I Will Fear no Evil

I Will Fear no Evil

Scripture: Ps. 23

The enemy thrives on fear; the Bible says: 1 Peter5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”

· It's the roar that paralyzes and scares off its intruders and warns the pride of potential danger.

· His roar can be heard up to five miles

· If he's seeking someone to devour, it has to be someone in which he can't devour.

· And those of us he can't devour has to be based on how we react to his roar.

· Life has been roaring at us, and people have forgotten who they are and who's they are and what God has done for us. The Bible says 2 Timothy 1:7- For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.[1]

· Fear involves torment; the enemy operates in fear while God moves off of faith.

David, in the text, says that:

· The Lord is my Shepherd… not was… not I think… not, I guess, but He is… he makes it personal to him.

· David himself had been a shepherd, so God reveals himself to David as a shepherd because he could relate

· If you're a fisherman, He'll meet you on the water

· If you're a bricklayer, He'll show up as the chief cornerstone

· If you are hammering nails, He'll show up as a carpenter

· If you are sick, He'll show up as your healer

· He'll show up no matter where you are at in Exodus. He told Moses I am who I am

· The Lord is our Shepherd. I shall not want

· Since the Lord was David’s Shepherd, his needs were met

The job of a shepherd is to protect the flock from predators, and he would care for them, lead them to a calm watering spot and green pastures to graze in. He would sometimes name them, and they would follow his voice.

Then David moves from saying He is my Shepherd to He makes me to lie down in green pastures.

1st Blessing David received

· Was spiritual nourishment[2]

· As a shepherd leads sheep to fresh grass for feeding, so the Lord leads His people. One who follows the Lord does not lack any spiritual nourishment[3]

· When we can sleep – He makes us lie down

· When we are confused – He makes us lie down

· When we are troubled – He makes us lie down

· When we can sleep – He makes us lie down

· But He doesn’t just have us lie down anywhere, but in green pastures, He gives us the best

2nd Blessing

· That comes from the Lord’s leading is spiritual restoration[4]

He leads me beside the still waters

· As a shepherd leads his sheep to calm waters for rest and cleansing, so the Lord restoresor refreshes the soul, the Lord provides forgiveness and peace for those who follow Him.[5]

· He restored my soul when I wanted to give up

· He restored my soul when I did act right

· He restored my soul when I want to walk away

· I would have made it, but He restored me

· I almost quit, but He restored me

· I almost walked away, but He restored me

· I almost lost my mind, but He restored me

· I almost cussed him out, but He restored me

3rd Blessing

· That comes from the Lord’s leading is guidance in the right way (paths of righteousness).

· A good shepherd knows the right paths on which to bring the sheep home safely.

· By the still waters, because sheep are dumb and could drown in fast-moving waters

· So too, the Lord loses none of His sheep but guides them in the right way.

He leads me in the paths of righteousness

· He kept me on the path when I wanted to get off the path and do something wrong

· He leadeth me

4thBlessing

· From the Lord’s leading is protection.

· Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,[6] I will fear no evil

· Although I am in the valley of the shadow of death, I am walking

o I am not going to fear because the Lord is with me

o I am not afraid because God is with me

o David had to learn how to walk in the shadow, but he kept walking

o This pandemic has got us in a dark time, but we got to keep walking

o It’s so much going on that news is almost the same day after day, but you have to keep walking.

o Believers are never in situations the Lord is not aware of, for He never leaves or forsakes His people[7]

o Even though I am walking through the valley of the shadow of death…I will fear no evil… Because He is with us!

· The rod and staff are the shepherd’s equipment to protect the sheep in such situations. David was comforted by the Lord’s presence and protection.

· Believers are never in situations the Lord is not aware of, for He never leaves or forsakes His people[8]

· If God be for us, then who can be against us!

· When you call on the name Jesus

o He’ll fight your battles for you

o The Shepherd would fight for the sheep

· When the enemy comes in like a flood,

· The Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him[9]

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.[10]

The shepherd would anoint the sheep’s head with oil because he would stick his head in places he should have, and the shepherd would use the oil to heal the wombs

· When I get in places that harm me, He’ll anoint my head

· When the enemy strikes me, He’ll anoint me

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.[11]

No matter what we go through in life, we have a surely! Goodness and Mercy will follow us when the enemy roars… I will fear no evil!

Fear will rob you of precious moments in life; we have seen some crazy days in our lives in the past few years. But you cannot let fear cripple you!

[1] The New King James Version. (1982). (2 Ti 1:7). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [2]Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 811). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [3]Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 811). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [4]Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 811). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [5]Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 811). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [6] The New King James Version. (1982). (Ps 23:4). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [7]Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 812). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [8]Ross, A. P. (1985). Psalms. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 812). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books. [9] The New King James Version. (1982). (Is 59:19). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [10] The New King James Version. (1982). (Ps 23:5). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. [11] The New King James Version. (1982). (Ps 23:6). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.