Preparing for Victory, Pt. 2
Notes
Transcript
Intro: Last week we began this psalm with the mindset of Preparing for Victory in Christ in our daily walk. We realized that Victory comes by preparation that must be rooted in the person of Christ as we make Him our dwelling place!
Now I want to give a disclaimer here before we go any further;
This psalm is written by an Old Testament saint who is praising God for Old Testament blessings that were specific to the nation of Israel that included national prosperity and divine protection as long as they walked in step with God.
[ref. Deut. 28] Moses is reminding the children of Israel, before they enter the Promised Land, of God’s covenant of blessing and cursing is based upon their obedience to Him.
As New Testament Christians, we must understand that God has not promised America national prosperity and divine protection as He did to Israel, but the scriptures do reveal;
3 I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
1 Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God.
2 Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.
3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.
Much of the Old Testament commands is not directed to the church but is specific to the nation of Israel, but the principles of God commands/Word throughout the Old Testament and to the nation of Israel, can apply to all generations of believers that walk in obedience to Him.
Text; Ps. 91:3-6
3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence.
4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.
5 You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
6 Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.
1. God Wants to Deliver Us; 3
1. God Wants to Deliver Us; 3
Surely- a guarantee it will take place
God is in the delivery business! If God will snatch us [deliver] from the depths of hell through salvation in His Son, surely he can and will deliver us from the “snares of the fowler.”
Snare- a trap, noose
Fowler- trapper of birds. It takes a very cunning hunter to trap a bird.
The trap must be carefully concealed, customized for the bird hunted and baited appropriately for each target. [If you are a hunter you don’t use the same tactics or size shot for quail as you would for a turkey or duck]
Satan is a cunning fowler/trapper who sets traps for Christians. Those traps come in different forms for different people. Such as immorality, alcohol, drugs, money, cursing, judging others, gossip, pornography, etc.…
8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.
Each of these traps are considered “perilous pestilences”
Perilous- exposed to danger or at risk
Pestilence- plague, epidemic, fatal disease
Satan exposes the believer to danger/risk through many temptations/traps
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NKJV)
13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Jesus escaped every temptation of Satan by clinging to the Word of God, and so can we!
2. God Wants to Cover Us; 4
2. God Wants to Cover Us; 4
Cover- to protect, to hide
God’s desire is to protect us and hide us from the onslaught of the enemy.
[Illus.] Tell story of fire consuming hen but her chicks survived under her wings. The reason they survived is they were willing to go to her and trust her for safety. The wings of the hen became a shield and buckler to the chicks.
On April 23, 2015, fire roared through the old Westview Church, destroying nearly everything except this Bible. [ref. to Bible that survived the church fire, scorched but not destroyed]. Sheetrock and insulation fell from the ceiling and covered it. That became it’s shield and buckler.
The Bible is our shield;
Shield- handheld barrier for self-defense
16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
The Holy Spirit is our buckler;
Buckler- walls of security and safety
13 In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,
14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.
John 16:13 (NKJV)
13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,
5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
23 and be renewed in the spirit of your mind,
Some of the saddest words that Jesus speaks in scripture;
Luke 13:34 (NKJV)
34 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!
God wants to cover us and protect us, but we have to be willing!
3. God Wants to Strengthen Us; 5-6
3. God Wants to Strengthen Us; 5-6
This world is under siege by the powers of darkness. Satan holds it under his grip. Terror, wickedness, evil and all ungodliness abound more and more every day!
This scripture even reveals that the daytime will be just as perilous/dangerous as night!
Old Testament Jews had the fear of nations around them taking them captive [even today], and New Testament Christians have the fear of local and global persecution/terrorism.
But the Lord says we can have strength in Him!
10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.
3 For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior; I gave Egypt for your ransom, Ethiopia and Seba in your place.
33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
36 As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,
11 strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;
10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.
Matthew 28:20b (NKJV)
20 … and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Close;
The guardianship of God is never slack, always constant, and unchangeable. Those who trust in Him are at all times safe in His keeping.
Preparing for victory is knowing with confidence the faithfulness of God, that His will is to deliver us, cover us and strengthen us.
But we must by faith draw close to Him and trust Him.
To have Victory we must prepare for it!
