How Do You Make It Through? (PM Lesson Outline)
GIST: Follow His direction, trust in His enabling provision, and look to His return!
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 18
Tonight is our last time together in what I pray will only be our first Summer in the Psalms. I’ve loved it, and pray I have grown from it. I pray the same for you.
This evening, we’re going to look at the second half of Psalm 18. This morning we look at the importance of remembering God as we look back on our lives. Tonight, I want to look at “looking forward”. How do we face this life present tense? Well that’s the gist: follow His direction, trust in His enabling provision, and look to His return!
I. FOLLOW HIS DIRECTION.
28 For it is you who light my lamp; the LORD my God lightens my darkness.
Let’s break this down a bit.
You Light My Lamp. The only reason I can walk in the dark is because of You. You are the light. Apart from you, I could never see. Why? Because→
You Lighten My Darkness. I am not only walking in the darkness, but I am also myself part of that darkness. My heart is naturally sinful. I need You to be the difference.
Don’t Follow Your Heart; Seek His Face. When I talk to teenagers at events like graduation, this is always a point I try to make. This has been hammered into our heads by our society. Follow your heart. Trust your heart. What does that even mean? It means do whatever you feel is right in that moment. The problem? My feelings aren’t always right! In fact, by nature, they’re typically sinful. So, when you’re trying to make a decision, don’t follow your heart, follow His leading.
II. TRUST IN HIS ENABLING PROVISION
You Make It Possible For Me To Overcome Obstacles Which Should Be Impossible For Me. “29 For by you I can run against a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. “
Remember Who God Is. “30 This God--his way is perfect; the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. 31 For who is God, but the LORD? And who is a rock, except our God?--” In the middle of several statements about what God has done for him personal, David pauses to remember who this God is!
Perfect- All He does is right.
True- He is real and what He says is reality.
Protector- He is the refuge and shield for His people.
Solid- He is an unshakable foundation.
God- He ALONE is GOD!
You Make Me Stable and Strong. “32 the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless. 33 He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights. 34 He trains my hands for war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.” This is a spiritual reality as well as physical. David was successful in combat. But, as we talked about this morning, that success had much deeper roots. It was because of God’s hand that any victory was ever won. So we have this two fold truth. Physically, You have made me who I am, so that I can serve You as You will. Spiritually, You have taken my shaky sinful heart and made it balance secure in this sin-filled life. The key in both? God is the doer!
You guard me by Your salvation. Your strength supports me. Your grace is the only reason for any of my success! “35 You have given me the shield of your salvation, and your right hand supported me, and your gentleness made me great.”
You make it possible for me to walk the narrow road. “36 You gave a wide place for my steps under me, and my feet did not slip. “
My success is Your doing. I am able to accomplish fully the tasks you set before me because of You. 37 I pursued my enemies and overtook them, and did not turn back till they were consumed. 38 I thrust them through, so that they were not able to rise; they fell under my feet. 39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle; you made those who rise against me sink under me.
III. LOOK TO HIS RETURN!
Judgment Is Coming. “40 You made my enemies turn their backs to me, and those who hated me I destroyed. 41 They cried for help, but there was none to save; they cried to the LORD, but he did not answer them. 42 I beat them fine as dust before the wind; I cast them out like the mire of the streets.” Harsh? This is a reference to God’s enemies and allusion to future judgment, Hell. Their calling out to the Lord was based on no love or relationship. They wanted help, but did not want God. (Example: The atheist who prayed in a storm, but then denied it afterwards.)
But So Is Jesus’ Kingdom! 43 You delivered me from strife with the people; you made me the head of the nations; people whom I had not known served me. 44 As soon as they heard of me they obeyed me; foreigners came cringing to me. 45 Foreigners lost heart and came trembling out of their fortresses.” Again, a picture of David’s success given by God. Yet, this is also a picture of the ultimate David, Jesus Christ!
Praise God for all He has done and remember all He will do. Jesus is the fulfillment of this final verse, and we can be HIS! “46 The LORD lives, and blessed be my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation-- 47 the God who gave me vengeance and subdued peoples under me, 48 who rescued me from my enemies; yes, you exalted me above those who rose against me; you delivered me from the man of violence. 49 For this I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations, and sing to your name. 50 Great salvation he brings to his king, and shows steadfast love to his anointed, to David and his offspring forever."
TAKEAWAYS
1. Follow His direction,
2. Trust in His enabling provision.
3. Look to His return!
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