Experiencing God's Power in Our Life

INTRODUCTION

Last time I spoke, we looked at Paul’s prayer in . We found that there were two duties required of us to successfully live the Christian life. They were that we were to have a cognitive knowledge of God and an experiential knowledge of God. Paul’s prayer was that the Spirit of God would give us wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him (cognitive knowledge) and open the eyes of our heart (experiential knowledge). How does the Spirit of God do that and what does he use is what we want to look at this evening. How do we experience the Word or how does it change us and deepen our relationship with our Savior.

Turn with me to . In this Psalm, David praises God for his two gifts to humanity: creation and the Word of God. The first 6 verses demonstrate God’s power to everyone on the earth. Verses 7-11 demonstrate God’s power in the life of the believer. Verses 12-14 is the believer’s response to this revelation.

Tonight we are only going to look at verses 7-11. turn with me to .

PRAYER

I want to use the last verse of this Psalm as our prayer tonight as we look into His Word.

14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

READ NASB

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Psalm 19

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Psalm 19

7 The law of the LORD is bperfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.

10 They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

11 Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;

In keeping them there is great reward.

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update Psalm 19

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

Psalm 19:7-11

INTRODUCTION

HOW DOES GOD’S WORD AFFECT US IN OUR INNER MAN vs 7-9

In these verses. the Word of God is looked at like a diamond with the light reflecting off the different facets. We have 6 different words, terms, used to describe the Word of God, each representing a different facet. A single word to describe that facet and the effect it produces in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

FACET 1 vs 7a

The law of the Lord is perfect restoring the soul. The law of the Lord is his complete revealed truth as found in his Word. It is perfect in that it is complete, lacking nothing that we need. It is never false or off the mark. We can stake our life upon it. It transforms those who study it from the inside out. It gives us hope even in the darkest of circumstances. David only had a fragment of the scriptures, what must the entire volume be to us who know the love of God to us in the death, resurrection and ascension of His son, Jesus, and the giving of the Holy Spirit to dwell within us? Are you in despair, downhearted, fearful, perplexed, doubtful. perplexed? Come to the Word of God and have your soul restored to fellowship with him. If you haven[t fellowship with Him, come to the Word of God to find salvation in Jesus and enter into personal fellowship with him.

FACET 2 vs 7b

The testimony of the Lord is Sure making wise the simple The testimony . reminders of the Lord are sure, established, firm cannot be shaken. God’s own witness in His word of who he is and what he requires of us can be counted on in all situations. As we just went though the series on Proverbs by our pastor, his word provides us with all we need to live a fulfilled Christian live. It makes wise the simple! We have all we need to make the right decisions in life. The one who is immersed in the scriptures is equipped to choose wisely even where no explicit direction is found. We can also have this confidence that His word is absolutely true and stake our life on his promises and know that he is preparing for us a place and us for that place. This is the peace that passeth all understanding that we can find in the study of his word. Do we study God’s word in order to get wisdom?

FACET 3 vs 8a

The precepts of the Lord are right rejoicing the heart. The precepts, rules he gives to guide us, are sure, right and verifiable for all life’s situations, rejoicing the heart. It gives us a straight path. They are never wrong and can always be counted upon to provide truth and accuracy. A puritan quote on this verse, is Retire and read they Bible to be gay. (Today that my need some clarification, but I believe we get the sense of it -Get alone with your Bible, read it and rejoice in your salvation that Christ has purchased for you.) If God has given has ever thing we need in his word, why are we so often anxious? Why isn’t the joy of the Lord our strength? Is it because we do not spend time in his word and in communion with him?

FACET 4 vs 8b

The commandment of the Lord is pure enlightening the eyes. The commandment, specific rules, of the Lord are pure, free from all imperfections or corrupting influences, giving us light and knowledge. I have heard Matt Chandler state many times, Gods commandments are not to with hold from us pleasure, but so that we can live as we were created for in fellowship with him. It brings understanding so that we can see how to live and what to do. Also to avoid the entrapment of the evil one. It enables to see that what the devil the promises and the pictures he paints are a mirage.

These two verses describe how the Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to changes us from the inside out by looking at different aspects of it. How it helps us to have that intimate fellowship with Him. Do we study the Word to have it change us and to deepen pour fellowship with him. or to just get knowledge about him only?

HOW DOES GOD’S WORD AFFECT US IN OUR OUTER MAN/OUR ATTITUDE

vs 9

vs 9

This brings us to verse 9 which has two more items, that I call additional facets of the Word as it affects our outer man. Not that the some of the above facets will not be seen in the outer man, but they are more concerned with our inner man. These next two affect how I look at the word and life in general .

FACET 5 vs 9a

The fear of the Lord is clean enduring forever. The fear, reverence of God that the Bible produces in us by the study of His word, is clean, nothing in it that tends to corrupt morals or defile the soul, and enduring for ever, never ending. The never ending indicates that God’s word does not change with the seasons or with fashions or culture, it is always in. Here we do not have a benefit, but a further characteristic of the Word of God. This should govern how we approach Him, in the private study his word, in prayer, in private and public worship. as we recognize how awesome and great a God he is. Do we realize what a privilege it is as redeemed sinners to enter into intimate fellowship with Him and To be able to call this great and majestic God, our Father?

FACET 6 vs 9b

The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. The judgments, divine decisions about human conduct, are true, never false, they are righteous altogether, their justice is impeachable. Here again we do not have a benefit but a characteristic of the Word of God. Do we really believe this? That God is just and that everyone will receive justice on the last day. When we see evil doers, groups, nations prospering do we believe that God is just? Do we complain as Aspah in , why do the ungodly prosper and the godly suffer? Aspah found comfort when he went into the house of God and he perceived their end, the ungodly, were set for destruction. We can find comfort in the Word of God of our destiny and that the Lord is Sovereign and in complete control and will punish the wicked in the end.

So here in these three verses, we have the benefits, comfort and confidence we can find in the Word of God. The source we need to successfully navigate the Christian life here on earth. So why re we not in the Word more? If David found all this in the small amount of scripture available to him, how much more is available to us in the complete Word of God in our possession? We also are in dwelt by the third person of the trinity whose job it is to enlighten in ours and open up the scriptures to us. In the next verse, we will find out how much we really value the Word of God.

HOW VALUABLE SHOULD GOD’S WORD BE TO THE BELIEVER vs 10

GOLD, FINE GOLD, MUCH FINE GOLD VS 10A

HONEY,DRIPPINGS FORM HONEY COMB vs 10b

WHAT IS THE RESULT OF THIS REVELATION TO US vs 11

BELIEVER IS WARNED

BELIEVER IS REWARDED