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PSALMS 27
LESSON #20
CONQUERING FEAR
MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 27:1
PSALM 27 IS ANOTHER PSALM OF A VERY PERSONAL NATURE BETWEEN GOD AND DAVID. DAVID HAS APERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND KNOWS THAT GOD IS NEAR.
PRIMARY INTERPRETATION:
READ PSA 27:1-6 GODS PROVISION FOR THE BELIEVER
GOD IN THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE: (1-3)
“THE LORD IS MY LIGHT AND MY SALVATION” (1)
WHEN THE BIBLE REFERS TO GOD AS LIGHT, IT MEANS HE IS HOLY AND WITHOUT ANY EVIL.
“MY SALVATION” (1)
THE WORD “SALVATION” IN OLD TESTAMENT HEBREW IS A BROADER TERM THAN WE NEWTESTAMENT CHRISTIANS NORMALLY THINK.
IT MEANS DELIVERANCE OR PRESERVATION FROM DANGER OR DISEASE WHICH IMPLIES SAFETY, HEALTH,AND PROSPERITY, AS WELL AS MORAL AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
THE NEW TESTAMENT DEVELOPS THE IDEA OF SALVATION FROM SIN, SATAN, AND ETERNAL DEATH.
“THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE” (1)
NOT ONLY DOES GOD PROVIDE ALL THE BENEFITS OF SALVATION, BOTH THE OLD AND THE NEWTESTAMENT CONCEPTIONS OF THE WORD, BUT HE PROVIDES STRENGTH AND POWER TO LIVE LIFE.
IF YOU REALLY GRASP THIS CONCEPT AND BELIEVE IT, YOU WILL NEVER FEAR ANYTHING!
THAT WAS DAVIDS EXPERIENCE. HE KNEW GOD SO WELL, THAT FEAR FLED IN THE LIGHT OFGODS PRESENCE.
WHAT CONFIDENCE DID DAVID HAVE THAT MANY OF US LACK?
READ ROM 8:28-29
1. DAVID TRULY KNEW THAT GOD WAS IN CONTROL OF HIS LIFE. HE KNEW THAT NOTHING WOULDEVER HAPPEN TO HIM THAT GOD DID NOT PERMIT FOR HIS BENEFIT.
EVEN HIS ENEMIES STUMBLED AND FELL (2)
SATAN IS THE ULTIMATE ENEMY (1PET 5:8). WE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE PERSONAL ENEMIES, PEOPLEWHO HATE US AND SEEK TO DESTROY US, BUT WE DO HAVE A SPIRITUAL BEING, SATAN, WHO SEEKS TODESTROY US. NO MATTER WHAT FORM SATAN USES AGAINST US, WE DO NOT NEED TO FEAR.
2. DAVID LOVED THE LORD. HE LOVED BEING WITH GODS PEOPLE IN GODS HOUSE. HELOVED TO SEE THE WORKS OF GOD IN HIS LIFE. HE LOVED STUDYING GODS WORD. (4)
THIS LOVE FOR GOD GAVE DAVID HIS CONFIDENCE (3-4)
HE KNEW GOD PERSONALLY AND HIS LIFE HAD A SINGLE FOCUS. (“ONE THING HAVE IDESIRED…” (4))
PAUL ALSO HAD THIS SAME SINGLE FOCUS.
READ PHIL 3:13-14
DAVIDS INNER THOUGHTS: (4-6)
“IN THE TIME OF TROUBLE HE SHALL HIDE ME IN HIS PAVILION; IN THE SECRET OF HISTABERNACLE SHALL HE HIDE ME; HE SHALL SET ME UP UPON A ROCK.” (5)
THE PLACE DAVID SPEAKS ABOUT IS THE HOLY OF HOLIES IN THE TABERNACLE. WHY DOES DAVID SAYHE IS HIDING THERE WHEN ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST COULD GO IN THERE AND THEN ONLY ONE TIME AYEAR?
DAVID IS SPEAKING SPIRITUALLY. HE MEANS HIS LIFE IS IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD. AS NEWTESTAMENT BELIEVERS, WE CAN UNDERSTAND THIS VERY WELL. WE HAVE INSTANT ACCESS TO GOD, TOHIS MERCY, TO HIS GRACE, TO HIS LOVE. JESUS CHRIST IS DAVIDS FOUNDATION.
READ PSA 27:7-14 THE BELIEVERS PRAYER FOR HELP
WALKING BY FAITH: (7-12)
BECAUSE OF DAVIDS CONFIDENCE IN THE ABIDING PRESENCE OF GOD, HE IS MOVED TO PRAYER.
DAVIDS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD WAS SO PERSONAL THAT EVERY TIME GOD SPOKE TO HIM, HEQUICKLY RESPONDED. (8)
DAVID PRAYS, “…LEAVE ME NOT, NEITHER FORSAKE ME, O GOD OF MY SALVATION.” (9)
THIS IS AN OLD TESTAMENT PRAYER THAT IS NOT VALID IN THIS NEW TESTAMENT AGE.
IN THE OLD TESTAMENT THE HOLY SPIRIT DID NOT CONTINUALLY DWELL INSIDE THE BELIEVER. HEONLY CAME AND ANOINTED AND INDWELT PERIODICALLY TO ACCOMPLISH SOME SPECIFIC PURPOSE.THEREFORE, WE SOMETIMES SEE DAVID PRAY THAT THE HOLY SPIRIT NOT BE TAKEN FROM HIM.
IN THIS NEW TESTAMENT AGE, WE HAVE THE HOLY SPIRIT LIVING INSIDE OF US CONTINUALLY. GODDOES NOT REMOVE THE HOLY SPIRIT FROM A BELIEVER ONCE IT IS GIVEN AT THE NEW BIRTH. THEBELIEVER CAN “QUENCH” THE HOLY SPIRIT (1THE 5:19), OR “GRIEVE” THEHOLY SPIRIT
(EPH 4:30), BUT THE HOLY SPIRIT DOES NOT LEAVE.
READ HEB 13:5,6
THEREFORE, NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS HAVE A GREATER CONFIDENCE THAN DAVID HAD.
HOWEVER, THERE IS A LOSS OF CLOSE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD WHEN THE BELIEVER SINS. THIS LOSS OFFELLOWSHIP CAN BE QUICKLY RESTORED BY CONFESSION OF SIN AND GODS FORGIVENESS. (1JOH1:9)
“WHEN MY FATHER AND MY MOTHER FORSAKE ME, THEN THE LORD WILL TAKE ME UP.” (10)
DAVIDS FATHER AND MOTHER DID NOT FORSAKE HIM, BUT IF THEY HAD DONE THAT, GODWOULD HAVE TAKEN CARE OF HIM.
“TEACH ME THY WAY, O LORD” (11)
DAVID WANTS A GOOD TESTIMONY IN FRONT OF HIS ENEMIES. HE DOES NOT WANT HIS LIFE TOEMBARRASS GOD.
IF WE HAD DAVIDS ATTITUDE, WE WOULD NOT DO SOME OF THE THINGS WE DO.
DAVID WANTS TO BE IN GODS WILL AND NOT FORCED TO DO MANS WILL.
WAITING BY FAITH: (13-14)
“…THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD” (13)
DAVID SAYS HE HAD FAITH TO TRUST IN GODS GOODNESS. THEREFORE, HIS BATTLE AGAINSTFEAR IS TO HAVE FAITH.
IN FACT, FEAR IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH.
IF YOU DISCOVER THAT YOU ARE SUDDENLY AFRAID, IT SHOULD BE A WARNING BELL TO YOU THAT YOUARE NOT TRUSTING GOD.
IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN SOME MEMORY VERSE WILL BOOST YOUR CONFIDENCE TO FAITH IN GOD. THATIS WHY WE LEARN MEMORY VERSES.
“WAIT ON THE LORD: BE OF GOOD COURAGE…” (14)
WHEN WE FEEL OUR FAITH LEAVING US, FEAR SUDDENLY COMES IN. WE GET FAINT HEARTED.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO “WAIT ON THE LORD”?
THE HEBREW WORD FOR “WAIT” MEANS = TO BIND TOGETHER BY TWISTING; TO GATHERTOGETHER AND LOOK PATIENTLY.
IF YOU WRAP YOURSELF IN THE WORD OF GOD AND THE PRESENCE OF JESUS CHRIST, YOU ARE TOGETHEREXPECTANTLY LOOKING TO SEE WHAT GOD WILL DO. THAT IS WAITING ON THE LORD.
PERSONAL APPLICATION:
THE HUMAN EMOTION OF FEAR:
1. FEAR CAN BE VERY REAL AND RATIONAL.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE MAY BE A VERY REAL PRESENCE OF DANGER IN YOUR LIFE.
IF YOU ARE SUDDENLY FACED WITH A WILD BEAST, ADRENALIN BEGINS TO FLOW THROUGH YOUR VEINSAND OUT OF FEAR, YOU FLEE FOR YOUR LIFE. THIS IS A CHEMICAL REACTION PROVIDED BY GOD TOPRESERVE LIFE.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE ARE MANY TIMES WHEN WE FEEL AFRAID WHEN THERE IS NO ACTUAL PERCEIVEDPRESENCE OF DANGER.
THIS FEAR USUALLY COMES FROM WHAT WE PRESUME MAY HAPPEN TO US. THIS KIND OF FEAR WE CALLANXIETY. USUALLY THESE KINDS OF FEARS ARE WITHOUT FOUNDATION AND FREQUENTLY NEVER OCCUR.
WHETHER THE FEAR IS RATIONAL OR IRRATIONAL, GOD PROMISES TO PROVIDE FOR YOU.
WHAT DO YOU LEARN ABOUT FEAR FROM THIS PSALM?
1. FEAR USUALLY IS GREATER AT NIGHT THAN IN THE DAYTIME.
NOTICE THAT DAVID SAYS THAT GOD IS LIGHT.
GOD ILLUMINATES THE TRUE NATURE OF THE SITUATION SO THAT THE FEAR IS REMOVED. WHAT MAYAPPEAR TO BE A FEARFUL SITUATION IN THE DARK, LOSES ITS THREAT IN THE DAYTIME.
2. SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH GIVES YOU CONFIDENCE.
THE PERSONAL PRESENCE OF THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE REASSURES THE BELIEVER. IF I KNOW THAT IAM NOT ALONE BUT THAT THERE ARE 4 OF US TOGETHER (THE FATHER, THE SON, THE HOLY SPIRIT,AND I), THEN I AM NOT AFRAID.
3. FAITH IN A VERY PERSONAL GOD GIVES YOU CONFIDENCE.
4. FEAR IS THE OPPOSITE OF FAITH AND IS A WARNING BELL THAT OUR FAITH IS WEAK.
WHAT DO YOU LEARN IN THIS PSALM THAT WILL ENABLE YOU TO CONQUER FEAR?
1. GET TO KNOW GOD PERSONALLY, AND PRACTICE THE PRESENCE OF GOD.
2. EXERCISE YOUR FAITH IN LITTLE THINGS SO AS TO BUILD IT UP TO BELIEVE GOD FOR GREATERVICTORIES.
3. LEARN TO “WAIT” ON GOD.
4. GAIN A SINGLE FOCUS IN LIFE.
PROPHETIC INTERPRETATION:
DURING THE TRIBULATION PERIOD, GODS PEOPLE WILL BE SURROUNDED BY ENEMIES WHO SEEK TODESTROY THEM. THE ANTI-CHRIST WILL PERSECUTE THOSE WHO FOLLOW JESUS CHRIST. IT IS DURINGTHIS TIME OF GREAT PERSECUTION THAT FEAR AND FAITH WILL HAVE THEIR ULTIMATE BATTLE. THEPEOPLE OF GOD WILL NEED TO RELY ON THEIR PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD TO GIVE THEM THEULTIMATE VICTORY.
HOMEWORK
PSALM 28 AND 29
THIS IS A SELF-STUDY. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HOMEWORK ANSWERS TO THE TEACHER FORCORRECTION.
APPLICATION OF PSA 27
WHAT ANXIETIES OR FEARS SEEM TO BE A PLAGUE ON YOUR LIFE?
FROM THE LESSON IN PSA 27, WHAT SPECIFIC THINGS MUST YOU DO TO BATTLE YOUR FEARS?
PREPARATION FOR PSA 28 AND 29
READ PSA 28:1-9
WHAT DO YOU LEARN IN THIS PSALM ABOUT HEARING GODS VOICE FOR DIRECTION IN YOUR LIFE?
READ PSA 29:1-11
WHAT DO YOU LEARN IN THIS PSALM ABOUT THE VOICE OF THE LORD?
1Psa20MEMORY VERSE: PSALMS 29:2
