Jesus my strength and my song

My Strength and My Song

Text: Isaiah 12

1 And in that day thou shalt say,

O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me,

Thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

2  Behold, God is my salvation;

I will trust, and not be afraid:

For the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song;

He also is become my salvation.

3  Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

4  And in that day shall ye say,

Praise the LORD, call upon his name,

Declare his doings among the people,

Make mention that his name is exalted.

5  Sing unto the LORD; for he hath done excellent things:

This is known in all the earth.

6  Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion:

For great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.

Intro: Jesus is many things to many people.

He is the Lily of the Valley, the Bright and Morning Star,

the Word of God, the Good Shepherd, Wonderful, Counselor,

the Mighty God, and the Lord God All-mighty

But there is no better testimony than this:

God is “my strength,” “my song,” and “my salvation.”

We have in these words the very escents of the excitement of holy living. “My strength”: is what I need most in life,

the power to fight is enshrined in those two words.

The prophet called Him “the Lord Jehovah.”

Lord Jehovah is literally “Jah Jehovah.” Jah is a contraction of “Jehovah,” and both signifies Gods eternal being and his unchangeableness.

“My song!” With my God, I can fight to music … I can sing as I fight.

I can march to war to the accompaniment of an entire band.

I can be a singing warrior, stepping out with all the harmonies of heaven!

“My salvation!” With my God I fight to victory, and greater victory.

Everything I need by way of encouragement is mentioned in this text:

the strength that makes me a warrior; &

the salvation that makes me a happy warrior fighting for greater liberty and greater freedom!

I. Isaiah said; THE LORD IS MY STRENGTH.

A. A Christian life is a life of continual conflict. You joined the army of the lord!

an Army's fight battles against the kings enemies!

The very first help we need is for our weakness to be transformed into his strength and power. Make no mistake about it, the Christian life is one of conflict!

B. We are to be “strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man” Ephesians 3:16

Zechariah 4:6

Not by might nor by power but by my spirit saith the lord of hosts.

1 John 4:4

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

C. And his strength is continuous. Job 17:9 tells us,

“The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger.”

This reserve of power comes to us which we cannot exhaust:

1. Strength of will.

2. Strength of effect.

3. Strength of judgment.

4. Strength of ideals.

D. Ephesians 6:10-12

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places

2 Timothy 2:3 “Therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ”

1 Timothy 6:12 “Fight the good fight of faith lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses”

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: ( looking for the weak and weary)

2 Corinthians 2 :14

14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place

Luke 10: 2-3 Jesus speaking;

2 The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.

3 Go your ways: behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves.

2 Corinthians 4: 7-8 Paul said;

7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

Habakkuk 3:19

“The Lord God is my strength. and he will make my feet like hinds feet

(Mountain goat)

and he will make me to walk upon mine high places”

Through the valley,and along the land that seems to have no end,

when our spirits are depressed,

when life seems to be a drudgery,

when it seems there is no hope, He is still our strength!

E. He is our strength to go up. He is the power to help us climb the Hill of Difficulty, and not be afraid.

Isaiah 40:31 “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Nehemiah 8:10 “The joy of the Lord is your strength.”

F. He is also our strength to go down.

When we have been up to heights where the air is thin, in the sun and the winds are unhindered, then we go down to lowest parts the swamps, our hearts, can to grow faint.

When we have reached the height of popularity and started back downhill,

He is our strength to be able to accept the decline gracefully.

Psalm 23:4—“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.”

G. He is our strength when we need to sit still.

When we have done our best, reached the end of our ability and just have to sit and wait on the Lord , it requires tremendous strength. But “Our sufficiency is of God”

2 Corinthians 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;

II. THE LORD IS MY SONG.

A. The Christian life is a symphony music! It is not only characterized by might, but by music.

If our experience is not musical, it is not strong enough.

B. When you have Defective lung-power, does not provide enough strength, and it results in imperfect harmonies.

It is when strength is abounding that we have the song victory. and the shout of triumph!

C. Go to the Book of Acts, the book of Pentecost , where the Holy Ghost is sweeping through lives like a mighty wind. There is no book more full of music and song, during the strain of a triumphant march?

D. We are told “at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God” (Acts 16:25). It is natural to pray—but to sing at midnight? Cold dark, and bleeding from their beating probably wondering if this was the end of their ministry they began to sing songs Unto God!

E. Ephesians 5:18, 19 “Be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit; speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”

F. Some say, “I know I am saved, but I don’t have that ‘singing experience.’ ” When the song is lost, it means we’ve lost our strength, and lost our victory.

The psalmist said, Psalm 40:3

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:

Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.

Job 35:10

But none saith, Where is God my maker,

Who giveth songs in the night;

G. A gloomy, melancholy relationship will not attract men to Christ, neither to His church.

We must not be like the children of Israel, who hung their harps on the willows and said,

“How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” (Psalm 137:4 .

H. David sang in the day of his power! Many times he said, “I will sing.”

A singing relationship is one that sings as it serves. An exuberant musical, harmonious relationship will bless and attract the world.does this mean we should go around singing out loud so all the world can hear us? NOOOOO!

I. Colossians 3:16 “Admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”

J. If He fills our soul with power, we should sing a new song.

III. THE LORD IS MY SALVATION.

A. The Christian life is one of expanding freedom and usefulness.

(constantly Growing)

B. Salvation includes deliverance, inheritance, and freedom.

With God’s strength we can fight and sing our way into a greater liberty.

C. But frowning, growling, grumbling complaining, whining—and self pity is like painting yourself into a corner.

D. 2 Samuel 22:20

“He brought me forth also into a large place: he delivered me, because he delighted in me.”

After every battle and deliverance, our soul will have more strength for the next battle and a larger, fuller, richer, sweeter song as well!

“Sing unto him a new song” Play skilfully with a loud noise Psalm 33:3 .

CONCLUSION:

Psalm 144:9

I will sing a new song unto thee, O God:

Upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.

Psalm 104:33—“I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live:

I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.”

“From victory unto victory,

Gods army will He lead,

Till every enemy is vanquished,

And Christ is Lord indeed.”