Under His Wings

UNDER HIS WINGS!

Psalm 91:4-8

Introduction:   Let me read a story a father told about how true Psalm 91:4 was in his son’s life. “Psalm 91:4, reads, “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings, you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your SHIELD and rampart.” The truth of the promise contained in this verse was dramatically illustrated to me when God became a shield on behalf of my son, who was involved in the invasion of Iraq in March of 2003. At “Ambush Alley” near Nasiriyah his unit came under small arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades.

            Two Amtracs were destroyed, and the Amtrac my son was driving would have been destroyed but for the grace of God. Just moments before the enemy directed an RPG at my son’s Amtrac, one of his fellow marines “accidentally” shot down a telephone pole. That fallen telephone pole became a shield which deflected the incoming RPG. During this battle other RPGs either completely missed or did not explode.

            God was true to his word and true to his promise, as spoken in Psalm 91:4. He provided my son with a shield just in time. And on top of that (as a matter of helping him and me remember the source of our blessing) he custom designed this shield to be in the shape of the cross on which his son died for our sins — what a powerful story of God’s protection.

            We have been exploring Psalm 91, God’s Shield of protection. So far, we have seen God as our refuge and shelter we are to run to Him and be safe in times of trouble. And also, He has the power to rescue us from the traps of the enemy and keep us from deadly diseases.  Today we will look at other aspects of God’s comfort, protection, and faithfulness for His children. Let’s explore what does Under His wings mean, and what it is like to come under God’s protection.

I. UNDER HIS WINGS!

            Vs. 4, “He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” “He will cover you with His pinions,

And under His wings, you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” NASB

             When the enemy is shooting at us, we will run instead to a bunker than seeking protection under “ His wings” right? For many, finding shelter under his wings seems lame and strange. However, the OT people sought after and found refuge Under His Wings.

            In this verse, under his wings does not mean that God has enormous wings by which he will cover his people. The Psalmist uses an obvious analogy of a mother hen protecting its baby chicks. The chicks are very familiar with various clucking sounds of the mother hen.  In John Bunyan’s Pilgrim's Progress, the interpreter explains to the women the four-fold vocal pattern a mother hen uses to communicate with her chicks. 1 A typical call she uses throughout the day. 2. A special call which she only uses once in a while. 3. She has a brooding note. 4. She gives an outcry when she senses danger and trouble from the predators.

            With that outcry, she stretches her wings and be ready to receive the little ones that would run to her for protection. Similarly, the interpreter notes, “The King himself has methods which he uses to call his people. By his simple call, he gives nothing, and by his special call, he always has something to offer.  He also has a brooding voice he uses for those who are under his wing and an outcry, which he sounds the alarm when the enemy is approaching.[1]

            The first part of verse four talks about the power of God’s protection, but is everyone protected under His wings? No! Let’s read it from NASB, “He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings, you may seek refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” NASB

            Though his protection and covering are available to all of his children; again, it is up to us to make that decision to seek refuge under his wings. Growing up, I observed how a mother hen protects its chicks from the predators. Whenever she sensed rain or a dog or a cat was after her chicks, she would send out panicky clucking noises; then she would squat and open her wings widely for the chicks to run to her. Once all the chicks are in, she closes her wings tightly.

            The verse, “He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings, you may seek refuge” means, under His wings, we may seek shelter, but we have to run to Him. That one little word “may” is a strong word. God doesn’t force us to seek refuge in Him. All that mother hen did was to cluck and to stretch her wings to show where the chicks were to come.

            In the scriptures, we see this maternal hovering of God’s protection. Isaiah 31:5-6, “The Lord of Heaven’s Armies will hover over Jerusalem and protect it like a bird protecting its nest. He will defend and save the city; he will pass over it and rescue it.” Matthew 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem…. How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.”

            Notice the contrast between God’s willingness to protect and our unwillingness to come under his protection. In Psalm 91, the Psalmist uses this analogy of a mother hen, to show us that God offers protection, but we don’t accept it to our peril. It is interesting that Jesus uses the correlation of maternal love to demonstrate His affection and attachment to us.

            We know how fierce and passionate can be when it comes to protecting their children. More than our earthly mothers, God loves us intensely and is deeply committed to protecting us. At the same time, we can reject His outstretched arms if we so choose to and fall out of His protection. God does not run here and there, trying to cover us, all he would do is to stretch his hands toward us all day long and say these comforting and assuring words: 

            “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I shall rescue you, and you will honor Me." Psalms 50:15. “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 When fear strikes your heart, by faith run to him, and you will be safe and secure under his wings. What is the basis of God’s protection?

II. A MIGHTY FORTRESS IS OUR GOD

            The latter part of verse four talks about God’s faithfulness. Vs. 4, “His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark.” The foundation for his protection is neither our faithfulness nor willingness, though they play a small part it is because of God’s faithfulness we are protected.  When the enemy comes to you and whispers fearful or condemning thoughts in your mind, you can ward off his attack by saying, I know my God is faithful and his faithfulness is my shield and bulwark.

            God knows how weak and prone we are to fall into temptations and sin. That is why he gave his Son.  We can no more earn or deserve his protection than we can earn or deserve our salvation. Thankfully, it is God’s faithfulness, not ours, that is our shield. 2 Timothy 2:13, “If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.”

             If you have been following Christ for quite some time, you can attest to this fact, that it is tough to live out our Christian faith in this time and age. There are so many ways our enemy tries to make us fall. We often stumble and fall in many ways. It is OK to fall, but the worst thing you can do after you fall spiritually is failing to get up. Proverbs 24:16, “The godly may trip seven times, but they will get up again. But one disaster is enough to overthrow the wicked.”

            The key is when we fall, we don’t remain in that pit; we get up, we repent and get back under his shield of protection. In Psalm 91:4 The, Psalmist in our verse employs two military metaphors, a shield, and a bulwark. Let me explain how these two military metaphors work in the life of a believer. In the OT, the kings, captains, and champions would have armor bearers. For example, King Saul, Goliath, and Jonathan all had armor bearers. They carried the large shield and perhaps other weapons into battle and also be there to aid and protect them from harm. With that background, when we say His faithfulness is a shield, we are picturing in our minds a large shield out in front of us protecting us. That shield is God Himself.

            When God goes before us as our shield, can any enemy stand on his path? Perhaps this what Paul had in his mind when he said, “If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Romans 8:31. When God is on our side and is fighting our battles, we will always come out as victors, so together with Paul, we say, “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” Romans 8:39

            What about a bulwark of His faithfulness? According to Nelson’s Bible Dictionary, “a bulwark is a tower built along a city wall from which defenders shot arrows and hurl large stones at the enemy.”[2] God’s faithfulness is not only a shield but also a strong tower. From that tower, God is faithful to not only point out but so help us strike the enemy who might be trying to sneak up on us. Webster’s dictionary defines bulwark as, “an earthwork or defensive wall, fortified rampart; a breakwater; the part of a ship's side above the deck that prevents crew and passengers from falling or being washed overboard.

            Wings, a shield, and a bulwark, what comforting and reassuring metaphors these are? Are you facing trouble? Are you afraid of something? Is your mind plagued with doubt, condemnation, and a sense of worthlessness? Don’t panic, run to God, and find shelter under His Wings. Remember that in our life's many battles, God will go before us. His faithfulness becomes our shield and bulwark.

            In closing; listen to the cry for help of King David, who was hailed for his victories. Psalm 60:11-12, “Oh, please help us against our enemies, for all human help is useless. With God’s help, we will do mighty things, for he will trample down our foes.” O God, listen to my cry!  Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth, I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety, for you are my safe refuge, a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.” When you are troubled, to who do you cry out?  Do you come under his wings? Is God your shield and bulwark? Amen!

           

             

           

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[1] Pilgrim’s progress Kindle Version Page 219

[2] Ronald Youngblood, ed., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, page 231

Rescue From Our Traps

RESCUE FROM OUR TRAPS

(Psalm 91 God’s Shield of Protection)

Introduction:  To trap a wolf, the Eskimos used to take a hunting knife, and dip it in animal blood, and freeze it, then put another layer of blood, and freeze it again, and then bury the knife in the snow with the blade exposed. A wolf would come by and start licking the blood off of the blade of the knife.  The wolf would continue doing this until finally, it wasn’t the animal blood that he was tasting, it was his own, and he didn’t know the difference until it was too late, and he had bled to death. That is the way we are addicted to something. We start doing something, and before we know it, we no longer have control of our lives, our addiction has taken control.

            In times of war, a minefield is set up.  Those landmines are methodically placed in carefully selected locations.  These are the pictures of what the enemy does to us. That is why he is called in the Bible the trapper. Last week in our study from Psalm 91:1-2, we learned that, if we want to be protected from the storms of life, we are to run to God who is our shelter. We are to make that infinitely powerful God as our personal God, whereby he becomes our protection.

            Today we will look at Psalm 91:3, “Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.” The Psalmist is explaining here the benefits of those who run to God intentionally seeking refuge and safety. Though God’s general protection is available for all people, his special care and protection are conditional; his protective custody will cover only those who earnestly seek Him and obey His commands. 

I RESCUE FROM OUR TRAPS: Vs. 3, “Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.” In NASB it reads, “For it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper. And from the deadly pestilence.”  The Hebrew word used here literally means to snatch away, implying that God will pick us out of the trap of the enemy.

            The metaphor “trap” here indicates the pitfalls or the plots that evil people devise to see the righteous fall. A trap can be anything which causes someone to fall. The Old Testament people were very familiar with such literal schemes of the enemy. For example, the response of one of Job’s friends about what will happen to those who devise evil schemes.

            Job 18:7-10, “Their own schemes will be their downfall. The wicked walk into a net. They fall into a pit. A trap grabs them by the heel. A snare holds them tight. A noose lies hidden on the ground. A rope is stretched across their path.” The Jews every year celebrate Purim which commemorates the salvation of the Jewish people in ancient Persia from Haman’s plot “to destroy, kill, and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, infants and women, in a single day.” God thwarted the evil scheme of Haman; in the end, Haman fell into his pit of destruction.

            The Psalmist notes the end of those who spread traps in the way of people.  Psalm 7:15, “They dig a deep pit to trap others, then fall into it themselves.”  Psalms 9:15-16, “The nations have fallen into the pit they dug for others. Their own feet have been caught in the trap they set.

The Lord is known for his justice. The wicked are trapped by their own deeds.”

            What can we learn from these scriptural examples? God is just, and he knows how to protect His children from the traps of the evil ones. Justice will prevail.  Sooner than later, the wicked who plot evil will fall into their trap. The first part of vs three tells us that God will rescue those who belong to Him from every snare. The enemy places several traps in our path.

            The trapper, the devil, is cunning and knows what will most likely hook us. He knows exactly which thought to put into our minds to lure us into the trap.  He uses subtle traps such as prosperity, power, beauty, health, food, sex, education, success, etc. to tempt people. They are subtle because they look so reasonable and attractive. But if we are not careful, those very things God intended for our good and pleasure become traps and distract us from following God.

             For our study, I would like to briefly touch on the two most powerful traps that the enemy would place on the path of people, including those who want to follow God sincerely. They are prosperity trap and the success trap. Let’s look at them one by one.

II. PROSPERITY TRAP    

            Is there anything wrong in wanting to be prosperous, wealthy, successful, and influential in life? There is nothing wrong! So goes the justification, by those who knowingly or unknowingly fell in the trap of Prosperity. If they are Christians, they might even spiritualize and say, “it is God’s will for me to be prosperous, wealthy, and so on.”

             I am sad to say that there’s a branch of Christianity that promises a direct path to the good life. It has many names to it, but most often it is nicknamed the “prosperity gospel” for its bold central claim that God will give you your heart’s desires: money in the bank, a healthy body, a thriving family, and great happiness. But that is not the gospel that a poor carpenter preached on the rugged shores of Galilee. It is a deceptive Gospel and a trap of the enemy.

            The trapper (devil) has cleverly trapped many into thinking that somehow, the accumulation of wealth and material things would make them happy and secured. Acquiring more wealth does not make someone necessarily delighted; on the contrary, it could make you more miserable. Here is a warning for those who might be trapped in the prosperity trap.

            I Timothy 6:10, For the love of money, is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.”    How can we stay clear of the prosperity trap? By living a life of contentment.  I Timothy 6:6-8, “Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So, if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” The second trap is the success trap.

II. THE SUCCESS TRAP

            We live in a society obsessed with Success. In Counterfeit God’s Pastor, Tim Keller describes the Idol of Success, “More than other idols, personal success and achievement lead to a sense that we are God, that our security and value rest in our own wisdom, strength, and performance. To be the very best at what you do, to be at the top of the heap, means no one is like you. You are supreme.” Unfortunately, many are worshipping the idol of success[1]

            What does the Bible say about success, what are the ways of success, and how is it measured? Our God is all for us to succeed in life, but not according to the ways of the world.  We learn from the experience of Joseph that God was with him giving him success in everything he did. (Genesis 39:3). We will learn from Joshua a dual pathway to success, which is studying God’s word and obeying everything written in it. Joshua 1:8. The real success is not measured by how much wealth we have accumulated, how many degrees we have earned or how powerful we have become, but by our knowledge and love of God and our love for one another.

            Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 2:11, that we are not to be ignorant of the schemes (snares) of the enemy” No matter how powerful and dangerous the traps of the enemy are, God will deliver us from all those traps. The latter part of verse three tells us that He will also keep us from the deadly pestilence. What do we mean by the deadly pestilence here?

            We often think of pestilence is something that attacks crops such as bugs, locusts, grasshoppers, spiders, etc.  surprisingly, pestilence strikes people, not plants. The dictionary definition of pestilence: “It is a fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague. God has the power to protect his people from such deadly diseases. When I think of this verse how God delivers his children from the deadly pestilence, I have a story to tell you.

            It was 2003; the hysteria of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) was causing panic all over Asia. People were afraid to travel. During that time, we were hosting over 100 YWAM young people, families with children, who came to India via SARS-affected regions. Two days after their arrival, a couple of young people showed symptoms of SARS; the local health officials quarantined all of them for several days. Thank God, except for those two, the rest of them were safe, and they completed their mission of preaching the good news

            These days many are battling with all kinds of strange illnesses that are not known to us until recently. We thank God for the knowledge the skills he gives to the scientists, and doctors to find remedies and heal people of certain diseases. But ultimately our trust is not in the medicines or doctors but in God who is our healer and promises to heal and deliver his children.

            Does this means that if we believe in God, we will never physically get sick and die of it? No! We are living in a fallen world, where sin and sickness abounds. Whether you are a sinner or a saint, we will all age, get old, get sick, and one day we will die and leave this earth.

            However, Psalm 3:3 is addressing the enemy’s assaults from both the physical and the spiritual domains. God has the power to deliver us from those assaults. Our final deliverance from sin and sickness will only come when we finally leave this earth and enter into His presence, “where He will wipe every tear from our eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” Revelation 21:4. That is our Hope.

            Until such time we are to be aware of the traps of the enemy and stay clear of them. Are you trapped by the enemy, and unable to free yourself? Are you sick with a deadly disease? Don’t worry, call on Psalm 91:3, the Lord will come to your aide. He promises to rescue you from the traps of the trapper and the deadly diseases. These promises are there for all of us his children, but their fulfillment only comes when we obey His commands. Amen!

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[1] https://tifwe.org/resource/mark-zuckerberg-and-the-biblical-meaning-of-success/

Run To The Shelter

RUN TO THE SHELTER!

PSALM 91

Introduction:  When Evil strikes what happens? A kind mother dies leaving her 22-year-old daughter behind as she put herself as a human shield between the Rabbi and the shooter in a Synagogue in California. A 21-year-old college student dies while tackling the shooter, leaving his grieving girlfriend. An eighteen-year-old boy dies leaving behind his parents as he jumped between the shooter and his classmates in a school in Denver.

             I am referring to the shootings that happened in the last two months. Our hearts and prayers are with hurting families and friends. I wonder how many more young people have to lose their lives before Congress and the lawmakers do something to curtail this evil? Fear and anxiety are palpable these days. We never know when and where evil strikes again.

            While living under such circumstances, one wonders if there is any way to be protected from all the evils that are coming on the earth. Can a Christian be protected through these turbulent times? On Wednesday morning while I was walking and praying in my office on what to share this Sunday. My eyes fell on an odd book in my collection which I never read. As I began to read, it made a lot of sense in regards to what we are going through daily.

            The title of the book is “Psalm 91 God’s shield of Protection.” Psalm 91 is a comprehensive look at the only place in the Bible where all of the protection promises are brought together in one collection. It is worth memorizing and even more so applying.

            The whole chapter contains only sixteen verses which contain several promises of God and conditions to see those promises fulfilled in our lives. This morning I would like us to meditate on Psalm 91 and see how these timeless truths from God’s word gives us strength and courage to find Protection from our greatest fears. Psalm 91:1-16. Let’s begin our study.

            What do we know about The Psalms? The book of Psalms was the hymnbook and prayer book of Israel and later of the early Christians. Down through the ages it has provided people with much comfort in times of trouble, as well as in private and public worship. In the New Testament, there are 283 quotations from the OT; 116 of them are from the Book of Psalms.

            Jesus loved the Psalms. Even while dying on the cross, Jesus quoted from them (Mt 27:46; Lk 23:46, 24:44). Eugene Peterson, notes, “Psalms had always been the primary means by which Christians learned to pray everything they lived, and live everything they prayed over the long haul.  I wanted people to start praying them again, not just admiring them from a distance, and thereby learn to pray everything they experienced and felt and thought as they followed Jesus, not just what they thought was proper to pray in church.”[1]

            The book of Psalms is a go-to book for me in the Bible. Whenever I am discouraged, afraid and hurting, I read Psalms to find courage, strength, and healing.  I am sure several of you may share a similar affection with the book of Psalms. Let’s unpack Psalm 91.

I WHERE IS MY SHELTER? (Vs1)

            Vs. 1, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” We New Englanders are familiar with Nor’easters. They often accompanied by heavy rain or snow. During that storm, all we want is to be inside our home, enjoying the warmth of our family, picking up a book to read over a cup of hot chocolate, knowing that we are sheltered and protected as the Nor’easter rages. That is what Psalm 91 is all about—Shelter!

             I am sure every one of you can think of something that represents security to you personally. When I think of security and protection, I have a childhood memory. I was around ten at that time. I was sick with a high fever. It was Diwali, a Hindu festival, in India.

            That night all our neighbors were celebrating with fireworks. I climbed up into my father's lap to watch the fireworks. My father put both his arms around me and held me tight, what a secured and sheltered feeling that was. I felt protected in my fathers' lap. Did you know that there is such a place of safety in God for those who want to seek refuge?

            The first verse tells us that God is our shelter and a shadow for a weary soul.  There are two distinct names used for God in this verse: Most High and Almighty. What do they mean? The Hebrew word for Most High is El-Elyon which means: Elevated one, exalted, the Most High, the Supreme being, the possessor of all the earth. The Hebrew word for “Almighty” is “El-Shaddai, which means: The Powerful One, Almighty, the mighty one, one who is self-sufficient.

            The Israelites saw God as all-powerful and the owner of everything on the earth including their very lives. Therefore, they could run into His presence to find protection and shelter. The imagery of God being our shelter comes over and over again in the Bible. Consider these scriptures:  Psalm 27:5, “For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.”

            Psalm 32: 6-8, “Therefore let everyone who is godly offer prayer to you at a time when you may be found; surely in the rush of great waters, they shall not reach him. You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.” For your meditation at home: (Psalm 46:1-4, Psalm 61:3-5, Psalm 119:114-17, and Isaiah 25:4-5,)

            When life is full of storms, it is incredible to know that our God is our shelter. When we are weary, tossed back and forth with life's struggles, do not fight them with your strength, you have an invitation to from the Most High and the Almighty God to come and find shelter in His presence. The call to go to the shelter is open to all those who are seeking for protection, but the key to finding protection from our fears is that we have to run to God and find our shelter.

II. SAYING THE WORD OF GOD!

            Vs. 2, “I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Notice this verse says, “I will say.” Underline that word in your Bible because we must learn to verbalize our trust. In the second verse, we are told not to think of the word but say the word. We are answering back to God what he says to us in the first verse.

            Several scriptures in the Bible urge us to speak the Word of God back to God, to the powers of darkness to ourselves and with one another. There is power in speaking His Word. In Genesis one, God merely spoke saying, “let there be” and the world came into existence The Hebrew word Amar used in the OT 5,280 times has a range of meanings:  “ to say, to speak, to utter, to tell, to answer, to declare and to command to admonish, to promise, etc.

            For example, Joel 3:10, “let the weak say, “I am a warrior.” How can a weak person be a warrior? That is the power of positive confession. Over and over again we find great men of God such as David, Joshua, Shadrach Meshach, and Abednego, declaring their confession of faith out loud in dangerous situations. Can you imagine what begins to happen inside of us when we say to the Lord, over and over again, “Lord you are my refuge, you are my fortress, you are my God, and in you I trust? The more we say it loud, the more we become confident in His protection.

            But the problem with so many of us Christians is that we mentally agree that God is our refuge, fortress but that is not enough. Power is released when we say it loud. When we mean it and say it loud, we are placing ourselves in the shelter of the Most High God.

            The Psalmist used the word, “my” three times: my refuge, my fortress, and my God, why? He was making a personal claim to God; by doing so, he was claiming God’s protection for himself. These metaphors, “refuge and fortress” are military terms. God himself becomes our defensive site, protecting us from all our enemies.  He becomes our protection personally.

            The human tendency is to try to solve problems by ourselves, even more so, it is the nature of many Americans who cannot and will not ask or accept help from others in times of need. Because asking for help is considered a weakness. On the contrary, our heavenly father is delighted when we call upon him in times of trouble. The Psalmist learned to call on the Lord whenever he was troubled, and he was helped.

            We confess the word of God from our mouths because the Word of God tells us to do so. The scripture tells us that our tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21).  In other words, what we say either can bring death or life. Therefore, take notice of what comes out of our mouth in times of trouble. The worst thing that can happen is for something to come out that brings death.  Remember the advice that was given to Job by his wife when he was going through a calamity? It was to curse God and die, but Job did not sin by his mouth.

            Cursing gives God nothing to work with. This Psalm tells us to do just the opposite. What troubles are you going through this morning? Call upon the name of the Lord in your problems, and you will see God coming to your rescue.  Next time when you feel afraid, do not know where your help comes from, say it out loud that God is your refuge and fortress.

            When you are facing a particularly challenging situation, say it out loud, “Lord I choose to trust you in this situation. When you do that you will notice the difference it makes. Have you ever tried to protect yourself or your loved ones from all the bad things that can happen?

            God has to be our refuge before the promises in Psalm 91 will ever work. I want to close with these trusted words from Psalm 20:1-4, “In times of trouble, may the Lord answer your cry.  May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm.  May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you… May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings. May he grant your heart’s desires and make all your plans succeed.” Amen!

           

           

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[1] Eugene H. Peterson, “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction,” Page 12

Praying for Courage

PRAYING FOR COURAGE!

Acts 4:23-31

Introduction: A week after the Easter Sunday suicide bombings killed over 250 people in three churches and three luxury hotels, Catholics from their homes followed a live broadcast of a Mass on television and the radio celebrated by Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, the Archbishop of Colombo. Fears of suicide bomb attacks kept Christians away from Masses and celebrations on Sunday in Sri Lanka. The Catholic Church has suspended Masses and Sunday schools until security improves the terror attacks on Easter Sunday. 

            "This is a time our hearts are tested by the great destruction that took place last Sunday. Ranjith said in his homily delivered before members of the clergy and the country's leaders in a small chapel in the capital. "During this time questions such as, 'does God truly love us, does he have compassion toward us,' can arise in human hearts," he said.

            We cannot blame our fellow brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka for going through such an emotional rollercoaster over the past couple of weeks. Let’s lift them in our prayers.  During such times of calamities, one would go through feelings of fear, sadness, a sense of hopelessness, and they are reasonable.  One would wonder where to turn to when faced with such opposition to their faith, and cruelty of men who carry out such atrocities on humanity.

            In the passage, we read we will meet a group of early church believers who met with fierce opposition for the practice of faith and strict warnings not to preach in the name of Jesus. How did they respond to those threats? What can we learn from their response?

            The context of the text: These were the days after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon a group of fearful disciples of Christ. God was showing up in Jerusalem through mighty miracles performed by his disciples. One afternoon Peter and John went to the temple to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. On the way, Peter heals a forty-year-old paralyzed beggar.

            After that incident, Peter and John were speaking to the people saying that through Jesus there is a resurrection of the dead. That teaching disturbed Sadducees who did not believe in the resurrection or in a personal Messiah. So, the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John, arrested them and put them in jail until the next day. But many who heard the message believed, and the number of men grew to about five thousand.

            Threatened by this sudden increase of the followers of Christ, the Sadducees and the council summoned John and Peter and strictly commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. Did the disciples comply with that command?  No, they disobeyed it. “But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.”

             I see a form of civil disobedience here. According to Romans 13:1-7, Christians should obey governmental authority, but when the government decrees are contrary to God’s word, God must be followed. After further threatening, the council finally let John and Peter go because they didn’t know how to punish them without starting a riot. As soon as they were released, they went to the other believers and told them everything.  “When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God.” We will pick our story from here.

I.  RECOGNIZING GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY.

            When we are afraid and threatened by enemies, our natural response is to flee or fight back.  There certainly are times where that is the best thing to do.  However here we see a third response, which is probably the most effective one that is PRAYER. In spite of the strict warnings from the council, instead of fleeing or fighting back the early church responded by praying. Skeptics might ridicule us saying why prayer, isn’t that such a weak response? On the contrary, prayer is the most appropriate and robust response amid threats and opposition.

           from the Celebration of Discipline by Richard J. Foster on The discipline of prayer. “Prayer catapults us onto the frontier of the spiritual life. Of all the Spiritual Disciplines prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with the Father” I believe Prayer is one of the most lethal weapons in the hands of a believer against the enemy.

            As the threats grew and the opposition increased the early disciples turned to the one who could save them. They began their prayer meeting by acknowledging God’s sovereignty. “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,

            ‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.” They began their prayer quoting from Psalm 2:1-2.

            It was a church-wide prayer meeting out of desperation. It was not one or two people praying quietly, but all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God. Some times when we come to prayer, we are too dignified or feel shy to pray out loud or fervently. It was not the case here in the early Church. Can you imagine what would happen when all the people at Hope Church together lift our voices in prayer to God?  What do you think might change?

            The primary focus of the prayer was not the problem, but the sovereignty of God. They recognized God as the creator of heaven, and earth, and the sea and everything in them.  In other words, God knows what happens in the world, and he Has absolute control over everything. They reminded God of how the nations and the people fought against the Lord’s Messiah Jesus.

            Our recent clergy meeting started reminiscing on the recent bombings in Sri Lanka and the shooting in the synagogue in California. The discussion kept going on safety and security in Churches. I sensed the mood among the clergy was one of fear and insecurity.

            I felt I needed to shift the focus from fear to faith, from problem to God, so I said, let’s read from Psalm 66 where it says, “For by his great power he rules forever, He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance.” After that, we prayed. By the end of it, we were encouraged because we shifted our focus from our problem to the sovereignty of God.

            When you encounter all kinds of problems, I encourage you to read and pray the prayers from the book of Psalms. For example, when you are in need, Pray, “the Lord is my shepherd; I have all that I need” (Psalm 23). When you are scared or overwhelmed by a particular situation, I pray to God quoting Psalms such as: “You are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.” Psalm 32:7.

            In prayer, the disciples recounted their distant history and saw how God was involved, which opened their eyes to see the involvement of God in the events of persecution, crucifixion and the resurrection of Christ. After recognizing the sovereignty of God, they went on to ask God for courage. This part of the prayer of the disciples tells me that God is not only involved in our history but actively present in our day to day social and political affairs.

II PRAYING FOR COURAGE (Vs29-30)

            Vs. 29-30, “And now, O Lord, hear their threats and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

            It looks like the teachings of Jesus on how to face the adversity and pray for their enemies, were beginning to bear fruit.  In contrast to some OT prayers for vengeance of the prophets (2Ch 24:21-22, Jer 15:15), the disciples were praying for courage. They needed courage not only to withstand the challenges but also to preach the gospel with boldness. They were asking God to manifest His power through healings, and miraculous signs and wonders.

            What was the result of that desperate prayer of the disciples?  Vs. 31, “After this prayer, the meeting place shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. Then they preached the word of God with boldness.” I see three things happening in this verse. A physical manifestation of God’s power. An infilling of the Holy Spirit. An encouraged group of believers, who went out and preached God’s word with boldness. As a result, the Church grew in numbers.

            Oh, how I long for that kind of manifestation of God’s power among us these days. All the Christians around the world and even more so here in our country need to see the power of God at work in a new way. Far too long we have been afraid, become timid and retreating into our comfort zones instead of advancing the Kingdom of God. 

            Our situation is no different than what the early Church faced.  We see the opposition to the gospel all around us. We hear and read about the burning of churches and the persecution of Christians. We recognize, all over even more so in the western churches the first love of the believers is getting cold because of the uptick of evil.  What do we need to see a change?

            We need to become desperate as the early Church was. We need to come together as one body of believers and raise our voices together in prayer asking God for courage. We need the continual infilling of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the good news of the Gospel boldly. We need God to revive our prayer life. There is power in prayer. Prayer still works! Prayer changes.

            In closing, what are you afraid of this morning? What is overwhelming for you? Is there a situation that is too big that you cannot handle? Are you anxious about something? God is inviting us into His throne room. Let us come into his presence boldly and present our needs to Him recognizing he is sovereign, not only that He is our loving father. God will not ignore our prayers. When we ask God for courage, he will fill us with courage so that we can share the good news of our Lord Jesus Christ with boldness. Amen!