The Lord is on your side!
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Good morning church! It is so good to see you all this morning my prayer is that you are walking closely with the Lord and putting Him first in all things in your life. If you have your Bibles please turn with me to the psalms where we will begin reading Psalm 124.
One thing I never struggled with growing up was being picked last at any sport. That was where I found my identity I wasn’t the sharpest student, I wasn’t going to be the valedictorian of my class for sure, I did not follow in my fathers footsteps in the area of mechanics I had no interest my mind simply does not work that way. But put a ball in my hand and all of a sudden I was an expert in the field.
I remember feeling bad for other boys my age when they would be picked last, everytime we played any game I remember the boys would always make me team captain. While others were picked last who did not have any skill but simply wanted to play.
So what I would do is I would pick those players first missing out on the more athletic ones, simply bc I loved to see the look on thier faces when I picked them first.
What is funny is that i can only remember a handful of times when I lost a game because I chose those who werent that good first. It was almost like they ran faster and played harder bc someone picked them and had faith in them, when everyone thought we were going to lose.
I remember there was one kid I would pick him every time and every time I would hear him say yes! ya’ll are going down Kyle is on my side. It made me happy it made me proud, and it made him a better player simply because he knew someone who was somewhat talented had his back and was on his side.
There is nothing that can help you more in this life than knowing that the Lord is on your side!
A Davidic song of ascents.
If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
If the Lord had not been on our side
when men attacked us,
then they would have swallowed us alive
in their burning anger against us.
Then the waters would have engulfed us;
the torrent would have swept over us;
the raging waters would have swept over us.
Praise the Lord,
who has not let us be ripped apart by their teeth.
We have escaped like a bird from the hunter’s net;
the net is torn, and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of Yahweh,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
(Let’s pray)
When the Lord is on your side:
Psalm 124 is written by David a man whose life is a walking testimony of what it means to have the Lord on your side.
It is written about Israel, a people whose history and existence can only be explained by the fact that the Lord was on their side.
The description at the top of the page tells us this is a song of assent, a song of going up.
The Jews would sing this hymn of praise as they went up to Jerusalem for one of the Holy feasts the psalm was a calll to worship. It would remind the people of Israel of the fact that God is worthy to be praised because of what He has kept them from and what He has brought them through.
Therefore psalm 124 has been used throughout church history, Christians sing this song inpraise to God who has redeemd us by the debt cancelling guilt atoning and life changing death of JEsus Christ on the cross.
GOD TAKES SIDES
God is not obligated to take sides, ultimately God does not take sides God takes over but at His own time, in His own way and in his own choosing God intervenes on behalf of His people when they are under attack by overwhelming circumstances.Psalm 124 celebrates the fact that the Lord is the one who makes the difference.
“1+God= the majority” Steve Lawson
The weakest Christians who have God on their side will ultimately prevail. But the strongest of men with all of the world with him is doomed to fail and fall if the Lord is not on his side.
Is the Lord on your side?
The answer to this question means that you answer another question:
then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.
During the Civil War Abraham lincoln was asked if he thought God was on the side of the Union in the war?
Lincoln responded it doesn’t matter if the Lord is on our side what matters is that we are on the Lords side....
God does not need us...
But we desperately need GOD
Are you on the Lords side today?
Have you repented of your sins have you trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ today?
Has HE changed you from the inside out?
If you are on the Lords side then you can live with confidence knowing that the Lord is on your side!
If the Lord is on your side it makes all the difference in the world!!
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
The most important answer to nail down in all of life is to determine whether the Lord is on your side....
How should you respond when the Lord has been on your side.
Remember the Lord who was on our side!
Remember the Lord who was on our side!
Psalm 124 teaches that there are times to look back at your life and ask yourself the question
WHERE WOULD I BE TODAY IF THE LORD WAS NOT ON MY SIDE?
To ask that question is to help you remember that it was the Lord who made the difference in your life faith marriage health work school relationships the Lord is the one who has made the difference and you should give god the credit for the good things that have happened and the bad things that have not happened.
God deserves credit for the good things which have happened.
We dont know exactly the historical backround of psalm 124 it could refer to anything in the history of Israle or the private life of David. But the exact event is not told to us. The hymn does depict a situation.
If it had not been the Lord who was on our side—
let Israel now say—
if it had not been the Lord who was on our side
when people rose up against us,
Whatever the details it is clear that Israel was vulnerable the enmy was strong and defeat was certain but the LORD STEPPED IN!
This threat at the time of the writing is no over and the psalmist looks back to give credit where credit is due the question is who does the credit belong to?
Not a king, not a nation, not an army
THE LORD MADE THE DIFFERENCE!
If it had not been for the Lord on our side ...
The “if’ here spells the difference between deliverance and disaster.
IF IF it had not been the Lord who was on our side
LET ISRALE NOW SAY!
It wasn’t enough for David to remember the Lord the entire nation should declare the goodness of the Lord
LET ISRAEL SAY IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THE LORD
LET COTTONWOOD SAY, LET USA IF IT HAD NOT BEEN FOR THE LORD, LET UNION HILL SAY
This is the context of the situation and enemy nation rose up against us
rose up against the people of God WHEN PEOPLE ATTACKED US
Someone launched a sneak attack on Israel they were vulnerable cornered and weak, defeat seemed to inevitable...
Have you ever felt this way indiviudually?
All of a sudden out of nowhere the enemy sneak attacks you and all of a sudden you are thinking your entire world is going to come crashing down,… but God was on your side
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?
People are not your biggest problem...
Mark it down church, you mad at your husband.... he aint your real problem, you mad at your wife she aint your real problem, you angry at a child they aint your real issue
YOU HAVE AN ENEMY WE BATTLE NOT AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD RATHER THAN BLAIMING THE PEOPLE BEGIN TO ATTACK THE HIDDEN ENEMY THROUGH PRAYER AND CRYING ON THE LORD TO INTERVEN IN YOUR PROBLEM RATHER THAN BLAMING THEM
For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
There are enemies of our souls who rise up aganist us and the only REASON WE ARE STILL HERE IS BECAUSE THE LORD WAS ON OUR SIDE
Give God the credit for the good things he has done but you should also give God credit for the bad things that didnt hapen!
THATS WHEN YOU KNOW CHURCH THAT YOUR FAITH HAS GROWN UP, WHEN YOU LEARN HOW TO CREDIT GOD NOT JUST FOR WHAT DID HAPPEN BUT FOR WHAT DIDNT HAPPEN!
What would have happend if the Lord wasn’t on your side
Without the Lord David said we would have been swallowed alive
then they would have swallowed us up alive,
when their anger was kindled against us;
These enemies rose up against in fury and the text says that without god they would have swallowed Israel alive
David says on paper they were gonna get beat but he doesn’t just say they were going to get beat he says they would have swallowed us up alive. our defeat would have been easy and quick and total if the Lord wasn’t on our side.
Like a lion eating a rabbit they would have been swallowed alive if the Lord had not been on their side!
The same thing would have happened to me and you.
You may think you are strong and stable and secure but the circumstances of life can easily swallow you up aliv e, there are dangers all around us and were are only here BC GOD KEPT US WHEN WE COULDNT KEEP OURSELVES
John Patton and his wife traveled to an island filled with cannibals and head hunters to spread the gospel on thier way there the captain encouraged them not to go but they were determined to do it, in his journals Patton wrote that after 30 years when he finally came home he said he arrived on the island to the sound of cannibal drums and he left 30 years later to the sound of church bells.
Before he left, a chief from one of the tribes who became friends with said John, before you leave there is something I have always wanted to ask you. When you and your wife first came here, who was that army that encircled you every night?
This is history this really happened and John had no clue that the army of the Lord was around them the canibals could see it but the missionaries could not. Right now in your life you dont know what people are seeing that you are not, you dont know how god is protecting and providing for you even now even though you cant see it.
WITHOUT GOD LIFE WOULD HAVE SWALLOWED US UP ALIVE BUT NOT ONLY THAT WITHOUT GOD LIFE WOULD HAVE SWEPT US AWAY!
then the flood would have swept us away,
the torrent would have gone over us;
then over us would have gone
the raging waters.
IN verse 3 the threat is compared to a fierce animal trying to devour us but here the threat is compared to raging flood waters.
Not only are the waters a threat but notice these waters become an increasing threat ...
There is a flood but then the flood becomes a torrent and then in verse 5 RAGING WATERS
That would have gone over us, this is how life goes.
Have you ever had things go from bad to worse?
While you tryin to deal with the flood the flood becomes a torrent, and just when you think you can handle the torent then comes ragin waters?
Let me say it this way: IF IT AINT ONE THING ITS ANOTHER
I think this can sum up the year 2020 dont you?
Life goes from bad to worse but the GOD WHO IS ABLE TO BE WITH US IN AN UNEXPECTED CRISIS IS ABLE TO BE WITH US IN AN ONGOING TRIAL
AFTER FLOOD WATERS RISE YOU ARE STILL HERE BC GOD WAS ON YOUR SIDE NEVER DOUBT IT!
David is saying DONT FORGET WHERE YOU CAME FROM!!
DONT FORGET WHO KEEPS YOU!
REMEMBER THE LORD IS ON YOUR SIDE
Bless the Lord who is on your side
Bless the Lord who is on your side
Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
The Lord blesses us by what He does for us, we bless the Lord by what we say about Him.
the bless the Lord is to speak well of Him it is to give thanks to Him ‘
This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
IF THE LORD HAS DONE SOMETHING MARVELOUS FOR YOU YOU SHOULDNT BE AHSAMED TO SAY HES THE ONE WHO DID IT!!
(My mom)
LET ME TELL YA HOW GOOD GOD IS....
TO WHICH I WILL REPLY I KNOW HOW GOOD HE IS BUT GO ON HEAD AND BLESS HIM
ON hand David says praise God for what he has spared you from
Blessed be the Lord,
who has not given us
as prey to their teeth!
We bless the Lord for things homes and cars and colleges and success
but he says you need to learn how to bless the Lord not just for what you have but didnt happen
(repeats verse)
THANK GOD, for what didnt happen!
This is the second time David describes the enemy as a wild animal but the wording is different here in (3) he speaks of an animal which would have swallowed Israle alive but this emphasizes the torment of the enemy. The enemy wouldn’t have just swallowed us and easily gulped us down but we would have been prey for his teeth.
Its one thing for trouble to swallow yoiu up, its another thing for trouble to chew you up and spit you out.
Israel would have suffered a slow and agonizing defeat but it did not happen! God blocked it, God stopped it from happening!
(Chandler)
God SHOULD BE PRAISED FROM THE THINGS HE HAS KEPT YOU FROM!
Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
Praise God that He is able to pick you up when you fall, and praise Him because he will keep you from falling
Praise God for the things he has spared you from and from the things he saved you from!
We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
The people of God are described as a bird
David says when you look in the mirror what you should see is a bird
A weak little defenseless bird, you a bird minding your own business searching for food when all of a sudden youget trapped by the snare of the hunter you are trapped by the schemes of the enemy you are caught in the trap of the b ird catcher.
Satan is always at work to entrap the saints
He has a whole lot of ways to do it. Pride is a trap, lust is a trap, worldliness is a trap, materialism is a trap, covetousness is a trap
bitterness is a trap unforgivenss is a trap the DEVIL HAS ALL KINDS OF WAYS TO TRAP THE SAINTS
(7) indicates that there are times when the LORD WILL ALLOW THE FOWLER TO ENSARE THE BIRD BUT THE FOWLER DOESNT HAVE THE FINAL VICTORY!
Even in the midst of the trap of the enemy whewn God is on your side you can escape the snare doesnt have to be the end the trap doesnt have to be the defeat your failure doesnt have to be final you can escape BY THE GRACE OF GOD!!
Can anybody thank God that when the devil thought he had ya you got away?
You can escape..
We have escaped like a bird
from the snare of the fowlers;
the snare is broken,
and we have escaped!
God delivered:
He didnt open the trap to set the bird free, he broke the trap so the fowler cant use it on the bird again
I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.”
For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler
and from the deadly pestilence.
PRAISE GOD FOR WHAT HE SAVES YOU FROM!
1-5 remember the Lord who is on your side
6-7Bless the Lord who is on your side
Trust the Lord who is on your side
Trust the Lord who is on your side
1-7 all look back at what the Lord has already done
8 speaks in real time and looks at whatever is to come in the days ahead,
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
(Little boy with glasses i would pick)
YES YALL GOING DOWN BECAUSE KYLE IS ON MY SIDE
BUT LISTEN TO ME CHURCH OUR HELP IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!!!
SO WE CAN SAY YES!!!!! SATAN YOU ARE GOING DOWN BC THE LORD IS ON MY SIDE!!!
NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST ME SHALL PROSPER GREATER IS HE WHO IS IN ME THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD SATAN YOU HAVE BEEN DEFEATED ALREADY AND YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO EVEN SPEAK TO ME GO SPIT
I was pushed hard, so that I was falling,
but the Lord helped me.
I lift up my eyes to the hills.
From where does my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
ALL THE HELP YOU NEED IS IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!
There are 2 reasons why you ought to look for God alone for help
God is the only source of help you have
When you need help there is no other name to cal on but the name of the Lord
There are situations in life where you cannot help yourself, and no one else can help you
You have to put your trust in God and god alone! THERE WILL BE SITUATIONS IN LIFE WHERE EVERYONE CAN SUPPORT YOU BUT IT STILL WONT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF THE LORD IS NOT ON YOUR SIDE!!
Some trust in chariots and some in horses,
but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.
They collapse and fall,
but we rise and stand upright.
You cant take credit for where yo are in your life or any other person, no one but the Lord has brought you to where you are in life
Where you are God brought ya. what you have God gave ya, what you know God taught ya, and God is the only one who can help you
2. GOD IS THE ONLY SOURCE OF HELP YOU NEED
HE is everything you need
All the help you need is found in the name of the Lord
Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.
Some of you in here this morning have a problem that is a giant and you need to remind that giant of the name of your God and walk forward in boldness.
two things as we bow our head:
If you need the Lords help raise your head
If you need to be reminded that God is on your said raise your head
If you need to know Jesus Christ as Lord so that you can be on gods side raise your head
Let’s pray