Resort To The Fortress Of God
Insight From Psalm 16 On God’s Presence And Protection
Though trouble abounds in this world many have found a refuge in God through Christ. Psalm 16 gives us insight into the powerful fortress God provides to those who trust Him.
Trouble in this world is assured, so God wants us to resort to Him through Christ at all times. Everyone that comes to God through Christ must learn to continuously depend upon Him. In doing so, it could be said that God is their fortress from the trials and troubles of this life.
David, the shepherd boy turned king, often made God his fortress. By the Holy Spirit David wrote many of the psalms. In Psalm 16 we see that David knows he is very secure in God. By God’s Spirit he writes in verses 7 and 8, “I will bless YHVH (The Existing One) who has counseled me; Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
I have set YHVH (The Existing One) continually before me; Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”
Among many other things, God wants to be our fortress, but we must choose to make Him our fortress. From these two verses we will see how to do so, the blessings of His presence, and the results of making Him our fortress.
I. Enter With Praise 7a
"I will bless YHVH (The Existing One)"
Throughout the Word of God there is a very strong emphasis upon praising and worshiping God. It is not that God is egotistical or has some psychological problem that He craves attention. It is, in part, because we have a need to not focus upon ourselves, others, or the material realm, but have an urgent need to focus upon God.
Very often, by the Holy Spirit David and others say “I will” when it comes to doing the right thing spiritually. It is a choice {1} we can make and ought to make. Most times it indicates strong determination on our part, even in the face of negative circumstances or consequences. And much of these “I will”s occur in the Old Testament times when it was more difficult for God-fearing people to gather together than it is today in those countries that are not facing severe persecution. Also, back then there were no complete Holy Bibles, printing presses, computers, and means of instant and almost constant communication. The Holy Spirit had not been outpoured. Such Old Testament saints stand as witnesses against any “whimpy Christians” of our day.
David’s objective was to bless (cause to be happy) YHVH (The Existing One). The Holy Scriptures indicate if we cause God to be blessed we will also be blessed. Looking at the entirety of Holy Scripture, blessing, praising, and worshiping are not only done vocally, but also in deed. Psalm 22:3 states that God is enthroned upon the praises of Israel. At this time, and for a limited time, the Church (The Body of Christ), is in the place of Israel so therefore God is enthroned upon our praises. This is a main way of how we enter into Him so that the King of the universe becomes our fortress.
II. Encounter The Existing One 7b...
“. . . YHVH (The Existing One) . . .”
God, indeed, is the Existing One, “I AM”. He is eternal, that is, timeless, never having a beginning nor does He end. He just is. I am not sure why some have a difficult time with that concept. Perhaps it is because this is something we are not. We had a beginning. God did not.
Other things that He is and we are not include being all powerful, all knowing, everywhere present, and unchangeable. These exclusive attributes of His are according to His holiness, as are His moral attributes. While we cannot share in His exclusive attributes, we are expected to share in His moral attributes. Some of those include His kindness, mercy, jealousy, anger, love, and more, including holiness itself. Holiness indicates He is pure. There is no darkness in Him, no iniquity (1 John 1:5).
“. . . . Who has given me counsel; . . .”
Logically, God has the best and purest counsel. However, if we were to compare ourselves in regard to understanding and knowledge to the Almighty we would be like a dog going for a walk with his owner. The dog knows some things and might have a limited understanding, but his master’s intelligence is far greater and knows what is best for his dog.
God desires to give us counsel. However, there is only so much we can comprehend and only so much we can do in our own strength. God desires each of us to be a redeemed child of His, so one reason why the Father sent the Son into our world is that we might become truly His child. Once that happens, He then trains us for His honor and glory and our blessing.
With that training comes the ability to be and do what the Father desires us to be and do. That is because those who have received Christ into the center of their being have dwelling within “Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" 1 Corinthians 1:24. As we fellowship with God through Christ He is not only our instructor but is also our strength.
The written Word of God is a foundation to this. It helps us to know the manifest will of God without question. It also helps us to know if what we sense is of God or not, for the Holy Spirit would never have us do anything contrary to the written Word. We are to be Spirit led as Christ was Spirit led. The more we obey the spiritually stronger we become and more understanding we will have.
“. . . My heart also instructs me in the night seasons.”
This ongoing learning process through Christ should be constant. And those that really know God through Christ will know His precious comfort and guidance during the dark times of our lives. For most of us it is a natural thing in our early walk with Christ to anxiously seek His guidance in all sorts of trouble, but as one grows in Him hopefully they will come to the point in their life that even though they are in turmoil they have that special glorious peace {2} that can only come from Him. They continue to worship and praise Him as they continue to lovingly trust Him.
The term “night seasons” (or simply “night” in some translations) can also prophetically refer to the seasons of spiritual night that will come upon this world. One, for sure, is the Great Tribulation, and though I feel the rapture of the Church will occur before then if I am wrong and the Body of Christ does go through that time we will still have fellowship with Him and will still receive spiritual instruction from Him. There could very well be other night seasons before then, but a true disciple will continue to trust God and listen to Him. Between Gethsemane and His death on the cross Christ went through a night season. If He dwells within us we will be able to go through a night season.
The Great Tribulation will be the darkest spiritual night that this world would have gone through. Eventually, during that time, it will get extremely, and I mean extremely, difficult for Israel, so much so they will almost be completely wiped out. But this will be God’s way to enable them to lovingly accept Jesus their Messiah Whom they have rejected. It will be a glorious time after their near annihilation as recorded in Zechariah 12 to 14 and elsewhere.
III. Exalt The Existing One - 8
“I have set YHVH always before me;"
While the grammar of the Hebrew word for “set” in this particular phrase simply denotes “to place, to set”, at times in other places of the Old Testament it carries the thought of “to be like”. So, while we are simply being told to purposely choose to trust in YHVH, I feel there is an inference for us to do so with the objective of becoming like Him.
Note the word “always". We are to constantly choose God and His commands and ways above that of the world’s. “Always” also means not just publicly, but also when we are in private. It also includes the practice of immediately rejecting all thoughts and feelings we should not have replacing them with the thoughts and feelings of God.
“Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.”
By the Spirit in verse 4 David brings into contrast those that do not really trust God, those who are not loyal to Him, when he writes “The sorrows of those who have bartered for another god will be multiplied.” In continuing that verse by the Spirit he writes, “I shall not pour out their drink offerings of blood, nor will I take their names upon my lips” which comprises part of the meaning of “because He (God) is at my right hand.” We are to choose to love God so much that we do not have the same feelings as the world and do not even speak like the world (like talking about Karma) in any way.
Being stedfast in this godly way we can remain secure in YHVH through personal trouble, surrounding trouble, and prophetic trouble. That is because through Christ we have made YHVH (The Existing One) our fortress. In these last days before Armageddon God would have all to come to Him and fully trust Him through Jesus Christ Who paid the full penalty for our sins.
Notes:
{1} Please read You CAN Choose: Choose Wisely at http://thesureword.expertscolumn.com/article/you-can-choose-choose-wisely .
{2} Please read Prince Of Peace at http://newsandsociety.expertscolumn.com/prince-of-peace .
This article was written in the form of a sermon (message) outline with comments. God willing by March 18, 2018 (hopefully much sooner), you should be able to hear the actual message (sermon) by selecting a link at http://www.sapphirestreams.com/life/audioM.html#M488 .
Unless otherwise noted all Holy Scripture is from the New American Standard Bible changing LORD to YHVH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates and adding “(The Existing One)” to readily express the meaning of His Name without making repeated explanations in articles. * = For other versions the spelling of some words is updated for our time in addition to changing LORD to YHVH as it rightly should be when the text so indicates.
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