no trouble to do it it would already be done.

Perseverance. Plans for the work, pays for the work, deals with the problems that stop the work. Is not discouraged because of set backs in the work. Perseverance sees the end result and keeps heading for that end.

Now we have a Savior that helps us and has sent the Holy Spirit to help and guide and encourage us. With the Word of God in our heart we have a light that guides us to finish the work God has before us.

Good soil will reject what is not good. A  good heart rejects what is bad and accepts what is good. A good heart will accept what is good and it is the Father that gives good gifts. James 1:17?

Good soil will admit that they have rocky soil and take steps to bust them up and set down roots of love.

Good soil will admit they have not give place and time for the word and will make time to receive the word in their heart to change them.

Good soil will reject the worries of the world the deceitfulness of riches. They will reject the abundance of things that eat up their time and money.

Good soil is made by making a place For the Word of God.

Sower and the Seed: Thorny Soil

Thorny soil has the worries of the world that crowd out the word of God, giving it no place in the heart. Worries about health, the worries of finances, the worries of politics. The worries of relationships.

We are told many times not to worry, but turn to God. A person that continues to worry instead of turning to God in prayer is not living in the word. Worry gets you out of the word. God will fulfill His word if we trust Him.

Seeking riches will get us out of following Christ. Yes we need money to live and provide for our family, but seeking riches beyond our needs will keep us from Christ.

1 Tim 6 says we should flee riches.

The lesson of the farmer that stored up crops in bigger barns is important. Luke 12:16-21

Matt 6:33 If we seek a life lived for God and faith lived for God God will provide. If we look after the things of God, God will look after us. The purpose of riches is to advance the kingdom of God. Deut 8:18.

We should store up riches in heaven instead of here where moth and rust corrupts. Riches on earth are elusive and deceiving.

Possessions are another thing the people in thorns seek. There seems to be happiness with acquiring things but there is always the next thing. There is never a sense of satisfaction. Going to the store to get the next thing. It depletes your cash, clutters your home, taking care of these things eat up your time.

Things will not satisfy. Relationships with other people of like mind and with Jesus is what satisfies.

People spend a lot of effort in acquiring things. The more you have the more you want. The more you have the more time you have to spend taking care of what you have.

Jesus is the one who gives abundance not things. Jesus gives us the inner peace we seek. Things will never meet that need.

The things we really need we can pray for and God will give us a plan to enable us to get them.

The deceitfulness of riches. Riches will give a satisfying life. Just as living in a wonderful area will turn sour without Christ. I can find happiness in the midst of an urban environment with nature. There are a lot of wild strips that I can visit and watch.

I say this to emphasize that enjoyment can be found in unlikely places.

What good is it if we gain the whole world and lose our soul? Jesus offers contentment not from abundance but from relationship. Matthew 11:28-30. Come to Jesus when we are weary and heavy laden and He will give us rest. Money will not buy true rest. To have riches is to always be vigilant. But with Christ we can truly rest. Because we can trust in Him

Romans 10:11

Heb 4:1-3

If you will not believe you will not last Isaiah 7:9

John 6:29 Our work is to believe

The sin of Baalm. He feared God but also desired riches. The desire for riches finally overcame his respect for God and he was destroyed.

Worries of the world. Things don't go right, and to worry about them keeps us from living a life directed by God according to the word.

If you want a solution for worry read Psalm 3 and Psalm 56

When things we rely on go bad, we can turn to Jesus for help and wisdom for the answer.

The desire for other things will dominate our mind so there is little energy for the things of God and His word. Paul says in Phil 3:13 This one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind I press onward to what lies ahead. This is the attitude we should take. Living for Jesus and being content with what we have. Philippians 4:11

What we have and what we do should be for the betterment of our walk with God. Now I'm not saying we can't have fun. It is wise to be refreshed. But use it as a means to the end of serving Christ and not as the goal itself.

Worry will choke the fruit in your life not letting it mature. Give up the worry and work towards accomplishing what God has given you to do.

Take health and sickness for example. We all desire health. So when sickness comes what are we to do? 2 Cor 1:20

Give your worry to God and follow the teachings concerning healing.

1. Repent

2. Seek after God

3. Meditate on His Word John 15:7

4. Believe that the promise is for you.

5. Confess the promise is God's will for you and He will give you the promise.

6. Act according to the promise with rejoicing.

use 2 Cor 10:3-5 as a way to deal with doubt in the promises of God.

With this you can rejoice in mind, you can rejoice in God as you wait expectantly for His answer.

Sower and the Seed: Rocky Soil

Rocky soil represents no ability to stick with what you start out to do. A seed sown on rocky soil will spring up before it has enough roots.

In a forest there are areas called glades. Glades are places of rocky soil. The trees that grow there are of poor quality and do not amount to anything. This is because rocky soil does not allow roots to acquire water. Water enables plants to cool in the heat as well as grow. Roots signify in the spirit the ability to withstand the problems of life we face day to day.

Love is what enables us to go through the hard times. How do we get this love. It is by allowing roots to grow in our life to get to the water of the Word of God.

A person that has rocky soil can be excited about the new life in Christ. They can sing and rejoice. But the test is when they go through trials. Will they turn to God in the trial, or will they give up.

When a person gives up it is because they did not prepare their heart to withstand trials of life.

Rocky soil can represent unforgiveness instead of love. It can represent a life dedicated to self instead of a life of self denial and taking up the cross of Christ. It can be a shallow life of not considering the teachings of Jesus. It is a life lived with no love for others.

Rocky soil people believe when it feels good, but fall away when their feelings go against them. They are living by feelings and not by faith. They do not lay down roots of faith and love in God and for others. A shallow life, a selfish life and a life of being unprepared.

Rocky soil people can't endure persecution because of the Word of God. They are trying to please themselves instead of God.

On the rocky soil we plow up the rocks and get down to deep soil by deciding to love others. Love is not an adjective it is a verb. It is not a feeling its action or decision. Decide to love others by helping them in ways you are led.

Roadside Soil

The roadside soil represents soil that is hard packed by the busyness of life.

Roadside soil is represented by people busy with many worldly pursuits. These are not bad in themselves, but if there is no time to consider the seed or word of God then our heart does not produce anything of substance.

Roadside soil can represent people that don't accept the Bible as the word of God. They reject the word because they don't believe it. They think it's foolish and it's not worth their time to listen.

Life has 3 elements to it. Physical, mental or soulish and spiritual. Now all three need to be taken care of. The physical is the most obvious. We need food, clothing, shelter, transportation and a source of income to pay for these. The soul or our mind needs to be educated to function in society and procure work to provide for ourselves and those we love. It is our spirit that is the inner source of our life. Our spirit or what we call our heart is where we make our decisions. It is the foundation for what we want to learn and get for our life.

The Word of God is food for the spirit or our heart. Other foods for our heart that are not good could be evil spirits or self love. A starved spirit or depraved spirit will express itself in non productive ways or evil ways.

Salvation is needed to renew our heart to the place it was created for. Each of us has sinned and broken the rules God has set up for us. Romans 3:23

The result or wages of our sin is death. Death or separation from God which results in going to hell.

Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

But God devised a way for us to be redeemed from this predicament. Jesus came to earth and lived a life free from sin and was wrongly put to death. This death paid for our sins which we would have had to pay with our lives.

Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His onw love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

The way we acquire this gift is to believe in Jesus instead of living our old life. We make a statement of a change and belief.

Romans 10:9,10 “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your that God raised Him from the dead you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.”

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. “

Eph 2:8,9,10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. “

God's word at first brings us to salvation. Satan tries different methods to stop us from acquiring this new life. But if he doesn't succeed, he will try again to keep us from growing.

Understanding this parable is a foundation or prerequisite of understanding the Bible.

Are we busy with work? Yes we need to provide for our family but if we neglect the other 2 areas of life our foundation will come crashing down at some point.

Do we find more fulfillment in recreation rather than in God and His word? If this is the case we again are neglecting life's foundations.

Is our schedule such that there is no time for God?

We can get so caught up in the rush of life that our ability to hear God and grow as a person is hindered.

A seed planted in roadside soil has no ability to germinate because of the hard pack of travel. Then it is exposed for the birds to eat them before they have a chance. The seed then is gone and the possibility of new life is lost.

Many go to church to hear teaching but the moment they walk out the door they completely forget what they heard and the lesson is lost to them.

Take care with the Word of God and pray over it after you hear it. Pray for God to make it real in your life and plan to incorporate it into your life.

The Sower and the Seed

Sower parable combined. Mark 4:2-9; Matt 4:3-9; Luke 8:5-8

And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching, “Listen to this! Behold, the sower went out to sow his seed; as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds of the air came and ate it up. Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it grew and sprang up because it had no moisture with no depth of soil. And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it out, and it yielded no crop. Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”And He was saying these things, He would call out. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Sower Lesson Explained

Mark 4:13-20 Matthew 13:18-23 Luke 8:11-15 combined

And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables? Hear then the parable of the sower. The sower sows the seed which is the word God.

These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear the word of the kingdom and don't understand it, immediately Satan, the evil one, comes and takes away the word which has been sown in their heart, so that they will not believe and be saved.

In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary. They believe for a while, then when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away.

And others are the ones on whom seed was sown and fell among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, and as they go on their way the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, pleasures of this life, wealth, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. They bring no fruit to maturity.

And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast and accept and understand it and who indeed bear fruit with perseverance. Some thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

Psalm 57 God's Protection

 v 1
Be gracious to me, O God, be gracious to me,
For my soul takes refuge in You;
And in the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge
Until destruction passes by.

David asks for grace. We have the way opened for us to receive grace anytime we want to by going to God in prayer. Hebrews 4:16 Many of the epistles start with "grace to you." God is offering us the ability to live the Christian life, and that ability comes to us by the God's grace.

God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6). Knowledge, works for God, or lack of sin does not bring God's ability. Our coming to God for His power and ability which fills our soul with hope does bring His ability. Going to God for mercy is like receiving God's manna morning by morning, for God is our source.

In David's trouble, he takes refuge under the wings of God. Being "under His wings" is referred to in other Bible passages also. It is a place of protection and hiding. Psalm 91 is the most famous. I go to that psalm frequently, trusting God for His protection. The wings could be referring to the Cherabim covering the mercy seat of God's throne.

v 2
I will cry to God Most High,
To God who accomplishes all things for me.

David cries out to God who accomplishes all things for him. He has a confidence in God that what he asks for will be answered. We can have that confidence in God as well. God will hear our prayer and answer. What God starts, will He not finish? We can trust God to complete His work in us. Philippians 1:6 God's word will accomplish what it was set out to accomplish. Isaiah 55:11

 v 3
He will send from heaven and save me;
He reproaches him who tramples upon me. Selah.
God will send forth His lovingkindness and His truth.

David asks for help from heaven. He understands that help from man will not do. He needs the help of God. We as well should take the same attitude of looking to God for our help. David needs the enemies to be reproached by God.

Love and truth are sent. When we see the love and truth of God, His light will show us the path of life to follow in this day. They go together. One without the other won't work. Jesus came to bring His kingdom to earth. But He did it through love by laying His life down that we might have the way of truth to God. Living by the Word of God in love is our solution also. We don't overcome evil with evil, we overcome evil with good. Romans 12:21

v 4
My soul is among lions;
I must lie among those who breathe forth fire,
Even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows
And their tongue a sharp sword.

Living with lions. David was in the midst of trials. He was living in the midst of people that had it in for him. David fled from Saul in the cave.

v6
They have prepared a net for my steps;
My soul is bowed down;
They dug a pit before me;
They themselves have fallen into the midst of it. Selah.

The enemies have prepared a net, and David's soul is bowed down with burdens and worry. His enemies have dug a pit for him. We can be overwhelmed as we focus on the difficulties that are before us. But we can know that the enemy's efforts will be turned against them as they fall into their own pit. God will deliver us from the power of the enemy and set us free in Christ.

v 7,8
My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast;
I will sing, yes, I will sing praises!
Awake, my glory!
Awake, harp and lyre!
I will awaken the dawn.

David remembers God's goodness and turns to worship, singing praises. He reminds himself to get up early in the morning and worship, give thanks, and praise God.

Why?

v10,11
For Your lovingkindness is great to the heavens
And Your truth to the clouds.
Be exalted above the heavens, O God;
Let Your glory be above all the earth.

God's lovingkindness is great and truth up to the clouds are from Him. Let us worship the Lord. For He comes to save and deliver.

In the midst of opposition David believes God for answered prayer, David rests and trusts God. David overcomes his bowed down soul by worshiping God.

Judge Ehud

Judges 3:9-30 After the first judge of Israel, Othniel, died,

Israel again turned away from the Lord and followed after other

gods.

We don't have idols in this day, but we do have things that we

put in front of God. How do we know if we put something in

front of God? It is when we are living for our time with God to

be over so we can do the things we want to do. It is when we

are praying but can't keep our mind on prayer because of our

desire to do other things. It is when we look at disdain at
spending time with the Lord.

v12 So the Lord strengthened Eglon the king of Moab.

When we neglect the Lord, the things of this world will control

us and take over, and we will live in subject to them.

It is when the Israelites cried out to the Lord that a deliverer

was raised up. Don't neglect the Lord and when we find ourselves

under bondage we should cry to the Lord and He will raise up a

deliverance for us.

Isaiah 62:6,7 "On your walls O Jerusalem I have appointed

watchmen. All day and all night they will never keep silent.

You who remind the Lord, take no rest for yourselves and give

Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in

the earth."

We live in the New covenant now. We don't have to beg God to

answer. But we do need to stand against Satan. And this is what

we should do. Eglon gathered other armies and defeated Israel
and possessed the city of the Palm trees.

The city of the Palm trees could have been Jericho. But that

city was torn down by Joshua at the beginning of the invasion

of the promised land. Deut 34:3 refers to Jericho as having

palm trees. It could be south of the city; there was a

settlement there.

Ehud was the deliverer for Israel. He made for himself a sword.

He did not go buy a sword. He made it himself. Now this might
have been the norm. But when you make something you understand
it better. When you make something you appreciate it more.
When you make something it means more to you. When you make
something it is special.

Now, he was not making something that would sit up on the shelf.

He was making something that was going to be used. So he made

it specifically for the job at hand. 

The two-edged sword is a type of the word of God. Heb 4:12 For

the Word of God is sharper than any two-edged sword. Isa 41:15

God has made for us a new sharp threshing sledge. With it we

will pulverize the mountains and make the hills like chaff.

God's word will destroy our enemies. The hills and mountains are

types of the trials that come our way. And the word of God will

make riddance of them. Jesus has a two-edged sword coming out of

His mouth in the book of Revelation.

The word of God is a weapon when we believe it and confess it

and use it to our advantage.

When we are in the word of God we are in the Spirit. For John

6:63 says the Words Jesus speaks to us are spirit and the are

life.

Ehud bound the sword on his right leg so he could reach it

easily with his left hand being left handed. In the same way we

can prepare the Word of God in our hearts to access it when we

need it. Study to show yourself approved unto God 2 Tim 2:15

There are areas in our life that need the attention of the

Scriptures. With this attention we can walk in faith and slay

the enemy by the use of the sword of God.

It is not just having the word of God, but we need to practice

using it. It is by this practice that we discern the will of God

and renew our minds to use the Word of God when life

throws trials at us. Rom 12:2

Eglon was a very fat man. Our enemy is not so strong that we

can't defeat Him as we walk in the authority God has given us.

We have the victory in Christ. Greater is He that is in us than

he that is in the world 1 Jn. 4:4 This fat man could not

defend himself against the word of God. When you look at

Scripture there is nothing that can withstand the word of God.

Rom 1:16 the word of God is the power of salvation. Even when

people reject it they can't stop its work. Some of the most

unlikely people get saved. Why? Because of the working of the

Word of God.

v28 After God has given us the victory in prayer we need to

walk it out. Walk it out with faith that as God has answered

your prayer He will support you as you accomplish the work He

has for you to do. Live in expectation. Live in joy of the

victory. Expect God to work with you with signs.

Romans 8:11

Rom 8:11 "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you."

The Holy Spirit is giving me life to live on this earth and be effective in the kingdom of God. And not just a little dose of life. But LIFE EVERLASTING. And this life everlasting can reach out to others and bring life to them.

The Holy Spirit brings the word to our remembrance and this word is life. John 14:26; John 6:63 The Word of God is so rich.

The Holy Spirit is dwelling in us. This life within is waiting to burst out. Praise God. The Holy Spirit gives life as I listen to Him. Thank you Jesus.

Rom 8:11 "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you."

Sickness really is a part of our body not operating right. For the Holy Spirit to give life to our body is to heal what is wrong with us. He raises us up from the sick bed with newness of life.

Rom 8:11 "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you."

But if the Spirit

We have the Spirit at our new birth. And we have the baptism of the Spirit. But there needs to also be refreshing of the Spirit of God. It is not so much that the Spirit needs to be revived but we need to be revived with the Spirit of God.

The words Jesus spoke to us are spirit. John 6:63. And it is by the Word of God that we are revived.
Psalm 119:25, 40, 50, 107, 159,

It is the great peace that comes to us as we love the Word of God. Ps 119:165

Jesus was raised from the dead by the Spirit of God. Jesus who had all the sin of the whole world on Him was raised from the dead by the Spirit of God. It is this same power that will give life to us throuth the Spirit of God. Thank you Jesus for your spirit.

The Spirit of God dwells in me. I am the temple of God. Not that I am special but God is special to choose man to live with. Who am I to have this Spirit? Yet I have this same Spirit that raise up Jesus from the dead and He went to sit at the right hand of God the Father. And now He is making intercession for me to the Father as I speak the words of The Spirit of God spoken to me through the Bible.

Now I have this life but life is to be lieved and used not horded. If I try to hoard it disapates. If I give it grows within me.

The Holy Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. The glory of the Father raised Jesus from the dead. Romans 6:4 So the Holy Spirit took the Father's glory to raise Jesus from the dead. I see glory as light. The Holy Spirit took the Fathers bright light to raise Jesus from the dead. And what is the light? Ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. The word of God is the light of God. The Holy Spirit took the word of God to raise Jesus from the dead. And this same word of God will also raise us from the deadness of the flesh to walk in the newness of the spirit. Let the Word of God richly dwell within you.

Without Jesus being raised there is no hope of the gospel. And if we are not raised we are walking in the flesh and not the spirit. Where there is spirit there is life. What does the Spirit do? He reminds us of the Scripture. The words of Jesus are Spirit and they are Life. He who has hears to hear let him hear.

The Spirit dwells in me. I don't have to search for Him just quiet myself to listen. He will speak if I will stop speaking and obsessing, and staying busy to look important.

Why should we try to look important? We have the living God the creator of the heavens and the earth within us. We have more than the answer to our needs dwelling within. We have fullness of joy dwelling within.

The Spirit will also give life. Just as He did for Jesus He will do for me. It is the same word He will do. And greater works will we do because Jesus returns to the Father. What is Jesus doing with the Father? He is praying for us. John 14:14 If you ask Me anything in my name I will do it." If Jesus is assuring us that He will answer our prayers. Then won't He answer His own prayers that He is giving to the Father?

How Long?

Psalm 13 How long? How Long? How long? How long?
How long, O Lord?
Will you forget me forever?

How long will you hide Your face from me?

How long shall I take counsel in my soul?
Having sorrow in my heart all the day.

How long will my enemies be exaulted over me?

4 how longs. This is a psalm of David and he expresses exasperation of a lack of an answer to prayer.

Forgot me forever - No answer and the sky seems like brass. His prayers are to nothing no answer no consolation.

Without an answer there does not seem to be a God up there. God hides his face.
When David asks God hides. Why?

Take counsel in my soul. To consider why this trial has come. All the day. The pain beings up the problem David is not able to forget.

How long will his enemy be exaulted over him? David does not have the answer. He is wondering why not. He is oppressed by the enemy.

B U T

This new word will do a wonderful work in our heart. The complaint should not end, with a complaint.
But
1. I have trustred.
But
2. My heart shall rejoice.
But
I will sing.
Why this turn of events?
David is a man after God's own heart. 1 Sam 13:14 Acts 13:22 And what does God's heart delight in? He delights in faith. Faith to obey. Faith to trust.
Hebrews 11:6

David trusts in God's lovingkindness.
David's heart shall rejoice in God's salvation.
He expresses his trust and heart rejoicing with singing.

And why does David respond to the seemingly forgetfulness of God. The removal of God's presence from him. The enemies exaulting over him.

David confesses that God has dealt bountifully with him in the midst of God seemingly to forget him. David sings to God in the face of God seemingly being far from him. David rejoices in the midst of his enemies being exaulted over him.

Why because David believes God. He expresses his belief in the midst of turmoil and trial and seemingly defeat by rejoicing, singing and trusting. He confesses that God has delt bountifuly with him. Not a woe is me but God will come through. BUT He trusts and rejoices in God in the very midst of trial, forgetfulness and opression.

He expresses faith in the midst of adversity by trusting singing rejoicing and confessing God's provision.

This is how we stand in the midst of trial explained in Eph 6:11 2 Cor 10:3-5

Stand against the schemes of the devil.
How by trusting, rejoicing, singing and stating God's provision.

And what is God's provision? The promises in the Bible. 2 Peter 1; 2 Cor 1:20

For in Him we live and move and have our being. It's not we live when things are going our way. It's we live becasue we have Jesus. It doesn't make any difference what Satan throws at us. We live when we have Jesus.

Psalm 13

How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever?
How long will You hide Your face from me?
² How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long will my enemy be exalted over me?

³ Consider and answer me, O Lord my God;
Enlighten my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death,
⁴ And my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
And my adversaries will rejoice when I am shaken.

⁵ But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;
My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.
⁶ I will sing to the Lord,
Because He has dealt bountifully with me.