Withstand

Songs For Our Heart  •  Sermon  •  Submitted   •  Presented   •  54:59
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Introduction

Tragedy struck this week in Uvalde Texas, and unfortunately this side of heaven it wont be the last time either. Hurricanes, Terrorist attacks, active shootings, drive-bys, murders, kidnappings, car-accidents, sicknesses, abandonment, etc - the list goes on. Whether it happens to us individually or on a larger scale when it hits it can be hard and difficult to persevere in faith.
Many of the Psalms inscriptions give us insight to the circumstances surrounding the writing of the Psalm. Psalm 3 David fled Absalom his son, Psalm 34 A Psalm of David when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, Psalm 51 penned by David after “Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had sinned with Bathsheba.”, and Psalm 57 is a Psalm of David “when he fled Saul in the cave.”. Psalm 27 is simply titled a Psalm of David. We know who wrote it and we know he faced difficulties in his life, we do not know the special circumstance prompting this Psalm so we can apply it fairly widely. It speaks of trouble David faced because of enemies. The beauty of this Psalm is that David praised and prayed in the midst of these circumstances because David had great confidence in the LORD.
On April 21st 1764 John Wesley wrote in his journal about a visit he had made. He said (today) I visited one who was ill in bed; and, after having buried seven of her family in six months, had just heard that the eighth, her beloved husband was cast away at sea. I asked “Do you not fret those things?” She said with a lovely smile upon her pale cheek, “O no! How can I fret anything which is the will of God? Let Him take all besides: He has given me Himself. I love, I praise Him every moment.”
Trouble hits all and tough circumstances come to all - what makes one stay and another lose faith? Confidence in God gives the power to withstand. In this Psalm we see how to develop that confidence in God so we can withstand likewise.
Psalm 27:1–3 CSB
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— whom should I dread? 2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident.
Psalm 27:4–5 CSB
4 I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple. 5 For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
Psalm 27:6–8 CSB
6 Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord. 7 Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me. 8 My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face.
Psalm 27:9–11 CSB
9 Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation. 10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me. 11 Because of my adversaries, show me your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path.
Psalm 27:12–14 CSB
12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence. 13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.

Times of Crisis - Regain Right Perspective

God Is Our Fortress

Psalm 27:1 CSB
1 The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— whom should I dread?
David makes two declarations about who the Lord is - who he knows the LORD to be in his life. David was a skilled warrior and a man of impressive accomplishments especially in battles. He however never lost sight of the LORD being the strength of His life. If we do not know God as the strength of our life it is because we trust in other things for our strength and protection. Most find it all too easy to trust in wisdom, experience, friends, family, and our own resources. David knew a strength greater than anything else that would ever be found in this world. Paul wrote of the need for this strength in spiritual warfare.
Ephesians 6:10 CSB
10 Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength.
David speaks of the LORD being the stronghold of his life. Stronghold that is a fortress, a defense, a safety. The LORD is our defense and security of our life. In acknowledging this David says - the LORD is my light and salvation - who guides me in the dark and has saved my life — WHO should I fear? The LORD is his fortress and safety who should he dread? His safety - strong defense was found in the Lord’s strength and his fear was eliminated in the truth of God’s strength and love.
Our safety is to be found in the LORD and when we find our safety in the LORD as our fortress and defense it dispels our fear. Perfect love casts out fear. Who or what is the strength and safety of your life - especially in times of crisis?

Our Enemies Will Fall

Psalm 27:2 CSB
2 When evildoers came against me to devour my flesh, my foes and my enemies stumbled and fell.
David in this crisis also remembered the outcome for his enemies. David describes his enemies as evil men and they come against him to devour his flesh. Wild animals without compassion - cold blooded without mercy. They attacked David but David kept in mind their end - they stumbled and fell when they came against him. They will not ultimately succeed in victory over him.
Evil men will come against us and oppose us. Evil men commit evil acts, but evil men will fall simply because they are evil men. God opposes the evil men and comes against them. Don’t be surprised when evil men come against - for it was said by Jesus they would.
John 15:18 CSB
18 “If the world hates you, understand that it hated me before it hated you.
John 15:20 CSB
20 Remember the word I spoke to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
Psalm 73:2 CSB
2 But as for me, my feet almost slipped; my steps nearly went astray.
Psalm 73:13–14 CSB
13 Did I purify my heart and wash my hands in innocence for nothing? 14 For I am afflicted all day long and punished every morning.
Psalm 73:16–19 CSB
16 When I tried to understand all this, it seemed hopeless 17 until I entered God’s sanctuary. Then I understood their destiny. 18 Indeed, you put them in slippery places; you make them fall into ruin. 19 How suddenly they become a desolation! They come to an end, swept away by terrors.

God Is Our Confidence

Psalm 27:3 CSB
3 Though an army deploys against me, my heart will not be afraid; though a war breaks out against me, I will still be confident.
David then states that even if an army deploys against him his heart will not fear. Again we know that his confidence is God. With God his heart has nothing to fear. Though a war breaks out against me still David will remain confident. Not confident in self but confident in God with his life. Confident God upholds his life - all of it even the crisis times.
1 Samuel 17:45 CSB
45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with a sword, spear, and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord of Armies, the God of the ranks of Israel—you have defied him.
1 Samuel 17:46 CSB
46 Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I’ll strike you down, remove your head, and give the corpses of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the wild creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God,
1 Samuel 17:47 CSB
47 and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord’s. He will hand you over to us.”
David trusted the Lord for the victory even against unbeatable odds. We are tempted to look every where else for confidence, but its when we trust and remain confident in God that we are able to withstand the onslaught, the storms, the crisis and the wars around us and against us.
God is bigger than your problems, and you can have full confidence in him. Now that doesn’t mean that everything will turn out the way you want it to. God in his wisdom may have different plans for you than you would choose. Christians suffer; they grieve; they are not immune to sickness and sorrow. Christians lose loved ones; they are imprisoned; their dreams sometimes come crashing down around them. But God is faithful, and he will bring you through whatever problems you face. In the long run, even death cannot hurt the child of God, for death simply ushers us into God’s presence.

Everyday - Dwell Richly With God

Focused Daily Desire

Psalm 27:4–5 CSB
4 I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking him in his temple. 5 For he will conceal me in his shelter in the day of adversity; he will hide me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.
Psalm 27:6 CSB
6 Then my head will be high above my enemies around me; I will offer sacrifices in his tent with shouts of joy. I will sing and make music to the Lord.
Times of crisis call for a change of perspective on the situation and to regain our perspective of who God is. That perspective of God only comes however from the everyday practice of dwelling richly with God. David here shows us how to dwell richly with God every day and the first thing is that it takes focused daily desire - FOR God. David says I have asked for one thing from the LORD and it comes from his true and single greatest desire of his heart. What is David’s greatest desire? To dwell int he house of the LORD ALL the days of his life. David’s perspective of the LORD came from desiring the LORD. Do we desire the LORD? Do we want to dwell with the LORD - live with Him and commune with Him? A confident faith in God is relational at its foundation. One thing David wanted was to dwell with God everyday of his life. It was his daily desire.
What is our single greatest desire? Is it to dwell with God everyday? Do we awake each day desiring God and His house? Or do we only desire God some days and other days not really? Like David do we desire to gaze at the beauty of God and seek Him in His temple?
How do you behold God’s beauty? Find Him in His word, in prayer, in worship, in the fellowship of God’s people. Gaze upon God’s beauty. Fix your eyes upon him. Feast upon him. Gaze intently, enjoying sweet fellowship with your God. It is the one thing that if you have it, you don’t desire anything else.
David says that when he focuses on desiring God his head is lifted high above his enemies. His head is lifted in confidence daily and everyday lifted in countenance. Lifted up with joy and praise for the LORD. David knew the truth that there is protection for those who desire God everyday and seek Him earnestly. The promise is not to prevent trouble but to provide security and stability in the midst of it. Those who dwell with God daily arent free from trouble but neither are they shaken by it for they are able withstand because daily they are set upon the rock.
Something a Christian minister in China by the name of Wang Ming-Dao said fits. He had spent 23 years in prison. His strong faith in God inspired millions of Chinese Christians. After his release a visiting minister from the United States asked him, “I will probably never be put in prison like you, so how can your faith have any impact on mine?”
Wang replied, “When you go back home, how many books do you have to read this coming month? How many letters to write, people to see, sermons to preach? You need to build yourself a cell. When I was put in jail I was devastated. I was an evangelist. I wanted to hold crusades all over China. I was an author. I wanted to write books. I was a preacher. I wanted to study my Bible and write sermons. But I had no Bible, no pulpit, no audience, no pen and paper. I could do nothing. Nothing except get to know God. And for 20 years, that was the greatest relationship I have ever known.”
Wang went on to say: “I was pushed into a cell, but you will have to push yourself into one. Simplify your life, so you have time to know God.” Only those who make time to know God will know God

Heart Seeking His Face

Psalm 27:7–8 CSB
7 Lord, hear my voice when I call; be gracious to me and answer me. 8 My heart says this about you: “Seek his face.” Lord, I will seek your face.
Psalm 27:9–10 CSB
9 Do not hide your face from me; do not turn your servant away in anger. You have been my helper; do not leave me or abandon me, God of my salvation. 10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.
David not seeks God’s dwelling, and to gaze at God’s beauty but He also desires God’s presence. In the presence of God our voice is heard when we call. David knew this to be true, and in fact David says his heart declares to seek God’s face. To seek God’s face speaks more than just to see God, this is intimacy with God and relationship. David’s desire for the Lord was such that he was never satisfied and desired more and wanted to be closer and to know His presence more and more.
In verses 9 and 10 David recognizes his own sin even as he calls on God for help, and so he prays, “Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior. Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me.”
Some people are rejected by their fathers, others by their mothers. David says, “Even if my father and mother both abandon me, the LORD cares for me.” John Trapp translates this verse, “The Lord will take me into his care and keeping.” In this context the word could almost mean the same as adopt. “Though my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will adopt me.” When even those closest to you fail you, to whom will you turn? God will care for you. He will take you in. From a parent we long for acceptance, to be heard, to receive guidance, and protection. God can fulfill all these for each of us including the life that never received them from a parent.
Even if our parents, the closest people in our life, would leave us, God would still take care of us. He will find a way that you and I will be sustained, nourished, and well taken care of.
God’s love is greater than even our own parents’ love. While there’s no indication that David was abandoned by his parents, if it ever happens, David knew that he can still survive as long as God is with him.
Withstanding not just in times of crisis, but everyday of life. Dwelling richly with God everyday and finding the necessary strength and sustenance for everyday in God alone.

For A Lifetime - Endure in Trust

Committed To His Way

Psalm 27:11–12 CSB
11 Because of my adversaries, show me your way, Lord, and lead me on a level path. 12 Do not give me over to the will of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing violence.
David lived a life for the Lord victorious in faith despite all the things that came against him in life. This was because David sought to live life not dictated by his trouble or his enemies. He didnt say because of my enemies I will do this - I choose this. David endured his enemies through trust in the LORD and His ways. David asks LORD show me your way and lead me on a level path - one where I wont stumble or fall. David was commited to the LORD’s way. Notice that David asks for a straight path, level, safe and firm. When we follow God’s ways, we are safe and secure and under God’s protection. When we leave God’s path, we leave his protection, and we open ourselves needlessly to danger.
A lifetime lived in discipleship is one that prays not to live one’s own way but rather to be shown the LORD’s way. That is how one withstands for a lifetime.
Dont give me over to the will of my foes - false witnesses rise up against me breathing violence
1 Peter 2:12 CSB
12 Conduct yourselves honorably among the Gentiles, so that when they slander you as evildoers, they will observe your good works and will glorify God on the day he visits.
Help me Lord endure - in trust - commited to Your way.

Waiting For The Lord

Psalm 27:13–14 CSB
13 I am certain that I will see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart be courageous. Wait for the Lord.
David says I am certain I will see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living. David was certain and confident in the LORD and that He would see the LORD’s goodness. His strength of certainty and courageous heart for the LORD came from waiting for the LORD. He says wait for the LORD be strong and let your heart be courageous - wait for the LORD. Strength and courage come from trusting in the LORD.
Because of human nature, even though we already knew how God can protect us, you and I at times could still doubt God’s ability. Because of our frailty, we sometimes get too short-sighted and limit God.
Trusting God involves being courageous, it is not easy to continue to trust when things are crashing down. Thats why the encouragement is to be courageous and withstand. Do not be faint or dismayed no matter what happens continue to put your trust and hope in God. When we do that it will be God who strengthens us. God will enable us to overcome, and withstand trials, adversities, tragedies and our enemies. He will provide the strength to endure and finish our Christian race.

Conclusion

Life comes at your fast and throws curve balls and then gets into a daily rut. We must withstand in times of crisis by refocusing our perspective. We must withstand in everyday by dwelling richly with God and seeking His presence daily. We will withstand throughout our lifetime if we endure in trust of God. Trusting His ways and trusting His care.
There is no greater love than God’s love. When everyone has turned their back on you, know that God is still there for you.
Philippians 1:6 CSB
6 I am sure of this, that he who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
The strength to withstand comes only from God and if life has you unstable come to God and place your faith in Him today.
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