How to be Victorious over Stress and your Enemies Is My Shield Ps 3 :1-8 NKJV 1 Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. 2 Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." 3 But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head. 4 I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill. Selah 5 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. 6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. 7 Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly. 8 Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people. NKJV Lesson Aim: To fully understand that God is our shield and when we cry out to Him, He will hear and rescue us. When we began our study of the “” we defined it as a book of “”, “poems”, and “hymns” that focus the

1 worshiper's thoughts on God in praise and adoration. Parts of this Book were used as a hymnal in the worship services of ancient . Even today parts of the Psalms are used in our worship services. During devotion in the “Black Baptist Church” songs known as “ moans” are song during devotion. “Prayer Moans” such as: “Well The Lord Is My Shepherd, and I shall not want”! (:1) “I Love The Lord He heard my cry; And pitied my every groan”! (:1) As Pins so many of the psalms from his trials and tribulations, the same is true for “Black Folk” in America. “Prayer Moans” originated from the struggles of black people in America. There is nothing wrong with the new in the church, but we cannot throw away or forget where we’ve come from. The title of our lesson says, “How to be Victorious over Stress and the Enemies in our lives”. Drug companies are getting rich because our medicine cabinets are overflowing with antidepressants, and sleep aids. There is one simple answer to being victorious over the stress and enemies in our lives, and that is making God, , Jehovah, our choice. David couldn’t have said it any better than in (Ps 18:2-3), The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of

2 my salvation, and my high tower. 3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. KJV David also reveals the cure for insomnia and the fearful anticipation of tomorrow in this third Psalm. He had the “Favor” of God upon his life, but his life was filled with pain and heartache. David’s life was plagued with enemies who wanted to kill him. First, there was , the first king of Israel, who wanted David dead because of his popularity. Second, Absalom his own son wanted to kill David to take his throne. Even some of David’s so called friends united with his son in an attempt to take his life. The circumstances surrounding David’s life caused him to lose sleep at night, and worry about what tomorrow holds. :1-8, teaches us how to be victorious over distress and enemies, by using a broken-hearted father and a humiliated king to encourage us as we face the desperate situations of life. Verse 1 says, Lord, how they have increased who trouble me! Many are they who rise up against me. When the pressures of life get too hard to bear, David tells us to lay our problems before God. David had no place to turn, except to the Lord. His own nation and family were divided against him. Internal problems are always the most grievous and dangerous, whether in a family, business, church, or nation.

3

(Heb 4:16-5:1) Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. NKJV Verse 2 says, “Many are they who say of me, "There is no help for him in God." Selah [When friends say that God has forsaken you and will not deliver you.] David’s false friends defended their disloyalty by claiming that God was on Absalom’s side and that David had lost the Lord’s favor. This sounds a lot like another patriarch by the name of Job. Job’s friends accused him of sinning against God, therefore the reason for all of his problems. (Job 19:19) All my close friends abhor me, and those whom I love have turned against me. Verse 3 says, “But You, O Lord, are a shield for me, My glory and the One who lifts up my head”. But is the simple, yet powerful word that transitions the mood of this Psalm from helplessness to hope, from darkness to light, from weakness to power. But informs us that the tone of this Psalm is changing with the words “Thou, O Lord.” David proclaims his in God. David took his eyes off his enemies and focused them upon the Lord. We are not alone in our battles, and we are not without help when we are attacked by insurmountable trouble. a. God is your protector (shield). (Genesis 15:1) After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward”. (Eph 6:16) Above all, taking the shield of faith,

4 wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. KJV b. God is your source of glory. David recognized that any glory he had achieved had come from the Lord, and he was fully aware that only God could restore his former glory. (1 Cor 10:31) Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. NKJV c. God lifts up and encourages you. (Josh 1:9) Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." NKJV (Isa 41:10) Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' NKJV Verse 4 says, “I cried to the Lord with my voice, And He heard me from His holy hill”. Selah d. God answers your prayers. “Too often plans come before prayers.” This was not the case, however, with David. He had no plan, and he realized he was incapable of successfully carrying out a strategy that would defeat his enemies. His first and only recourse was to cry out to God in prayer. David was confident that God answered his prayers because of God’s covenant relationship with him. His cry to the Lord was the cry of a child to his Father: (1 Chr. 17:13) “I will be

5 his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee”. As believers under God’s new covenant of grace, we enjoy the same Father/child relationship with God: (Romans 8:14-15) “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father”. Verse 5, I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. e. God sustains and watches over you both day and night. David powerfully proclaimed his confidence in the Lord. In spite of his distress, and the heartache of a rebellious son who sought his life. The fear of attack by his enemies during the night, the dread of tomorrow’s battle, David lay down and slept. His lying down shows just how much he trusted God to watch over him during the night. His sleep shows the peace that God gave him in the midst of unimaginable trouble. David could sleep because he knew God was awake. I can remember Dr. Blake teaching us what the Psalmist says in, (Ps 121:4) Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep. NKJV Dr. Blake said and I quote: “If the Lord is up all night watching over me, I might as well go to sleep”!

6

Verse 6 says, “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around”. f. God delivers you from fear even when thousands oppose you. David entrusted his life into the Lord’s hands; therefore, he was able to face the day unafraid. In the Lord’s strength, he stood against the rebellious forces that sought his life. (Ps 91:1-4) He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. 3 Surely, he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. 4 He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. 7 A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. KJV Verse 7 says, “Arise, O Lord; Save me, O my God! For You have struck all my enemies on the cheekbone; You have broken the teeth of the ungodly”. a. Cry out for personal deliverance and for the defeat of your enemies. (Ps 27:1-3)The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.

7

3 Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident. Verse 8 says, “Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people”. b. Proclaim your faith: That deliverance comes from God. David gave God the glory for His salvation, praising the faithful God Who keeps His covenant, in spite of man’s sinful failures. With great confidence David pronounced God’s blessing upon his kingdom and its people, the recipients of God’s covenant promises. I close with the words of the Psalmist in (), “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth”. 2 My shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3 O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. KJV

“Let us Pray”

8

“Fun Time” 1) What is the one simple answer to being victorious over stress and enemies in our lives? ______2) David tells us when the pressures of life get too hard to bear, simply do this? ______3) What is a believer’s “shield” against his enemies, against wickedness, and Satan? ______4) Why as believers should we have confidence in the Lord answering our prayers? ______5) Why should a believer be able to sleep and not be afraid in times of trouble? ______

9