Abundant Courage

INTRO

Psalm 27 ESV

Of David. 1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. 3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. 4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. 5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock. 6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. 7 Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! 8 You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.” 9 Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help. Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation! 10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in. 11 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. 12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. 13 I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

1) The LORD Brings Courage in Darkness. (v.1,14)

Darkness if often associated with this world.

Darkness brings about a warning to most of consciousness. We very much prefer light to darkness.

David in this Psalm declares, “The LORD is my LIGHT and my SALVATION; whom shall I fear?”

When we observe the darkness of this world, we have a tendency to worry, but we shouldn’t worry. We should fixate our lives on the LORD.

Jesus illuminates the darkness around us. He helps us to see the reality of the world around us.

The world may be getting darker, but our assurances do not need to come from this world.

When the LORD is our light and our salvation, we can live courageously and boldly, knowing that He is still in charge.

When the LORD is the “stronghold of my life” we do not need to fear the darkness of this world.

When we walk with the LORD and are faithful to Him, who should we be afraid of?

If those who govern over us turn darker, if our employers grow darker, if our friends turn against us for being “too churchy” or “too religious” will God not still be God? Will the LORD not be able to see us through whatever circumstances we face?

No matter how dark the world may become around us, the LORD will always give us Courage to walk faithfully with Him!

2) The LORD Brings Confidence in Despair. (v.2-4)

After David expresses how the Lord makes him courageous, he gives a scenario that sounds intimidating.

He gives the image of ungodly people surrounding him to completely destroy him.

He gives the idea of an army moving into an attack position around him and arising to war against him.

David’s expression to these situations that tempt despair: Confidence!

David says that it is his enemies who will falter and fail. He will remain confident in the despair.

His focus is not the enemy but the One who is greater than all!

David’s desire is not for relief or victory over the enemy. He knows the LORD provides that. He doesn’t want what the LORD gives…He wants the LORD!

He asks the LORD for only one thing: A Close Relationship

Too often we don’t have confidence in the LORD because we don’t know the LORD well.

Too many people spend too much time and effort chasing after the blessings of God rather than chasing after God Himself.

We all want what the Lord provides, but how much do we truly want the LORD?

How dedicated are we to ensuring we seek after Him? Dwell in His house all our days? Being in awe of His beauty?

Too often we give in to despair because we don’t have our full focus on the LORD.

When the LORD is our fullest desire, despair has no place in our hearts.

When the LORD is our fullest desire, we live in confidence no matter the circumstances, especially when they seem to be against us.

No matter how gloomy the outlook from the world’s perspective, we can have confidence in God’s perspective!

3) The LORD Brings Certainty in Danger. (v.5-13)

As David is talking about having courage and confidence no matter the circumstances, even in situations that seem overwhelming.

God hides David in the day of trouble, yet with his enemies all around him, David is exalted above his enemies.

David’s ambition is to seek the LORD’s face though his enemies surround him. As a result, David’s enemies are thwarted and David is not abandoned.

God uses David’s willingness to be taught and to be led by the LORD to keep David on a “level path”. (v.11)

David’s foot doesn’t slip, as his enemies would want, rather David remains sure and steadfast despite the enemies attempts to make him fall.

He knows that He will see the goodness of God played out upon his life while still in this world.

While the enemy is desperate to destroy David, the LORD gives David safety, resolve, and influence to overcome the plans of the enemy.

God doesn’t remove the enemy from around David, but He gives David the assurance that the enemy will not prevail.

In our world, the closer we draw to God the more we will see just how many influences are trying to keep us from following God.

The influences of this world created a danger to us everyday. Most times we are so accustomed to this world, we don’t even see the dangers of the world around us.

Once our eyes are opened and we see the dangers all around us, we don’t lose heart because we know that the LORD is our courage, our confidence, and our certainty.

Our ambition, if we are to embrace the gift of God’s Abundant Courage, must be to draw closer to Him, Trust Him, and Obey Him.

CALL TO RESPOND

As Rev. John Sammis wrote in 1887:

When we walk with the Lord

In the light of His Word

What a glory He sheds on our way

While we do His good will

He abides with us still

And with all who will trust and obey

Not a shadow can rise

Not a cloud in the skies

But His smile quickly drives it away

Not a doubt nor a fear

Not a sigh nor a tear

Can abide while we trust and obey

But we never can prove

The delights of His love

Until all on the altar we lay

For the favor He shows

And the joy He bestows

Are for those who will trust and obey

Then in fellowship sweet

We will sit at His feet

Or we'll walk by His side in the way

What He says we will do

Where He sends we will go

Never fear only trust and obey

Trust and obey

For there's no other way

To be happy in Jesus

But to trust and obey

We can live with Abundant Courage when we whole-heartedly, single-mindedly, intensely focus on God.

Let us not live in fear of this dark world, but let us live with Abundant Courage that comes from the LORD of our lives as we draw near to Him!