Fake News, Real God

Introduction

Prior to the 2020 presidential election we were introduced to a phrase entitled “Fake News”. No matter how much evidence people had there was no apologies, there was no confession, to be quite honest even until this day there is no confession, and that phrase is still being used and recited by followers, supporters and fellow politicians that align with the ideologies of this camp.

Although many of us may never run for public office, I’m certain that majority of the people in this room have been lied on, being lied on is never a good feeling. When we are going through seasons of betrayal, and distrust it’s difficult to see the truth and the good in anyone when we have been hurt by someone. Often times we maneuver through life in a reciprocal way. For instance, we have taught the adage treat people the way you want to be treated. We befriend people based on commonality, space in life and our ability to connect. When those attractions are broken due to hypocrisy, it changes the dynamic of how we maneuver through life. The constant thing that we must remember is that people are not perfect and humans will let you down. Nonetheless God is constant and consistent! His love never leaves, His protection never runs out, and his grace is overflowing!

The question is how do we navigate the attack of the enemy in our life. I need us to understand that we truly on have one enemy. We don’t have a lot of enemies we have one enemy working in a lot of people. Understand that the enemy is looking for the weak spot, the enemy is looking an opening. Strengthening ourselves under the mighty hand of God isn’t just for protection against the enemy it’s also for when we’ve been attacked and we are seeking shelter.

Some attacks we are not ready for, some attacks blindside us in life. Some attacks knock us off of our feet! The remedy to this is staying as close to God as we possibly can!

How Long Will You Attack Me

Psalm 62:3 “How long will you attack a man? You shall be slain, all of you, Like a leaning wall and a tottering fence.”

From the outside looking in, you look defeated, you look like everything is over. The people who want to destroy you proclaim that you’re done, BUT GOD!

Nonetheless why am I confident? David is asking this question, how long will you they attack me?

We’ve been in this place. When we are just tired of the attacks, tired of the lies! Tired of the hypocrisy! What do we do? This isn’t just a situation where someone doesn’t like us and lies on us, this is a situation where someone is trying to ruin your credibility completely! This is a verbal assault one in which people proclaim and yell insults and things that disparage your credibility. These just aren’t attacks, this is to take the life of someone as to cause a state of death. Moreso along the lines to refer to an accident, manslaughter, premeditation, or governmental execution! As much as David wrote this to encourage those at the time, this type of murder was a tool of aggression for the oppression.

Psalm 94:6 “They slay the widow and the stranger, And murder the fatherless.”

Nonetheless, it’s similar to the murder of Jesus! It was deeper than hate, it was political, it was social! It was deeper than jealously! It was based on Fake News!

Understand that the enemy may try you, may attack you a lot longer than you desire, but know that God has got your back!

Here’s the encouragement, because it gets tough. It’s hard navigating life when people see that you’re down and still want to kick you!

You see I’m hurt and you still kick me.

You see I’m going through marital issues but you still kick me.

You see I’ve been to prison, paid my debt to society but you still kick me.

You see I’ve made a mistake that has changed my life and you still kick me.

Life will keep kicking you like they don’t already know you are leaning on your last leg like a leaning wall or a tottering fence. The enemy only wants to expose what’s weak. This is why they kick you while you are down.

The enemy has one goal, sometimes it’s not about you. It’s about the position you have. Everyone isn’t happy about your success. Sometimes the wars we are in, we aren’t responsible for. Just because we didn’t start the war doesn’t mean we don’t have to depend on God and fight like our life depended on it.

When times get hard depend on God. Psalm 61:1–2 “Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.”

The enemy’s goal is to destroy you. The goal is to beat you down, they want nothing more than to destroy everything you are. This is why they take pleasure in lies. See the enemy believes you are exposed. This is why they keep attacking. Don’t lose hope when you are attacked. Stay faithful, stay diligent.

One of the most thrilling things to witness was Muhammad Ali boxing. When he was fighting he would use this tool called the rope-a-dope. It looked like he was getting hit but when you really looked at the fight he was dodging all those punches, in effort to wear the opponent down and eventually win the fight in the later rounds.

See to the crowd it looks you’re being pummeled but it’s not about what the crowd things it’s about what is actually going on in the ring! Do worry about the oooo’s and ahhhh’s of the crowd, you just keep fighting!

Why Do I Lean On God?

Psalm 61:3–4 “For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah”

We lean on God because He is our strong tower.

Here’s where you have to be ready! Sometimes protection means a higher platform. You have to ask yourself, am I ready to ascend because sometimes the best protection is at a different and higher platform. Sometimes the best place of protection in the storm is to ascend a little hire!

Elijah 1 Kings 19:11 “Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake;”

Sometimes in order to see the Lord passing by, we have to ascend to places we’ve never been before.

Praise God in the Midst of the Attack

I find it intriguing that the name Jeduthun (yeduthun) comes from the root word yadah meaning to praise. Sometimes in the storm God has to remind you who are are through encouragement!

Praise God like your name depends on it, because your name does depend on it!

How can I make sure I praise God when times get tough! Have confidence, but recognize when trouble comes.

I know you have had more than enough is enough moments! Understand even in our enough is enough, God is more than enough. When enough is enough find rest in God!

When they lie on you fight trust in God! Psalm 62:4 “They only consult to cast him down from his high position; They delight in lies; They bless with their mouth, But they curse inwardly. Selah”

Remember what the Psalmist says Psalm 62:5–8 “My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be moved. In God is my salvation and my glory; The rock of my strength, And my refuge, is in God. Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah”

1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching Protection, Divine

The story has been told of a believer, Frederick Nolan, who was fleeing from his enemies during a time of persecution in North Africa. Pursued by them over hill and valley with no place to hide, he fell exhausted into a wayside cave, expecting his enemies to find him soon.

Awaiting his death, he saw a spider weaving a web. Within minutes, the little bug had woven a beautiful web across the mouth of the cave. The pursuers arrived and wondered if Nolan was hiding there, but on seeing the unbroken and unmangled piece of art, thought it impossible for him to have entered the cave without dismantling the web. And so they went on. Having escaped, Nolan burst out and exclaimed:

“Where God is, a spider’s web is like a wall,

Where God is not, a wall is like a spider’s web.”1108