DAY 11.
We are looking at the promises of God that He has given to us His children in His word and today we look at vs.81- 88 and can begin to meditate on the fact that we are 'kept by the power of God' Revelation 3 v 10.
David lived a long time before the truth was revealed to the saints in Philadelphia but he had already proven it in his day.
The patient keeping of Gods word in ones life will bring out our Father's keeping power in the hour of our temptation or affliction.
There are several words here that we should look at to gain spiritual insight to the outworking of Gods power in us.
The word 'kept' from our point of view means to remain steadfast under duress, it points to us not shrinking back from obeying the truth and to holding fast to our position when under severe attack.
The word 'kept' from Gods point of view points to His preserving though living in hostile situations, He is aware of the battle and constantly comfort us in the middle of it.
Our Father is diligently keeping watch over His children all the time and steps in at will on occasions to bring relief to the beleaguered soul.
The word 'power' is important because it brings us the mighty strength that is available to us in the Holy Spirit, there is no greater power than the Holy Spirit who has come to reside in us.
We have all the strength and authority to conquer in the trials and tribulations that we are called to go through, we can either use it powerfully or abuse it foolishly.
David reveals to us the value of using it wisely, he tells us that he would have 'fainted' that is been completely finished had it not been for the power of Gods word alive in his life.
He would have been consumed by Goliath in 1 Samuel 17, by Saul 1 Samuel 24, by the Philistines 1 Samuel 29 and the Amalekites 1 Samuel 30 then by Absalom 2 Samuel 15 – 18.
It was a life of affliction for David who testifies here to the fact that had it not been for the experimental knowledge gained through Gods word he could never have done or accomplished what He did.
The sooner we come to the end of our meagre resources and begin to 'patiently' trust Gods word the better it will be for us, the Lord, the Church and the world.
'Patience' is the third word that we must ponder over, this is the fourth time it has appeared in these studies already, it points to the long wait of a sentry on duty during the dark hours.
To remain on guard in anticipation of a sudden attack, it can occur at any moment so he must remain vigilant on duty.
David knew this literally during his skirmishes with King Saul, he could never relax for a moment as the wily king tracked down the king in waiting.
The fact was he could never relax until the enemy was slain or dead, it was a constant battle running for his life but the Lord was His protector.
It is this patience that is needed if we are going to conquer in the last day, to quietly but persistently study Gods word applying it to our situation and then standing firm that He will honour on the Great Day of Judgement.
Our Father honours faithfulness and none more so than in the trusting and obeying of His word, so do not the enemy rob us of our final reward by his deception.
David learned the secrets as a boy out with the sheep in hostile conditions, he took on the lion and the bear in the strength of the Lord and as an older man he took on powers and authorities the same way.
I am so glad that we can read these experiences of godly men and women not as eulogy to the great achievements or as tributes to some exploits that they had performed.
No they come to us as living testimonies to the saving and keeping power of the Living God who changes not, that means He is still doing such strengthening work in His people today.
Many a saint over the years has witnessed to the mighty strengthening of the Lord in adverse situations when the body and mind have cried out to the Lord for help and He came to them in power and overcoming strength.
These folk have come to v 83 a graphic picture that we do not know to much about today but it is the scene in an eastern tent where wine skins were hung up to dry.
The skins were left to hang growing black and sooty in the heat but they became wrinkled and worn in the smoke filled room.
David saw the image of the lined furrowed face caused by the sorrow and oppression that he faced, he was crying out under severe pressure for God to come and comfort him.
His mind is parched by the heat of the battle, his body is tired of running around, his mental suffering through slander and deception had brought him to a collapsed state.
His tormented mind thought of people looking on him as an old worn out wine skin good for nothing and having no useful purpose in life.
Well he looks at himself and then in his weakness He looks to the Lord, we are never to old to learn new secrets from the Lord, whether worn out in the fray or lying on a bed in pain or suffering in silence on the battle field of life.
Our Father comes through His word to us and reveals some wonderful truths to us and wee become refreshed, renewed and revived for the next phase of life.
Now let us pause for a moment or two because there could well be folk looking at this and thinking it was alright for David and the great men and women who have come through life in ye light of Gods word.
I am not in their category just a simple disciple of Jesus seeking to gain mastery in life over temptation and victory through the trials we are called to go through
Well you happen to be the kind of person that the Lord is looking carefully over today and He wants you to go on diligently studying and applying His word so that His strength will be poured through you to overcome.
We all need His strength as we all need to apply His word, our heavenly Father is not looking for complicated situations to arise to prove His power but He is longing for simple trust and faith to be demonstrated by His children.
In an age of 'youth promoting' and older people being like the blackened wine skins seen as being of no use our Father is lifting up the battered, wrinkled diligent men and women
and using them for His glory.
We do not know how long we have to live on earth v 84 but we can learn how to live one day at a time, to make the maximum use of the hours of today bringing us to the source of our reviving strength, the Living God.
The world may persecute us but the Lord promises strength for the day and all along the way so that we become overcomer's through the strength of the Lord.
The persecutors dig the holes for us to fall into but the Lord gives us discernment to see them in advance v 85 and that maddens the persecutors but gladdens the heart of the diligent.
We can look at the pits as warning signs so that we can keep clear of them, they can become beacons to the faithful that mark out the path to heaven.
Of course if we are not diligent we find that we fall into those holes at regular intervals it is not the Lords fault that we fell but our own, because we are relying on our own strength.
'Persecution' v 86 comes in varied forms some come in violent forms with beatings and killings from vicious evil minds seeking to show that might is right.
Some times it is through intellectual scheming and plotting seeking to pull down the church by argument and some times it is politically formed seeking to overthrow the church.
Persecution can be personal and bitter seeking to overthrow Gods standard but it can be collective, pursued by malicious minds with hot tempers to destroy the church.
Persecution is allowed to draw us all closer together and closer to the Lord, God was as close to David in the cave of Adullam as He we as in the worship times before the Ark of the Covenant in the Tabernacle.
Persecution seems to get its way many times but we need ever to remind ourselves that the persecutors will face the wrath of Gods judgement on the Great Day of Judgement.
The amazing truth hit me many years ago that the greatest persecutors of their day lived as if there was no God but in a flash they were confronted with Him when death took them into eternity.
The Christian believer has no fear of death it is the entrance into the heavenlies, there they will enjoy the constant present of the Lord for eternity but their detractors only face a lost eternity in hell.
Now in the midst of great persecution we look up to the Lord and He 'quickens' us that is revives and restores, the word comes nine times in the Psalm and it is operating today.
