The cure for insomnia
Sermon • Submitted
0 ratings
· 85 viewsNotes
Transcript
Psalm 3
Psalm 3
Great Idea: How to be victorious over suffering and enemies.
Great Idea: How to be victorious over suffering and enemies.
A Psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son.
1 Lord, How are they increased that trouble me!
Many are they that rise up against me.
2 Many there be which say of my soul,
There is no help for him in God. Selah.
3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me;
My glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice,
And he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
5 I laid me down and slept;
I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people,
That have set themselves against me round about.
7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God:
For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone;
Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord:
Thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
Intro:
Intro:
The word insomnia means- inability to sleep.
This happens to all of us once in a while in our lives. Some people suffer from a chronic condition where they fall asleep is very difficult. These people are called insomnia. Most of these people have to take special medicines to help them sleep.
However, I would say that most people we suffer from time to time with insomnia. I know I've had many sleepless nights for many different reasons.
The times I've suffered from not sleeping at night were things like disputes I have with family in the United States, Friends and Family in the hospital, financial situations, lost souls. Sometimes I even lose my dream for all of you and wanting you to approach the Lord closer!
God has placed a great burden on my heart for the people of Mexico! I want to see every person in this country receive Christ as his savior! and keeps me awake some nights with realizing that I can't reach everyone!
Personally this is a chapter that I have had to turn to many times to remind myself that God is the answer and my assistant!
Do you suffer sleepless nights sometimes? Is it for similar reasons that I just talked about? Are you fighting with something that keeps you awake at night?
Do the enemy's attacks seem so heavy sometimes that you can't sleep and just stay awake worried about tomorrow! Maybe even wish that tomorrow I won't come so you don't have to face what's coming for you!
You're not alone! We all have that feeling sometimes! But let me remind you that God has promised never to leave us. Here in our text today David gives the answer to insomnia!
So let's take a look at the Biblical cure for insomnia and how God can help us with this problem we all face! Because if anyone has the answer, it is God and gives us the cure here in this passage.
1. Put your anguish before God (vv1-2)
1. Put your anguish before God (vv1-2)
1 Lord, How are they increased that trouble me!
Many are they that rise up against me.
2 Many there be which say of my soul,
There is no help for him in God. Selah.
The pressure on David's situation was about to crush his spirit. Look at the strong words in these verses. Multiplied words and many.
David was outnumbered, his enemies were strengthened every second that passed. This was David's prayer when he was forced to flee for the second time from Jerusalem for his enemies.
However, it was not an attack by an enemy nation: it was an internal problem. His own nation and family were divided against him. Internal problems are always the most serious and dangerous, whether in family, business, church or nation.
24 And if a kingdom be divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand.
As Christians we face many enemies. Many times they're other people. Sometimes it's physical problems like fatigue, disease and disease that work against us.
Sometimes, and a good majority of the time, the enemy are problems on the spiritual front such as fear, discouragement, depression, frustration, anger, hatred that oppose us.
We are in a war with the world, the flesh, the devil. The Scriptures expose our true enemy.
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
People are gonna lie about you. Verse 2 shows this point.
2 Many there be which say of my soul,
There is no help for him in God. Selah.
But why? Because Satan wants to devour us! The enemy will stop at nothing to destroy our lives!
Application:
One of my favorite American presidents once said, "I have been thrown many times on my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere to go. My own wisdom and everything about me seemed insufficient for that day."
We must realize that we cannot handle the burdens and problems of life for ourselves. And God doesn't want us to do it. There is no special blessing to deal with tests on our own and on our own strength.
The Lord does not favor us by not worrying about our problems. In fact, the opposite is true. He invites us to bring you our problems.
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
2. Proclaim your faith in God (vv3-6)
2. Proclaim your faith in God (vv3-6)
3 But thou, O Lord, art a shield for me;
My glory, and the lifter up of mine head.
4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice,
And he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
5 I laid me down and slept;
I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people,
That have set themselves against me round about.
The word “But” is a simple but powerful word that transits the mood of this Psalm from impotence to hope, from darkness to light, from weakness to power.
This is the secret, the answer to all your problems that have kept you awake at night! David decided to take his eyes off his troubles and put them in God!
Did you hear what David said? In verse 3 he said that God is our protector against the enemy! David's worried mind turned to the promises of God's Word, promises like these:
1 After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.
29 Happy art thou, O Israel:
Who is like unto thee, O people saved by the Lord,
The shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency!
And thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee;
And thou shalt tread upon their high places.
David also realized that God was his source of glory. Verse 3 says “My glory.” David was familiar with the grace of the Lord. David was a man of war and knew he could glorify in the Lord no matter what was happening to him. Because I knew God would lift him up! the end of verse 3 says: “And he who lifts my head.”
“Plans often come before prayers.” But this wasn't the case with David. He had no plan, and he realized that he was unable to successfully carry out any strategy that could defeat his enemies. His first and only resource was to cry to God in prayer in verse 4.
4 I cried unto the Lord with my voice,
And he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.
What is your first answer when you make those difficult situations and decisions? Is it going on with your plan of attack and asking God to bless you? Or is it first to ask God and follow his plan of attack?
I promise you this, if you allow God to make the plans you simply follow them, well, you will sleep like a husband! (Because babies cry all night.)
5 I laid me down and slept;
I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.
When we trust the Lord we can face 10,000 enemies and not sweat a drop of fear because we know that God has already won victory. Because he's powerful and strong! We couldn't beat them even if we were the strongest person on the planet! But God can!
4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
David spoke not from a heart of doubt, but from a heart of faith. On our darkest and most desperate nights, we must stand firm to the Lord and His unchanging Word.
Unshakeable faith frees God's powerful power to act in our name. However, even the slightest doubt can hinder the miracle taking place.
For this reason, we must be fully convinced of God's presence and power and not allow doubt to enter our minds. Consider the amazing impact of faith or lack of faith:
32 But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.
Now finally note with me point number three.
3. Cry for the deliverance of God (vv7-8)
3. Cry for the deliverance of God (vv7-8)
7 Arise, O Lord; save me, O my God:
For thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone;
Thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.
8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord:
Thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
David's cry in verse seven is different from the previous cry. This is the cry of trust instead of despair and despair. Apparently, God gave David a special sense of His presence and care. Seeing this wonderful truth, David asks for God's help.
Sometimes all we have to do is call God to come out of the enemy! He may be waiting for you to ask for his help so we learn to depend on him!
David's prayer in verse 7 was an answer to those who mocked him in verse 2. David boldly asked God to help and fight in his name because he knew he could not win this battle.
Just look at the contrast of verse one: many rose up against him, but David called only One to rise up for him.
9 It is better to trust in the Lord
Than to put confidence in princes.
David asked God to hit them on the cheek, which was a sign of humiliation. He also asked God to break his teeth. In other words, I was asking God to make them as powerless as a lion without teeth.
6 Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth:
Break out the great teeth of the young lions, O Lord.
From verse 8 we learn that we need to proclaim our faith, because our deliverance comes from the Lord!
8 Salvation belongeth unto the Lord:
Thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
David's victory came through three things:
1. By taking his anguish or burden the Lord and turning to Him to ask for help.
2. Prayer
3. His unwavering faith in God and His Word
At some point, as David prayed and cried to God, the Lord gave him peace over victory. David didn't always have this guarantee. There was a time when I felt that God could choose not to favor him. In fact, it was resigned to what God determined.
25 And the king said unto Zadok, Carry back the ark of God into the city: if I shall find favour in the eyes of the Lord, he will bring me again, and shew me both it, and his habitation: 26 But if he thus say, I have no delight in thee; behold, here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good unto him.
But in the present Psalm prayed until God answered, and then rested in the peace of God.
The reason David could have this peace and confidence that God was going to fight for him is because he was a son of God, was born again. Maybe you're here today and you're never born again. If that's the way God won't fight those battles for you because you don't belong to him.
Dude, if this describes you then the most fearful thing for you is your eternity and you should be scared because without Christ you will die and go to hell to suffer the complete wrath of God for eternity.
If you don't want that, I'd tell you to repent of your sins, which is to turn you from them and turn you to Christ and trust in him only to save you from his wrath and condemnation in hell. If you will trust Christ only to save you, God promises that He will save you.
Church, I do not know why it is going on and sometimes when we face some problems, we ask how long we must pray for a solution.
The answer is that we must continue to pray until God responds to us by giving us His peace.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
God's peace is the factor that must govern our hearts and decisions.
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
When God gives us His peace, then we can proceed with confidence. But until He grants peace, we must continue fervently in prayer.
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Let's pray:
Father What a great God you are! You are our protector, our shield, and the one who fights for us! We are so weak but you are so strong! may we learn that in those time we can’t see we can trust! Those sleepless nights we can pray and lay it all in your hands because you care for us and can take cause of us! In the name of Jesus, amen.