Notes: HE WILL STRENGTHEN YOU!
Scripture Reading: Psalm 59:1-17
Introduction:
– This Psalm was written by David.
– It was written at a difficult time in his life.
– Saul, his arch enemy, had sent men to kill him.
– The murderous intent of King Saul against David was openly revealed.
– These men were watching David day and night.
– They were monitoring his house, looking for an opportunity to step in and kill him.
– In all if this, David teaches us, by example, that we can know that the Lord will undertake, we can trust in Him, and we can know the Lord’s strength in our lives and situations.
– Things may appear challenging in your private world, but the Lord will come and strengthen you.
– Things may appear challenging in your country, but the Lord will come and strengthen you.
– Things may appear challenging in the world, but the Lord will come and strengthen you.
1. WE ALL NEED THE LORD’S STRENGTH
– Each and every one of us need the strength that comes from God.
– We were not designed to do it (life) in our own strength.
– There are times when we are weak, there are times when we feel desperate, pressurised and discouraged.
– There is nothing unique about this condition, it is common to all of mankind.
– I remember speaking to someone years ago who was going through a lot of challenges. I asked her: ‘How do you cope?’ She retorted and said: ‘Don’t worry about me, I’ve got broad shoulders!’
– Having ‘broad shoulders’ can be helpful, but in the end of day it can wear us down and make us weak.
– How we need His help and His strength in our daily lives.
– Sometimes we simply need some ‘Divine Intervention’.
– I know that I need the strength that God offers, and I am sure the same is true for you.
2. THE LORD’S STRENGTH STEMS OUT OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM
– As we develop our relationship with the Lord, His strength in our lives will be an automatic outflow.
– In Psalm 59 we see how David had a relationship with the Lord.
– It was a relationship that was living and real.
– The Lord was a living reality to David and David looked to the Lord for intervention, help and strength.
– David cries out to God in the form of a prayer and asks the Lord for deliverance and defense in a situation where he was an enemy of the state and a hunted man.
– But in-between his prayers we discover a deep relationship with the Lord.
– In verse 1, David speaks of the Lord as ‘MY GOD’! In the process, he declares his close and personal relationship with God.
He speaks of MY God. Not THE Lord or OUR God, but MY God.
– In verse 9 and verse 17 he calls God his fortress: ‘For You, O God, are MY fortress.’
– A fortress is a place of safety and security and David knew His God in this secure way.
– In verse 10 and verse 17 he speaks of the Lord as the One who loves him: ‘My God of loving devotion!’
– It appears as if he could sense and feel the love of God towards him.
He speaks out of a tenderness of heart, regarding God’s love and commitment towards him.
– In verse 9 and verse 17 he speaks of the Lord as his strength: ‘O my strength!’
– It almost sounds like a sigh of relief to know God as his strength.
– Just hear it: ‘O my strength!’
– He knew the Lord as the One who was his strength and the One from whom all strength flows.
– Perhaps he had learnt to live in total and desperate dependence on the Lord?
– These things flowed out of his relationship with the Lord.
– We can know the same things out of our relationship with the Lord.
3. TELL THE LORD ABOUT YOUR AREA OF NEED
– David was not hesitant to speak out his need to the Lord.
– In fact he was very graphic about what he was facing.
– He didn’t try to water it down or minimise his challenges.
– He spoke of ‘wicked traitors’ and ‘fierce men who conspired against him’.
– He spoke of ‘snarling dogs’ and ‘scavengers’, ‘prowling’ and ‘growling’ around him.
– He was aware of what he was up against and did not hesitate to bring it to the Lord’s attention in graphic and descriptive detail.
– It reminds us of the fact that we too have an enemy who would like to see us destroyed.
– 1 Peter 5:8 ‘Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.’
– In the same way we can bring our issues and challenges to the Lord and we can face the truth of things and tell God how we see and experience things.
– Don’t hesitate to tell the Lord about your area of need.
– He is concerned about the drama you are facing.
– Step up, speak it out and get it off your chest – the Lord is there for you!
4. IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM, WAIT!
– In the middle section of Psalm 59 we find a key to success, regardless of the odds we may be up against.
– Psalm 59:9 ‘I will keep watch (wait) for You, O my strength!’
– There is a correlation between waiting and receiving strength from the Lord.
– Our natural human tendency is to rush out and deal with the issue or challenge.
– Often when the storms of life come our way, we react.
– I wonder how many opportunities have been lost, I wonder how many doors have closed, because of our reactions in situations and to situations.
– David was facing the imminent possibility of death and right there in that moment he chooses not to react or retaliate, but he chooses to watch and wait.
– David knows the problem; he has brought it to the attention of the Lord and now he waits.
– David is not sure of the outcome, but he waits and watches for God with expectation and anticipation.
– There are times when we don’t know what will happen, but in those moments, we should watch and wait with faith, until we see what God is doing or is going to do.
– It is in the waiting, the pausing, the watching, that we can receive strength from Him. (and I dare say: wisdom)
– Stop the urge to react and vent… watch and wait, His strength will be yours.
5. HE IS YOUR STRENGTH
– Sometimes when we consider this aspect of God’s strength, we see it like some byproduct of His character that He gives us.
– But the truth of the matter is the HE is our strength.
– We receive Him, and in the process His strength.
– Don’t just receive His strength but make HIM your strength.
– Appropriate Him as your strength.
– Take Him, the Lord, as your strength.
– Take hold of Him, take hold of the Lord, and strength will be yours.
– I have endeavored to make the Lord my strength. Recently I discovered how that the Lord has ‘got my back’ even when I didn’t even know there was a problem. We recently went away on holiday. We have a little dog who is very special to us. Although the dog actually belongs to my daughter, she became endeared to us during my late wife’s sickness and passing. During the time she was struggling with ill health, this little dog was her constant companion and often, we thought, this animal seemed to know that my wife was ill and would be a companion to her in her suffering. My wife left an instruction: ‘Please take care of the dog!’ The dog’s name is Cupcake. When we went away, we gave the dog to some friends to look after. These friends live on a dangerous and busy street. During the holidays, on New Year’s Eve, the dog became frightened due to all the fireworks and chewed its way out and escaped. No one even knew the dog was gone. At about 1am, someone phoned me. But my phone was already on silent for the night. She left a voice message. As I checked my phone in the dead of night, I heard the voice message: ‘Hi, my name is Zanri. I have Cupcake. I was driving home and saw this dog running wildly around and she looked out of place. I picked her up. She is safe with me. You can collect her in the morning!’
– Who stops in the dead of night to pick up a dog that’s running around? Who will take the responsibility to care for this animal and call its owners? Who offers to take care of the dog and then makes arrangements for us to collect it?
– God, my strength, had already provided for something I did not even know had happened. The dog could have been lost, stolen, run over, but no, everything was taken care of.
– Now I can just give God praise and thanks for what He has done, and I had nothing to do with it.
6. STRENGTH AND PRAISE
– Our hearts need to wait upon God, our strength.
– Then God can be our strength.
– Then when we realise that He was our strength, we can rejoice.
– Then because of His strength we can break out into praise.
– Psalm 59:17 ‘To You, O my strength, I sing praises!’
– In the previous verse, Psalm 59:16 it says: ‘But I will sing of Your strength, and proclaim Your loving devotion in the morning.’
– In the face of danger and trouble, David could sing.
– It takes Divine Strength to be able to sing in the face of danger, trouble and pending doom.
– When King Saul sent assassins to David’s house, he was open about his desire to kill David. From then on, for the next many years (perhaps 10 to 15 years), David lived as a fugitive, constantly in danger of his life. It’s interesting that David entered that period singing praises and was still able to pour out his heart to God in song at the end of that period (2 Samuel 1:17-27).
– You see, David was confident that with the Lord as His strength, he would survive the night and live to tell the tale of God’s faithfulness and love in the morning.
– This he did, day by day, until, many years later, he was victorious, the battle was over, and he became king.
So:
1. Make the Lord your strength.
2. Wait and watch for the Lord in your situation. Don’t rush in where angels fear to tread.
3. Put God and His strength between you and those things that would like to destroy you.
4. Break out in praise and shift the focus from your issues to Him and His strength.
5. Get ready to rejoice and to tell the story of how faithful God has been to you!
By: Andrew W Roebert
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