Praising the God Who Delivers Us

Intro

boat breaking down- Malas- be thankful for being rescued- telling others

When someone rescues us like that, our natural response should be extreme gratitude, and not only that, we should want to tell others all about it!

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it." -William Arthur Ward

Understanding our human condition and God’s saving work in our lives should drive us to praise God for what he has done, to surrender our lives to him, and to pray for continued deliverance from the power of sin.

Deliverance: An Act of God’s Mercy (1-2)

A. He hears our cry

1. Expectantly waiting for his help- difference between waiting for a fish to bite vs a little kid waiting for their birthday- Eliana

2. We may not always understand his purpose in making us wait, but we do know that he has purpose in it- often God uses waiting to grow us and test our faith

3. But he also gives us the strength to endure it

- God does something wonderful after prayerful, expectant waiting…

B. He pulls us out of the mess we are in

1. place of the dead

2. Separation from God

3. Illustration- mud and mire

C. He sets our feet on solid ground

1. Sure footing- security, deliverance, safety

2. Contrast to mud and mire

3. This is God’s work, not mine

4. Steadies us- Isaiah 41:10- I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand

Praise: A Response to God’s Deliverance (3-5, 9-10)

A. He has given us a new song

1. The purpose of this song of praise is not just recognition for what God has done…

B. The purpose of our thanksgiving and praise is to tell others of God’s work in our lives

1. We want to tell everybody about it (negative- boat, positive)

2. Showing praise to God also shows his greatness and mercy to others- enthusiasm is contagious- illustration- chocolate/donut shop

3. God doesn’t need our praise for himself

a. Why do we praise others? - encourage, build them up, to give them confidence

b. Why do we like praise? Lets us know we are doing well, makes us feel better about ourselves

c. God doesn’t need that

(1) He doesn’t need us to feed his hungry ego

(2) He needs our praise for the sake of his mission- so others can hear about him and be saved

C. Many will see and be amazed (v. 3)

1. The reality is that people are watching us- what do they see?

2. Many do see, yet they don’t understand

3. God opens their eyes and they see his hand in it all

4. Our job is not to make people see, but to show them

D. How? Telling others of God’s Character

1. Worthy of our confidence

a. Trust is relational

b. As we communicate this trust to others, we reenforce its importance in our lives

c. Its so easy to be pulled away by False idols

(1) 2 Kings 22:2- did not turn away from doing what was right- to the right or left

(2) We often see people the wicked and the proud “succeeding” in life and think, “Why don’t I try? It’s working for them.”

(3) Praise causes us to focus on what God has done for us and our need for him rather than putting our trust in other things- even ourselves

(4) "We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction." -H.A. Ironside

2. Performs many wonders- creation, blessings in life- give God the credit he deserves

3. Has a plan for our lives

a. Jer. 29:11

b. Rom. 8:28

4. It is more than we could ever tell

a. V. 5b- The Love of God verse 3

Surrender: A Pleasing Sacrifice (6-8)

A. We all have a desire to please God, but how?

1. Illustration: men trying to figure out how to please women

2. What does the Lord require?

3. It’s not just going through the motions- no sacrifice can meet God’s standard

a. We don’t appease God with ceremonies, lofty prayers, giving, coming to church, etc.

b. Just like I don’t show Heather I love her by going through the motions- she wants my heart

- Realizing all that God has done for us and all the benefits that we receive as his children should lead us to give him our lives

B. God delights in a life that is fully surrendered to him

1. Psalm 51:16-17- 16 You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.

2. He is after our hearts and our wills- not just our actions

3. V. 8- Putting our surrender and dedication into action

4. Right actions flow out of a surrendered heart, not the other way around

Prayer: A Call for Continued Deliverance

A. We must understand our need

1. Troubles in this life are often overwhelming

a. Illustration- dream of being chased- Picture of a powerful enemy chasing after us, finally catching up, and surrounding us

b. Often troubles come as a result of our failure to follow God’s will for our lives

2. Sin can lead us into discouragement and a lack of trust in our deliverer

a. Sin piles up so high we can’t see

b. “I have lost all courage” v. 12

3. Our need should cause us to cry out to God v. 13

a. Rescue me! Help me!

b. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

B. We should pray for the deliverance of our churches, communities, and nation from living contrary to God’s plan. Vv. 14-16

1. Enemies- Not necessarily those trying to do evil or commit crimes against us, but rather those that enjoy seeing others fail

2. The Psalmist prays that people like this will receive what they are trying to inflict on others

a. Humiliation, shame, and disgrace

3. In a sense he is calling for things to be restored to how they should be, where people care for those who are suffering

a. As we all face suffering, we should help each other and seek God’s grace together in unity

b. This is the goal of the church- sinners helping sinners

c. Coming together to praise God for what he has done in our lives

Conclusion

- David Understood his need Of God and it led him to call out in prayer. God's work in his life led him to praise God and surrender his life. But in verse 17 we see him back to where He started. Realizing his weaknesses and need for a deliverer.

- The joy that we have today is because God did send a deliverer

o Heb. 10:5-7 That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. 6 You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. 7 Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’”

- Calvary, we are not saved or made holy by the things that we do or the sacrifices that we offer. This passage makes that clear. There is only one sacrifice that can save us from the mud and the mire and the grip of sin and separation from God in our lives. Jesus Christ

So What?

• Have you realized your need for God?

• Are you praising him for what he has done?

• Are you telling others what he has done for you?

• Have you surrendered your heart to God?

• Are you continually crying out to him for deliverance?