Never Would Have Made It

If it had not been for God - I never would have made it!

King James Version Psalm 94

14  For wthe LORD will not cast off his people,

Neither will he forsake his inheritance.

15  But judgment shall return unto righteousness:

And all xthe upright in heart †shall follow it.

16  Who will yrise up for me zagainst the evildoers?

Or who will ystand up for me zagainst gthe workers of iniquity?

17  aUnless the LORD had been my help,

My soul had ||balmost dwelt in csilence.

18  When I said, dMy foot slippeth;

Thy mercy, O LORD, eheld me up.

19  In the multitude of my fthoughts within me

Thy comforts delight my soul.

Psalm 124:1–2 (KJV 1900)

1  If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,

Now may Israel say;

2  If it had not been the LORD who was on our side,

When men rose up against us:

Introduction:

Have you ever considered how you made through last year, how have you made it through 2020 so far? We have seen a lot in our life, this year in particular, loss, sickness, charged culture and society, church shutdown. Yet here we stand, The Devil may look and it may seem that we are in the cross hairs, that we are right where he wants us. America has become politically a mess, brother against brother it seems, friends and family at odds.

How did you make it?

The writer of this Psalm said - Unless the Lord had been my help, I never would have made it!

How exactly did the Lord help us?

Society would have us believe we have made it on our own or that the government or culture has been our help but we the church know different!

Psalm 90-94 were written during Israel's 40 year wilderness journey. During this time they were attacked by enemies, which the Lord destroyed in the Red Sea.

Because of their unwillingness to follow God's directions given to them through Moses, they wandered around in circles in the desert for 40 years. Often they demonstrated a foolish nature by ignoring God's direction bringing trouble upon themselves.

Yet, God provided for them. When they were to the point of thirsting to death, God provided water for them from a rock. When they had no food, God provided bread from heaven that appeared on the ground every day for 40 years. When they had no meat, huge flocks of quail appeared every day. Their clothes did not wear out; they never had to change shoes.

The 94th psalm describes a period in Israel's national life when it had reached a point of giving up completely. They could not get it together. The land of promise was so close but they simply could not make themselves reach out and grab the promise. They constantly fell into faithlessness, sometimes idolatry and wickedness that caused them considerable trouble.

The psalm looks back over the distance traveled and realized that God chastised Israel for its wayward ways but never stopped loving them. Psalm 94:12 uses the word "chastenest" to describe their experience. To be chastised is to be taught a lesson or to be trained. The object of chastisement is that the student will arise, wiser and stronger having learned an important lesson.

In the wilderness, Israel was certainly chastised. They learned through their suffering that they should be obedient to God and trust in him wholly. They also learned that God will not allow those who wronged them to escape without punishment. Psalm 94:13 notes that a pit is being dug for the wicked who troubled God's people during their chastisement.

The psalm raises the question "Who stood up for me against the wicked? Who took my side against evil workers?"

The answer came in verse 17 "If God had not been there for me, I never would have made it."

Through their faith in him, Israel made it through the wilderness and marched into the Promised Land, stronger, wiser and better than they had been in the wilderness. When they looked back, they concluded, "We never could have made it, without the Lord."

1st - God is the giver of daily bread (that includes life, provision, and direction) - The core of the help from God is first all he wakes us up! Gives us that air to breathe, We are naturally alive because of him but also it’s also because of him we are spiritually alive - John 10:10 (KJV 1900)

10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

That means you have purpose - In him you have your purpose and your existence!

Are you living that life to it’s fullest?

We made it through by his that daily bread of surely goodness and mercy - his mercies renew daily! HE PROTECTED ISRAEL AGAINST ENEMIES: When Israel began their journey they were attacked by Pharaoh who tried to re-enslave them. God buried the entire army of Egypt in the Red Sea. When we look back we can see the many ways that God has protected us from those who would do us harm. Sometimes those who threatened us were outside of our families, but sometimes our worst enemies were family members. there were many who wrestled with problems that were caused by their enemies whether it was on the job, in relationships or in academic or professional pursuits. Despite the tricks plans and plots, of the devil you survived; not because of your own cunning, but because the Lord covered your back.

In Psalm 124:2-3 David said, "If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us."-You survived because God has something better in store for you. There is a Promised Land awaiting you; it has been assured.

Looking back we are happy because we know that we did not have the strength to protect ourselves from the devil but God is able. In our time of trouble he was our help. Psalm 146:5 says, "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God."

God provides divine intervention - supernatural intervention against the raging warfare that is around us

HE PROVIDED FOR US: In the wilderness Israel ate everyday and people are still trying to figure out where the food came from. They had clothes to wear and no cloth, and people are still trying to figure that out. In the same way, God has provided for us.

What ways did God provide for you this year?

God blessed your plans and decisions and made them work for you. God opened up doors for you and prepared a table for you. That's what Psalm 23:5 means when it says "Thou preparest a table before me.." It means that God provides for our needs. Philippians 4:19 puts it this way, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." No matter what came up last year God provided just what we needed, when we needed it. No wonder the song writer declared, "We are our heavenly father's children ..and he knows, yes he knows, just how much we can bear." Last year God provided us what we needed and disallowed any burdens that we could not bear. If it were not for his provision we would not have made it.

HE SAVED US FROM OUR FOOLISHNESS

Israel made several foolish decisions in their wilderness journey. Once, they decided to abandon God altogether and build them a golden calf to worship. Yet despite their foolishness God saved from themselves. He's had to do the same for us today; save us from ourselves.

We are still very much children in our maturity level of Christians and because of that Foolishness abounds, rebel abounds, doubt abounds, impatience abounds!

Finally - We made it because we found GRACE!

Grace to keep our sanity! To keep moving daily!

Knowing without God never would have made it - How will we make it through tomorrow, next week, onward?

Trust - Mercy - Faith - More Supernatural Strength - Peace that passes understanding, And Hope!