PSALM 42:1-11 “WHERE IS THY GOD?”
A) The Psalmist says in v.7 ....... What does that mean?
* That means there are times when over and over again there are waves of trouble after another
wave of trouble! * There is one wave of discouragement after another wave of discouragement!
* There is one problem after another problem ... The waves just keep coming!
* Everyone is going to have times like that in their life!
B) When this happens, the devil comes along and says to God’s children .......
* “Having it pretty rough, aren’t you? Things are not going like you planned it, are they?”
* He puts questions before you and your first mistake is when you get in a conversation with the
devil ... And then he asks you, “Where is your God?”
* He says, “Things are not going well, are they? God loves you, huh?” * “God really cares about
you, right? God really appreciates all you do for Him, huh? Where is your God?”
C) I want to answer that question with the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever!
* I want to tell you ... The devil ... And everyone else where my God is!
D) I want all of you to walk out of this church tonight knowing where your God is!
* I want some of you that think you are ready to quit to know where your God is!
* I want some of you that think you are beaten up pretty badly to know where your God is!
* I want some of you that think you are pretty discouraged to walk out of here knowing where your
God is, and that everything is OK!
* I want you to walk out of here knowing there is hope and there is going to be a better day!
E) The devil says, “Where is your God?”
* It looks like sin is having a big hay-day in our country today!
* It looks like most people don’t love God ... Most people curse God! * Where is our God tonight?
(1) GOD IS ABOVE US – DEUT. 4:39! * I want you to know that God is above us tonight!
A) His thoughts are higher than our thoughts ... His thoughts are greater than our thoughts!
* He is the God above us, but He also says He is the God on the earth too!
* God still laughs at little puny men and authority today who think they will kick God out and rule
over the things of God! * GOD IS ABOVE US!!!
B) You say, “Well, I can’t understand that Preacher, I can’t see Him!”
* You can’t never understand because He is above you! * He is above you in every way!
* He is higher than the heavens – Isa. 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are
your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my
ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
C) Notice what the Bible says in Eph. 1:19-23 ....... * Did you hear what I just read?
* God has put Christ above all principalities, all power, all might, and any man you want to name!
* That is where my God is ... He is above everybody, everything, every obstacle, every power that
would be against me! * God goes on to say in v.22-23 .......
* John 3:31 “He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and
speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.”
* 1 Chron. 29:11 “Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory,
and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O
LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.”
D) He is above us in every way ... v.5 “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?”
* Don’t you know that you have a God that is above you? * You can’t figure Him out!
* You can’t see Him ... You can’t touch Him ... And you can’t come into His presence without
an awe struck realization that God is greater than you are!
* I feel sorry for folk who can see their God and touch their God and who can lay hands on their
God ... I have a God that’s bigger than that tonight ... He is above all!
(2) HE IS AROUND US – PSALM 125:2! * Thank God, He is all around us tonight!
A) Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him,”
* You say, “But Preacher, I have trouble.” * But there is somebody around you tonight!
* Everywhere we go, somebody is around us ... We go to the left, He’s there ... Right, He’s there!
* We go forward, He’s there ... We go backward, He’s there! * He’s all around us!
B) The devil says we are going to be destroyed ... Well I have news for the devil .......
* If he’s gonna destroy me, he has to get through God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost!
* Let’s see him get through all of that! * My God is all around me tonight!
* You might as well tell the devil that he is checking out of your house tonight!
* Tell him he is checking out of your head tonight ... Out of your home ...
C) Why don’t you just tell discouragement to hit the road!
* Why don’t you just tell distress to get lost ... You have a God that is above you and around you!
* There is no problem that you have that is bigger than God!
* There is nothing around you that can get you ... Our God is above all and around us tonight!
D) “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” * Why are you discouraged? * Distressed?
* Why are you about ready to give up? * Where is your God?
* The devil says, “Where is your God?” * Mr. devil, He is above us and He is around us!
* Devil, you can’t get to us because our hope is in our God!
* God is above us ... God is around us ...
(3) HE IS BEFORE US – EXO. 13:21! * Did you hear that?
A) God says that He goes before us and He goes behind us! * Now look at v.22 .......
B) What does that mean? * It means that God is not leaving ... He ain’t going anywhere!
* He is above me, and He’s not going anywhere ... He is around me, and He’s not going anywhere!
* He is before me, and He’s not going anywhere!
C) It doesn’t say when they were bad, He deserted them!
* He doesn’t desert you when you’re bad ... He doesn’t desert you when you’re good!
* He doesn’t desert you when you’re indifferent ... He doesn’t desert you when you don’t feel
anything ... He doesn’t desert you when you’re going through the valley of discouragement!
* He says that He is before His people ... He will never leave you nor forsake you!
* Nobody is gonna scare Him off and nobody is gonna make Him leave you!
D) Listen to what the Bible says about the children of Israel in their journey .......
* Num. 10:33 “And they departed from the mount of the LORD three days’ journey: and the ark of
the covenant of the LORD went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting
place for them.”
E) While you’re sitting there feeling sorry for yourself, God is already out there ahead of you!
* While you’re sitting there thinking about giving up, God is already out ahead of you!
* He has already gone out and conquered the foe ... He’s already paved the way in the wilderness!
* He has already gone ahead of you and found the resting place ... He’s already found a place of
refreshment, and a place of power for you!
F) Deut. 1:30 “The LORD your God which goeth before you, he shall fight for you,”
* All the adversaries of hell may be turned loose against us, but God is above us ... He is around
us ... And He is out in front of us fighting the battles for us!
* We don’t have to fight our battles alone ... We just got to keep on going, just keep marching on!
* Thank God, He is fighting our battles for us!
G) “And devil, that’s where my God is ... That’s where my God is, Old Smutty Face!”
* He is above me ... He is around me ... He is out there in front of me looking for you and fighting
my battles! * Listen ... God is never gonna leave you or desert you! * You just keep on going ...
* You are not going to lose and you’re not gonna be defeated unless you quit!
* Just keep on going ... God is out there in front of you!
(4) HE IS BEHIND US – EXO. 14:19! * Children of Israel was at the Red Sea .......
A) Pharaoh came up behind them and got caught in the Red Sea! * What did God do?
* It says the angel of God said, “Oh, you think you have my children, huh? Coming up with a sneak
attack from the blind side.” * But what did God do?
* The Bible says He just moved the whole operation around behind them ... He was behind them!
B) You say, “Preacher, I’m afraid of getting overtaken by the devil!” * I’m not!
* You say, “I’m afraid of the devil getting me.” * I’m not!
* He’s not gonna get me because my God is behind me ... He’s got my back!
C) “Preacher, you just said that God is out in front of us and we hear His voice in front of us.”
* That’s right ... But some of you don’t have a lot of faith some days and you get discouraged, and
you start going the other way. * When you do, that voice is behind you too!
* You’re not gonna get away from God ... He is not going to desert you!
* He’s not going to leave you with your fears ... He’s got your back!
D) Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I ...”
* With every step I take, somebody is behind me ... His goodness and mercy is behind me!
* The devil wants to come up behind you and get you, but he can’t because goodness and mercy
won’t let him! * They’ll be with me all the days of my life!
* 1 Cor. 10:4 “And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that
followed them: and that Rock was Christ.”
* He is above us ... He is around us ... He is before us ... He is behind us .......
(5) HE IS UNDERNEATH US – DEUT. 33:27! * I’m glad when I fall, He catches me!
A) “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” * Why are you discouraged tonight?
* If you’re saved tonight, you have no right to be discouraged!
* If you’re saved tonight, and you feel like quitting and giving up on God, you ought to be
ashamed of yourself! * You ought to be on this altar tonight confessing your sin to God!
B) Your God is above you ... Behind you ... Around you ... Before you ... Underneath you ...
* Jude 24-25 “Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless
before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory
and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.”
* His arms are underneath me, and He will keep me from falling!
(6) LAST: GOD IS WITH US – MATT. 28:20! * “I am with you alway, even unto the end ...”
* It’s one thing to say that God is above us, and God is around us, and He is before us, and He is
behind us, and His arms are beneath us, but He knew some of you wouldn’t get excited yet .......
A) So He told me to tell you something else ... He says that He is with us!
* He is not just over there, up there, down there, and out there ... He says He is in there!
* Gen. 28:15 “And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest,”
B) Some of you here tonight are so worried about what’s going on in your life right now .......
* You’re too busy having your nervous breakdown and too busy having your pity party to realize
that there is a God that loves you and He’s with you through it all!
* God says, “Hey, Listen up ... When you became my child, I encamped round about you!”
* “I am over you ... I’m behind you ... I’m in front of you ... I’m underneath you ... I’m with you!”
* “We started together, and we’ll finish together!”
CLOSE
A) Do you know what is so sad tonight? * The saddest thing in the world is this .......
* To see people who are going to live in heaven forever, discouraged and despondent and having
nervous breakdowns and falling apart .......
* When there is a God above them, around them, before them, behind them, underneath them, and
with them! * My God ... Help us tonight!!!!!!!
B) “But Preacher, I don’t have any strength left tonight!” * Good!
* It’s time you start depending on God and His strength instead of yours!
* God says that if you don’t think you can take another step, then He will help you!
* He even says that if you start falling, that He will prop you up!
C) You may be walking lopsided tonight, and you may be being held up .......
* But just keep on hobbling ... Just keep on limping ... Just keep on going, you will make it!
* You may not be in the best shape, but you will get in better shape!
* If you don’t get in better shape down here, you will get in better shape when you get up there!
* Just keep on going! * Isa. 43:2 “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and
through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt
not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.”
D) Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego ... Would you testify about right now?
* When you go through the fire, it will not burn!
* Some of you tonight would say that you’re at the end of your rope! * That’s your problem .......
* Get rid of your rope and grab a hold of God!
E) You say, “I’m at the end of my strength!”
* Well let go of your strength and get a hold of God’s! * You’re at the point that you just can’t go
on ... Well just hold on ... Remember, He is under you ... He is holding you up!
F) It’s time some of you started acting like you are saved! * Trade in your pity party .......
* Trade in your discouragement ... Trade in your doom and gloom! * Where is your God?
* He is above us, He’s around us, He’s before us, and He’s behind us, and His arms are beneath us!
* To God be the glory!!!!!!!
