Some of the enemies that we face are fear , doubt, vanity, and depression. These are as real as any, as our soul falls prey to there diabolical entrance. We must be aware of their source, we must be aware that they are our enemies.
Psalm 42:5 “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God:”
Sunken or depressed, the soul of the psalmist is cast down. The psalmist asks why? It appears as some kind of a strange phenomena. It doesn’t line up with healthy thinking. He then offers a solution, hope. Hope thou in God is the calculated need for the downcast soul. What does it mean?
Well, “Proverbs 13:12 “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.”
“Better is he who taketh in hand to aid with all his heart, than he who promises and raises hopes.” Septuagint
Miles J. Stanford, in his book “The Green Letters,” quotes HF, ” life is meant to bring a succession of discoveries of our need of Christ, and with every such discovery the way is opened for a new inflow of the supply. This is the explanation of so much that we cannot otherwise understand– the plunging of us into new tests where only a fresh supply of the spirit of Christ will meet our need.”
J. N. Darby make this statement ,
“wisdom and philosophy never found God.”
“He makes himself known to us through our needs: necessity finds him out. “
JB Stoney says this, the soul never imbibes the truth in living power but as it requires it.”
“Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, they shall be filled.” Matthew chapter 5 verse 6.
“All too often believers are exhorted and even pressured to grow before there is an acute awareness of need, be sure there is true spiritual hunger. Watchman Nee says this “the Lord does not set us here first of all to preach, or to do any work for him. The first thing for which he sets us here is to create hunger in others. No true work will ever begin without a sense of need being created. There is a tearing down before there can be a building up.”
J. C. Metcalf faithfully writes, “it is more than comforting to realize that it is those who have plumbed the depths of failure to whom God invariably gives the call to shepherd others. Without a bitter experience of their own inadequacy and poverty they are quite unfitted to bear the burden of spiritual ministry. It takes a man who has discovered something of the measures of his own weakness to be patient with the foibles of others. Yes, there must be a deep, thorough and long preparation if there is to be reality.”
But let us continue in our topic, Next up is fear. The Bible teaches the perfect love casts out fear. And fear has torment. Jesus tasted death for every man, for all those who all their life feared death. Yes the fear of death, the insecurity of an unsure future can be the undergirdings of much torment. For this reason Christ came –for this reason Christ died. When Christ died, so did death die. Hallelujah! See 1 John 4:18, Hebrews 2:14
Folks, ” Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. ” 1John 4:17
Beloved when love is made perfect we have boldness to face the day of judgment.
Psalm 33:18 reads ” Behold, the eye of the Lordis upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy;
Psalm 33:22 “Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.”
When hope arises in our soul so does Mercy. Both are weapons of our warfare. The blood of Christ sprinkled on a mercy seat creates hope immeasurable for God’s people.
Finally, doubt is a depressant.
John 20:27 (ESV) teaches us, “Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.”
Friends, God’s Holy Spirit is the answer for doubt. As with Thomas, He guides into truth, convinces us of righteousness, comforts us through His presence, teaches us. He is, and becomes our ever present help in trouble as he shows us things to come. He illuminates the truth, dispelling darkness and with it doubt.
Love ya
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