Overcoming fear
What is your greatest fear? For our grandson Colton he told me that he was very fearful of thunder while we were at camp. Later on, he said he needed to be a big boy and not be afraid. What is you biggest fear? I want us to look at Psalm 34 to see what it says about fear and how to overcome the fear that we have. Saul who wanted to kill him was chasing David at this time in his life. He came to the camp of an enemy for safety but here his life was wanted also. Here he faked being crazy to save his life. I want us to look at two things we can do to overcome fear. Some things it tells us we should be. The last point has to do with the fact that God is our protection and we need not fear.
#1 1-3, David vows to bless the Lord, and invites the praise of others. WE ARE TO Praise the Lord.
Fear is over come by our praising. It is like trying to skip without smiling. Our minds are on higher things.
1. We are to praise the Lord. “I will bless the Lord at all times.” He is resolved and fixed, I will; he is personally and for himself determined, he knows to whom the praise is due, and what is due, and for what and when and that is To God. The Lord has by right praise, at all times, in every situation, under every circumstance, before, in and after trials, in bright days of glee, and dark nights of fear He has right to be praised. He would never be done praising, because he is never satisfied that he had done enough; always feeling that he fell short of the Lord’s deserving. His praise shall continually be in my mouth, not in my heart merely, but in my mouth too. Our tongue ought to make known the glory of God. What a blessed mouthful is God’s praise! How sweet if men’s mouths were always filled, there would be no complaining to God, or smearing of others. All the anger of daily affliction would be swallowed up in joy. God deserves blessing with our hearts, and praise with our mouths. If we have good thoughts in the closet there will be good words in the world. We are to esteem blessing, to give honor, praise, and glory to him, both as the God of nature and providence, for every temporal mercy for every day. To do it at all times in the day. They are being renewed every morning, and continue all the daylong: they are irrevocable, fixed, and without regret. We have reason to bless God at all times of misfortune as well as success, for all is for our good.
2. We are to boast in the lord. Boasting is a very natural inclination for most of us so why not use it for the lord. Delight is not the tongue bragging but coming from the soul. We boast about God’s person, attributes, pledges, promises, works that are unmatched, unequaled, perfect. We should talk of the Lord’s goodness on purpose that others may put their trust in a faithful God. My boast is in the Lord, Not in men, not in any outward enjoyment, not in any works of righteousness. My boast is in the Word of the Lord, in the Lord Jesus Christ. My boast is in his wisdom, strength, riches, righteousness, redemption, and in His salvation.
3. We are to exalt the Lord. Who can make God great but those who feel themselves to be little? God is infinite, and therefore cannot be made greater. His name grows in glory, as he is made known to his people. It is well when the soul feels its own inability to glorify the Lord. No praise can excel that which lays us low under a sense of our own nothingness. Social worship is the outgrowth of one of the natural characters of the new life. In heaven, we will enjoy it to the fullest, while on earth it is like heaven where it abounds.
We can Praise, Boast and exalt the Lord. Whatever our fear May be Praise takes it away.
# 2. 4-7 We are to pray to the lord.
1. I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me, freeing me from all my fears. It must have been in a very confused manner that David prayed, and there must have been much of self-sufficiency in his prayer, or he would not have resorted to methods of such questioning morality as pretending to be mad and behaving as a lunatic. We may seek God even when we have sinned. If sin could blockade the mercy seat it would be all over with us. He delivered me from all my fears. God makes a perfect work of it. He clears away both our fears and their causes, all of them without exception. He sought the Lord, and he heard him. The Lord heard and answered even his silent groans, which could not be uttered; and delivered him from all fears. He was in the hands of Achish, king of Gath. He had killed Goliath their giant. The Lord is able to save out of the hands of all our enemies, grant his presence, and show us awareness of him, which will scatter all our fears.
2. It is the Face that shows fear is gone. “Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.”
David tells us that his case was not at all peculiar, it was matched in the lives of all the faithful; they too, each one of them on looking to their Lord were brightened up, their faces began to shine, their spirits were uplifted. There is life, light, liberty, love, everything in fact, in a look at the crucified One. Never did a painful heart look in hopelessness to the healer. His face was covered with joy. He who trusts in God has no need to be ashamed of his confidence, time and eternity will both justify his reliance. They "looked" up to God in prayer and by faith, when in distressed and uncomfortable circumstances, and they were "enlightened" by looking to the Lord more light was gained. This is because of the light of joy, peace, and comfort. Their faces were not ashamed; having what they prayed and looked for, and what they hoped and believed they should have; deliverance and salvation, and so came peace and pleasure.
3. He hears our prayers. “I cried out to the Lord in my suffering, and he heard me. He set me free from all my fears.”
He was poor indeed and friendless. An enemy who wanted him dead was chasing him and now forced to be with an enemy who wanted him dead. He cries out to the protector of his people and finds relief. His prayer was a cry, it was powerful with heaven, for the Lord heard him, and to be heard of God is to be delivered; and so it is added that the Lord saved him out of all his troubles. At once and altogether, David was clean of all his fear. Prayer can clear us of troubles as easily as the Lord made riddance of the frogs and flies of Egypt when Moses entreated him. The Lord heard David his servant, and made way for his escape from there; and the Lord hears all his poor and afflicted ones, when they cry unto him, and saves them from all their troubles.
4. An angel shows up to rid of fears. For the angel of the Lord guards all who fear him and he rescues them.
This angel is the Lord Jesus. He is encamped around His chosen one to defend and comfort them. The Captain of the host is one whose ability none can resist. We little know how many times God has delivered us with unseen help. IN 2 Kings 19:35; 185,000 killed by one angel. Genesis 32:1, Jacob met with angels. They are the guardians of the saints that stand up for them and protect them, as well as minister to them; and deliver them out of the hands of all their enemies.
8-10 We are to be the people of the Lord. So these are to be our actions in This world.
1. Experience the Lord. Make an assessment, an internal, new tryout of the goodness of God. You cannot see except by tasting for yourself; but if you taste you shall see. It enlightens the eyes. The Lord is good. You can only know this really and personally by experience. Faith is the soul’s taste buds. Those who test the Lord with their confidence always find him good, and they become themselves blessed. He is infinite, perfect, unchallengeable, and solely good in himself; and he is in touch and good to others. He is the author of all good, but not of any evil. All the divine Persons in the Godhead are good. The Father is good; he has good designs towards his people, has provided good things for them, made good promises to them, and bestows good gifts on them. The Son is good; the good Shepherd that has laid down his life for the sheep; he is the fountain of all grace and goodness to his churches, and to particular believers; he did work of redemption, and he speaks a good words in the court of heaven. The Spirit is good; he works good things in the hearts of men, and shows good things to them.
2. Fear the Lord. Pay to him humble childlike reverence, walk in his laws, have respect to his will, tremble to offend him, hasten to serve him. Fear not the wrath of men, neither be tempted to sin through the danger of their threats; fear God and fear nothing else. God will not allow his faithful servants to starve. The promise binds him to supply. All real wants the Lord will supply. Godliness has the promise of the life. Those who fear the Lord, do so with reverence. He is King of saints, and fear is due to him from them seeing they have received many instances of grace and goodness from him. No good thing shall be denied those whose first and main end in life is to seek the Lord.
3. How to fear the Lord.
Our desires for Him. Live your life so that it will be long and good. Every man desires life, even a natural life; it is more desirable than all things in it especially a healthful life. Without which the blessings and mercies of life will not be enjoyed. A life of prosperity; life, with an affluence of good things, and even a long one.
This also speaks of spiritual life. A life that is free from the remorse of a guilty conscience, from the fear of hell, and the dread of death; a life of faith on Christ, and communion with him; and a life of righteousness, and holiness; and perhaps it may be best of all to understand it of eternal life.
How we need to use our mouths. Keep your lips from saying evil things. Guard with careful diligence that dangerous member. Work hard at living a life of peace. This means you have to turn away from doing evil. Go away from evil. Set a distance between yourself and temptation. Be practical, active, energetic, persevering in good. He who does good is sure to avoid evil. Seek peace. Not merely prefer it, but with zeal and care endeavor to promote it. Seek peace with God in your own heart and with your fellow man. Anger is murder to one’s own self and starts in our thinking.
Why prayer is important. His ears are open to our cry. He hears when we call upon him. He will rescue us. He is near to them who have a broken heart to gives comfort. He observes them with approval and tender concern; they are so dear to him that he cannot take his eyes off them; he watches each one of them as carefully and intently as if there were only that one creature in the universe. The Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. Out of their inward troubles.
A life of Perseverance. Psalm 34:19-22 The righteous face many troubles, but the Lord rescues them from each and every one. 20 For the Lord protects them from harm— not one of their bones will be broken 21 Calamity will surely overtake the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished. 22 But the Lord will redeem those who serve him. Everyone who trusts in him receives pardon.
The Lord Jesus is God and man, and as Mediator, in the discharge of every branch of his office. His afflictions were many, which he endured from men, from devils, and from God himself. Many were the afflictions of his body, which he bore when buffeted, scourged, and crucified. Many were the afflictions of his soul, when he bore the sins of his people, endured the wrath of God for them, and was forsaken by him; though none of these were for any sins of his own, but for the sins of others; and out of them all the Lord delivered him at last, and set him at his own right hand. Eternity will heal all their wounds. The real self is safe; we may have flesh wounds, but no part of the essential fabric of their being shall be broken. This verse may refer to frequent providential protections to the saints; but as good men have had broken limbs as well as others, it cannot absolutely be applied to bodily preservations; but must, be spiritually applied to great injuries of soul, which are forever prevented by divine love. Not a bone of the mystical body of Christ shall be broken
All wicked men hate the righteous, both Jesus Christ the righteous, and his people; and that because they are righteous, and do not run into the same excess of wickedness with them, these will be arraigned at the day of judgment, and will be convicted of all their hard speeches which they have spoken against Christ and his members; and will be pronounced guilty, and will be punished with everlasting destruction. Believer, you shall never be deserted, forsaken, given up to ruin. God, even your God, is your guardian and friend, and bliss is yours. The Lord redeems the soul of his servants, Who are made so by his grace in the day of his power, and are willing to serve him, and to serve him with their minds, readily and cheerfully; and the soul of these, and is of more worth than a world, the Lord redeems; not that their bodies are neglected, and not redeemed; but this is mentioned as the principal part, and for the whole; and this redemption is by the Lord, who only is able to effect it, and which he has obtained through his precious blood; and here it seems to denote the application of it in its effects; the forgiveness of sin, justification, and sanctification, since it respects something that is continually doing.
Take time to praise Him. Take time for prayer. Live as a child of God. Rely on God’s protection. As these are done fear can not stay in your life.
