Introduction: The Righteous can thrive in adversity because they understand several principles. Adversity has always been a part of our human experience. The challenges of life faced properly can help us grow. Maintaining faith in God helps us solve problems and overcome adversity. Have you ever thought about the last 150 years? This church had survived and thrive through the Cholera pandemic, yellow fever epidemic, Russian Flu, Spanish Flu, Hong Kong flu, HIV/AIDS, Swine Flu, SARS, Ebola, MERS, and Covid-19. It has survived and thrived through the War in Mexico declared in 1846, Spain declared in 1898; Germany World I War declared 1917, World War II declared in 1942, the Korean War of 1950-1953; the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1973; the Persian Gulf War of 1991 and a hundred different economics challenges. Its still here and you and I must endure to the end.
As we come to celebrate with you, I want to remind you that “The Righteous Can Thrive in Adversity.” What an interesting Psalms this is, as David the sweet psalmist of Israel, a man after God own heart, is rocked to his core. David considered his service to King Saul and of Israel a high honor and the privilege of a lifetime. He makes a choice not listen to temptations presented by his advisers to desert his post and hide in fear. This event occurred early in the life of David. Up unto this point his life had been almost a fairytale but it was true.
David’s story is very familiar to most of us. We remember him as a common shepherd tending his father’s sheep. This son of Jessie, horned his skill as a musician in obscurity, His reputation as a great protector of his father’s sheep, confronted danger, killing and bear and a lion were accomplished in secret. We become familiar with his qualities, musical skills, and extraordinary anointing as he moved from obscurity into the presence of King Saul. Probably, nothing pushed David to the forefront as did his noted battle with Goliath. Who could have imagined that one battle could change so much? That single victory moved David from a common class to royal, he marries the Kings’ Daughter, moves from the field into the palace, and elevates his Family to a tax-free status. David is living the dream! The privilege to serve in Saul’s army and defend his nation must have been simply awesome. Can you imagine, being promote from the shepherd’s field with no military training to become the son-in-law of the king, the king’s personal armor bearer and a commander in the king’s army.
David has almost forgotten what it felt like to be overlooked by his father and brothers. Now he is treated more like a favorite son and his value appreciated. King Saul became more than David’s king, he was a father figure to him. David admired Saul’s stature, his vision and wisdom. So, David served King Saul with all his might. Whatever task was required of David, He excelled. With every successful deed, David’s popularity grew. David became the subject of legends. Psalmist sang his praise, the people celebrated him, the soldiers admired him, and the army Generals highly respected him. David was living the dream. He was larger than life!
Little did he realize that his newfound popularity would stir up so much envy, jealousy and opposition. King Saul, his mentor and friend would become his chief adversity. Saul who became from such humble beginnings, honesty and just acts was now jealous. Jealousy is cruel to the grave. David had willing place his life on the line for Saul again and again. David who celebrated Saul repeatedly, is now being threaten by Saul. Saul is trying to take David’s life without a cause. Even Jonathan, Saul’s son recognized that Saul’s attitude had changed towards David. Saul was full of rage and anger against David, Jonathan began asking his father why? Sometimes there is no reason, it just craziness. There is no reason other than envy and jealous. That alone is more than enough to create great opposition.
David’s advisors came to him, out of love and concern saying, we know that you trust in God, and understand that you are not the kind of person to run away from your responsibility or a fight, but let’s be reasonable. When people lose their faith, many will call it reasonable, or commonsense. Yet David responses as a child of God should, Psalm 11, “In the LORD put I my trust: how say ye to my soul, Flee as a bird to your mountain? For, lo, the wicked bend their bow, they make ready their arrow upon the string, that they may privily shoot at the upright in heart. If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
In other words, “David, you know that we always be with you, but if the king control the government, And there is no place to appeal or plead, and he has turned his army against you, and if there is no justice or righteous in the land, What can the righteous do? You need to hide yourself, find a place of safety!” In David’s replies by assuring his advisors that a lot has changed, but everything has not changed. It would be understandable If God's oath and promises could be removed. If they were what could we do? Here in this text, David’s answer is easy. If all earthly things fail, and the very State fall to pieces, what can we do? David suggests that every righteous is built for this. if necessary, the righteous can (1) suffer joyfully, (2) hope cheerfully, (3) wait patiently, (4) pray earnestly, (5) believe confidently, and if they do, they will triumph finally.
How could Saul, David’s father-in-law be so cruel? Had David been guilty of any crime, he should have been given a fair trial by the laws. Yet King Saul, contrary to law and justice, tried to execute him. To kill a man without a cause was contrary to the fundamental laws of most nations.
One writer describes the Psalms as a rich repository of experimental knowledge. God allows us to see David and many others at different periods of life and at different stages of personal development. David was placed in almost every situation which a believer, whether rich or poor, educated or uneducated, may find themselves. The Psalms allows us to hear David’s testimony and the thoughts of his heart. The Psalms gives us glimpse into the sentiments of their hearts and witness the conduct of the various persons involved in troubles and triumphs. When David penned this Psalm, he was under strong persecution from King Saul. The scriptures retrace his journey so that we can see in detail the many times God intervened and spared his life. David being strong in faith, became more determined to confidently trust in God. The ground of his confidence is revealed in this text: (1) God alone has supreme dominion (2) God alone exercises watchful care over His people (3) God has constant hatred of the wickedness and God has a plan for our enemies and (4) finally God loves the righteous, righteousness and will cause the righteous to thrive in every adversity.
If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? David’s friends were concerned that even righteous people are subject to compromise and change and practice trickery in deceitful times. How difficult it is to remain faithful in deceitful times. Their warning to David was not limited to Saul, they had witness the fact even good men will do anything to save their position, status and reputation. They warned David not to trust the priesthood, nor the government, because pressure was on everyone. And everyone is under Saul’s control.
David almost became distressed. Listen to Psalms 55:5-8, “Fearfulness and trembling are come upon me, and horror hath overwhelmed me. 6 And I said, Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. 7 Lo, then would I wander far off, and remain in the wilderness. Selah. 8 I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest.”
Ps 82:5 “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations of the earth are out of course.”
The times we live in are just as insecure and unsettling as David’s times. We don’t know what tomorrow may bring. We face pressures on every side, problems and difficulties from within and without. There is more than enough blame to go around. Laity blame the clergy and vice versa; congress blame the House of representatives, they both blame the president; and the president blames everybody, the press, the legislators and so on. What can the righteous do? Here are several suggestions that caused David to thrive in the face of adversity.
1.The Righteous Must Trust in God. David decides to trust God with all his heart regardless of what his mind (Head) was saying. Sometimes our greatest struggling come from friends and enemies that we allow to get in our head. What they says have a way of getting into our heads. Generally, you can keep an eye on your enemies and walk away from your friends, but if they get in your head, How can you silence your own thoughts? David silenced his mind by rehearsing the grounds of his confidence. God alone has dominion over my life; God has a watchful eye over me; I know God hates the wick and will judge them. And God loves the righteous and will honor them. The songwriter said it this way, “I trust in God wherever I may be, Upon the land or on the rolling sea; For come what may, from day to day, My heav'nly Father watches over me. I trust in God, I know he cares for me, On mountain bleak or on the stormy sea; Though billows roll, he keeps my soul, My heav'nly Father watches over me.
He makes the rose an object of his care, He guides the eagle through the pathless air; And surely he remembers me, My heav'nly Father watches over me.” The Righteous Must Trust in God!
2.The Righteous Must Examine themselves. Ps 11:4 “The LORD is in his holy temple, the LORD'S throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men.” Notice David does not the Devil, or King Saul, or weak friends for his adversity. David understood that God at times, will try the righteous. God tried Abraham’s faith, God tried Israel in the wilderness, and though I am a righteous man, God will also try David. David acknowledges his position as a righteous child of God, yet he understood, sometimes our talk is better than our walk. We all need to be sure of where we stand. Testing time in the believer’s life is a time for reexamination. I hope you are not wasting a pandemic. I hope you are growing in grace and being spiritually developed during this season. 2Pe 1:10 “Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:”
I know so people are fearful of gathering at Church, fearful of the vaccine, fearful of the virus, fearful about the economy, don’t allow nothing to shake your faith in God. If you foundation is shaking, check your anchor. What are you anchor on? Faith in God will bring us through it all! 2Co 13:5 “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” Check yourself before you wreck yourself.
3. The Righteous Must Arm Themselves for the Battle Ahead. Ps 11:5 “The LORD trieth the righteous: but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth. 6 Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: this shall be the portion of their cup.”
We must prepare ourselves for the future. Since the righteous are going to be tried and the wicked is going to be judged, we all must prepare. In the life of David, his battle got worse before it got better. He finally had to flee, hide in a cave, and survive a pandemic called Saul. He survives with few friends, limited supplies, and a rag tagged crew. He did not touch God’s anointed. God fed him, protected, provided for and his men, and then took care of David’s enemy. We must arm ourselves for the battles ahead because we don’t know how long this season will last. We are fighting an unseen enemy. We have more questions than answer, yet we must prepare for the battles ahead. I find encouragement in Ephesians 6;
Eph 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”
A. Stand having your loins girt about with truth - Get His word in your mind or head!
B. Stand having the breastplate of righteousness in place. - Get His word in your heart
C. Stand with your feet shod wh the preparation of the gospel. - Get His word in your walk.
D. Stand covered by the shield of faith. - Get His word in your talk
E. Stand under the helmet of Salvation. – Get balanced in your thinking, decision making!
F. Stand armed with the sword of the Spirit. – Make right application of the word. The right word at the right time. The righteous must arm themselves for the battles ahead.
4. The Righteous Must Report for Duty. Report for duty! Lu 19:12 “He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. 13 And he called his ten servants, and delivered them ten pounds, and said unto them, Occupy till I come.” Report ready to..
Ready and willing to Serve; Ready to Prayer, Ready to Witness and Ready to stay involved in the Kingdom enterprise. Since, we have on the whole armor of God….Report for Duty. Mt 18:19, 20 “Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Report for duty because we are better together!
Jesus gave us the Great Commandment, the Great Commission and the Great Collaboration for successful ministry. Be a credible, Christian disciples who “reports for Duty” 1. The Righteous Must Trust in God. 2. The Righteous Must Examine Themselves. 3. The Righteous Must Arm Themselves for the Battles Ahead. 4. The Righteous Must Show Up for Duty. Report for duty!
The righteous has always found a hiding place in the Lord. David must first calm his mind (limit the bad news) Watch out for the wick and their wicked plans, and remember that everything has not changed. God is still in charge! If everything changed, we might as well give up. What could we do? David gives us a simple answer but may not be easy. Trust in God! If all our earthly things fail, and our creature comforts vanish, and the culture falls to pieces, what can we do? David suggests that the righteous should be prepared to (1) suffer joyfully, (2) hope cheerfully, (3) wait patiently, (4) pray earnestly, (5) believe confidently, and if they do, they will triumph finally. The ground of his confidence is revealed in this text: (1) God alone has supreme dominion (2) God alone has watchful care over His people (3) God has a plan the wicked and their evil schemes and (4) finally God has an everlasting love for the righteous and righteousness. He will cause the righteous to thrive amid adversity.
