"I Shall Not Want"

“I’m Good!”

Psalm 23 ESV

A Psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

INTRODUCTION

What if I told you that you already possess everything you will ever need to

walk in victory,

to live in peace,

to have joy,

and to fulfill the purpose that God designed for your life?

You are already equipped all the strength, wisdom, and tools necessary for this to do anything.

The problem is many of us spend our whole lives searching for something external to complete us. But I stopped this to let you know that when you are born you were enough.

You don’t need to search for something external to complete you because, in Christ, we are complete internally, you lack nothing. What you have been searching for is within you, just waiting for you to tap into it, to be activated by faith.

2 Peter 1:3 says, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness.”

You are enough and have enough within you to live the life God has called you to.

That is exact what Edgar Guest is saying in the poem that Council Woman Holmes just read for us, entitled Figure It Out. Guests wants us to realize that there comes a time when we have to stop making excuses, stop waiting for better day, or another chance, and rise up with what we’ve been given, and boldly declare, “I can!”

Transition to the Sermon:

I believe that’s exactly what David is saying in Psalm 23 when he declares, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

The title of my sermon this morning is lifted from the 23rd Psalm: “I Shall Not Want.” But the subtitle is “I’m Good.”

Remember, David was a shepherd boy, but in order to call the Lord his shepherd, David had to humble himself. He didn’t say, “I am the shepherd.”

David, once a shepherd boy, was elevated by God to be the king of Israel, a nation called their king a shepherd. Yet, when he writes Psalm 23, he doesn’t boast about his role as king or shepherd. Instead, he humbly places himself in the psalm as the sheep, with God as his shepherd. The sheep David speaks of in Psalm 23 is himself. He declares, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.” Sheep know their shepherd’s voice, even when other shepherds are calling, they can distinguish their shepherds voice from the rest. They trust their shepherd complete, and the shepherd loves them unconditional. So when David says, “The Lord is my shepherd,” he’s declaring that he has a deep, intimate relationship with God. He’s Pronouncing his total trust in God’s care.

It is because he trust God as his shepherd, that he can confidently say, “I shall not want.”

I trust the Shepherd who gives me everything I need—peace in the midst of the storm, strength for the journal, victory for the battled, and the care that I need.

The Shepherd provides it all.

Your shepherd my shepherd woke us up this morning.

Your shepherd, my shepherd kept you through the night, has brought you thus far by faith.

God's grace and God’s care for me are more than enough. And as long as I follow the Shepherd, whatever I need, I shall not want. God’s got it, and I’m good over here.

ENCOUNTERING THE TEXT

In Psalm 23, the word "want" can be a bit misleading. David isn’t saying that we won’t have desires or that we won’t feel a need for things from time to time. We all have wants—things we long for, things we seek. What David is really saying here is, "I don’t lack for anything." The word "want" has two meaning. First, it is better defined as not “lacking” in anything. When David declares, “I shall not want,” he is proclaiming that because the Lord is his Shepherd, he lacks nothing essential for his life.

Now don’t get me wrong. That does not mean the he didn’t have desire for things. It means that he realized, that God have already given him everything necessary for your well-being: my provision, my protection, and my spiritual growth has already been provided by God.

I don’t lack for strength, because when I am weak, God is my strength.

I don’t lack for peace, because when I’m troubled, He leads me beside still waters.

I don’t lack for guidance,when I am lost, He leads ME in the paths of righteousness."

DEFICIT MINDSET VERSUS SUFFICIENCY MINDSET

Some people have a deficit mindset rather than a sufficiency mindset—they see the glass as half empty instead of half full. The day you were born, God gifted you with intellect, talents, a mind, and abilities, and they were enough. You didn’t lack anything necessary to live in peace, to live with joy, or to fulfill God’s purpose for your life. You are enough. You have enough. Your God is enough.

But the question is: What are you doing with what God gave you? The deficit mindset says, "I don't have enough; I need to get something else." But the sufficiency mindset says, “I am blessed with what I have, and when I develop what I have, I will have even more.”

Get rid of the deficit mentality—the mindset that tells you, "I can’t because I came from a broken home," or "I can’t because I didn’t have the advantages that others had." It’s the voice that whispers, "I can’t because my parents didn’t give me what I needed," or "I can’t because I don’t have the same talents, education, or opportunities as someone else." This is the deficit mindset—always focused on what’s missing, always counting what you don’t have, and believing that your past or your circumstances limit your future.

But the sufficiency mindset says, "I can because God has already equipped me with everything I need." It declares, "I can because the Lord is my shepherd, and in Him, I lack nothing." It proclaims, "I can because His divine power has given me all things that pertain to life and godliness." The sufficiency mindset doesn’t dwell on what’s missing but celebrates what’s already provided. It stands in faith, knowing that God’s provision is perfect, and that every tool, every resource, and every ounce of strength you need is already within you, waiting to be activated by faith and trust in Him. The sufficiency mindset knows that God is more than enough, so in Him, you are more than enough.

The deficit mindset says, "I’ll be successful if I get more degrees." The sufficiency mindset says, "I will get more degrees to develop what God has already given me." The deficit mindset says, "I need more weight and muscle to be a good player." The sufficiency mindset says, "I’ll improve what God gave me by building on the strength I already have."

“I shall not want” does not mean you have no aspirations or goals. It means that when it comes to spiritual matters, you are not lacking. So, the word “want” means not lacking.

But there’s also a second layer to this word “want.” Beyond simply meaning “ not lack,” it also speaks to contentment. David isn’t just saying, "I have everything I need"—he’s also saying, "I am satisfied with what God has already provided."

It’s one thing to not lack, but it’s another to be at peace and content with what you have.

As Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”

The thing I have learned about contentment is this: when I am content with what God has given me, it opens me up to receive more.

CONTENTMENT VERSUS COMPLACENCY:

But wait a minute, Contentment is not complacency. The difference is that contentment is being at peace with what you have and trusting in God's timing, while complacency is settling with where you are and refusing to grow,mprove, or step into the new things God may be calling you to. I am content, but I am not complacent. I am peace with what I have, but if I use what I have God will bless me more

I stopped by this morning to let somebody know that God is enough.

I stopped to tell you that you are enough.

The Lord is my Shepherd, and He will take care of me.

He has given me everything I need. I don’t lack anything necessary for life and wellbeing.

Paul said it this way in Philippians 4:19, "And my God will supply all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus."

The sheep under God's care are provided for abundantly, whether it’s green pastures, still waters, or guidance along righteous paths.

VULNERABILITY OF SHEEP

To understand David’s trust in the shepherd, you need to know something about sheep and their shepherd. Sheep are completely vulnerable and depend entirely on their shepherd for everything—food, safety, and care. They can’t outrun predators, fight them off, or navigate tough terrain. But they have something in their favor: they have the shepherd. When danger comes, the shepherd stands between the sheep and harm. When sickness spreads, the shepherd heals them. When storms rage, the shepherd shelters them.

Like David, I am a sheep, and the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. When I was sick, He healed me. When I was lost, He guided me. When I was in danger, He protected me. When I was weak, He strengthened me. When life’s storms raged, He sheltered me.

Sheep don’t have survival skills—they get lost and stuck, and they need a shepherd. But I didn’t come to talk about the sheep; I came to talk about the Shepherd. The Lord is my shepherd, and I shall not want. There’s a difference between a shepherd and a good shepherd. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.” A good shepherd loves his sheep and will risk everything for them.

WHOOP David was able to say I shall not want because he realized that the Lord is his shepherd.

But there was something.

David wrote the 23rd psalm whe was an old man. In this life, if you live long enough and see God move enough, it will cause you to grow to the point where you can say, “I shall not want, because the Lord is my Shepherd.”

It was also David who said in the Psalms, "I once was young, but now I am old, and I have never seen the righteous forsaken."

Down through the years, the Lord has been good to me!

While David’s brothers were receiving the honor and benefits of being older, David was out in the field feeding the sheep. But when you’re content with what you have, God can bless you with more. If you’re faithful over a few things, God will make you ruler over many. David the shepherd boy became David the shepherd king. Ain’t God alright?

When David had to fight against Goliath, he could have complained about what he didn’t have. He didn’t have armor; he didn’t have a sword. But he was content with what he did have—he had a slingshot and some stones. He learned that when you trust God, the bigger your enemies are, the harder they fall.

I stopped by this morning to let you know, I’m good. I’m good because I serve a good God. God is good all the time, and all the time, God is good.

Celebration:

When the storms of life are raging, I’m good because I serve a good God. When my path is unclear, I’m good because I serve a good God. When my enemies rise up against me, I’m good because I serve a good God. When I don’t have everything I want, I’m good because I serve a good God. When my strength is fading, I’m good because I serve a good God. I shall not want because the Lord is my shepherd!

I don’t want for joy because the joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). I don’t want for peace because He will keep me in perfect peace when my mind is stayed on Him (Isaiah 26:3). I don’t want for protection because no weapon formed against me shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). I don’t want for provision because my God shall supply all my needs according to His riches in glory (Philippians 4:19). I don’t want for love because nothing can separate me from the love of God (Romans 8:39). I don’t want for guidance because the Lord will direct my steps (Proverbs 3:5-6). I don’t want for strength because I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13).

I shall not want because the Lord is my shepherd!

Saul tried to give David his armor to fight Goliath, but David knew you can’t win battles with someone else’s equipment. So he told Saul, "I’m good over here," and brought down Goliath. The bigger they are, the harder they fall!When the Israelites were trapped at the Red Sea, some wanted to turn back, but Moses said, “I’m good over here. God will fight for us!” He stretched out his staff, parted the sea, and led them to freedom. The bigger the obstacle, the greater the victory! When King Nebuchadnezzar threatened to throw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fiery furnace, they said, "We’re good over here. Our God will deliver us!" And even in the fire, they walked out unharmed. The hotter the fire, the greater the deliverance! When Peter saw Jesus walking on the water, he stepped out in faith. The winds could have made him sink, but Peter said, “I’m good over here, as long as I keep my eyes on Jesus!” And he walked on water. The rougher the storm, the stronger the miracle! When Jesus hung on the cross, the soldiers mocked Him, saying, "Come down and save yourself!" But Jesus, in His infinite love, essentially said, “I’m good over here.” He stayed on the cross because He knew His death would bring life to us all. He died for my sins, He died for your sins, and His choice to stay saved us all!

HE DIED He died, but on the third day, He got up with all power in His hands!

I’m good over here because He stayed on the cross for me!

He could have saved Himself, but He chose to save you and me instead.

And now we can shout, "The bigger the sacrifice, the greater the salvation!"

We don’t have to fear death, hell, or the grave because Jesus is alive!

I’m good over here because Jesus is alive! I’m good over here because my sins are forgiven! I’m good over here because He made a way out of no way! I’m good over here because He conquered death so that I might live!

Somebody shout, We good over here because the Lord is our Savior!