THE SCARLET PATH

    BIBLE STUDIES

                                          "WALKING WITH GOD" 

                                                PART TWO

                                                   PSALM 35:1-28

 INTRODUCTION:

           ONCE YOU HAVE ACCEPTED JESUS AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOR - WHAT'S NEXT? 

           HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY MOVE FORWARD  IN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD?                                                  THERE ARE FORCES THAT WANT TO KEEP YOU FROM DOING WELL, AND WE WILL EXPLORE THEM IN THIS STUDY.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            IN YOUR DESIRE TO SERVE AND WALK WITH THE LORD, DID YOU KNOW THAT THERE ARE THOSE WHO DO NOT WANT YOU TO SUCCEED?                                                                                                   THERE ARE FORCES ARRAYED AGAINST YOU TO KEEP YOU FROM FROM LOVING, MIRRORING, AND SERVING THE LORD.                                                                                                                   THESE FORCES ARE NOT FRIENDLY, THEY DON'T MEAN WELL AND CANNOT BE REASONED WITH - YET AS WE WILL SEE IN PSALM 35, SOMETIMES WE ARE CALLED TO SERVE OUR ENEMIES EVEN THOUGH THEY WANT TO TAKE OUR LIVES.

 READ PSALM 35:1-8

           IN THIS PSALM, DAVID PRESENTS HIS "CASE" BEFORE THE DIVINE JUDGE.    MOVING FROM A COMPLAINT ABOUT THE SITUATION, TO PRAYER ABOUT THE SITUATION, AND FINALLY, WHEN THE LORD WOULD JUSTLY RESPOND TO THE SITUATION, PRAISE FOR HIS RIGHTEOUS INTERVENTION.

           "PLEAD . . . . FIGHT": DAVID IS FACING AN UNKNOWN ENEMY.    IN HIS CASE, THEY MAY LITERALLY HAVE BEEN TRYING TO TAKE HIS LIFE.    WE SEE A TROUBLED DAVID WHOSE ENEMY WANTS TO UTTERLY DESTROY HIM.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    IN OUR CASE WE HAVE SATAN, OUR OWN BROKENNESS, AND THE CULTURE AROUND US ALL CONSPIRING TO "STEAL, KILL, AND DESTROY" OUR SPIRITUAL LIVES.                                                      WE KNOW THAT THE ENEMY OF ALL BELIEVERS IS OUR ADVERSARY, SATAN (THE DEVIL).   THE DEVIL MAY TRY TO ACCUSE US TO THE FATHER, BUT WE HAVE AN ADVOCATE, JESUS CHRIST.    JESUS PLEADS OUR CASE EVERY TIME SATAN TRIES TO ACCUSE US.                                                                                                                                                                                                                      I LOVE HOW DAVID PUTS THIS; "PLEAD MY CAUSE . . . . . FIGHT AGAINST THEM".    THIS IS A GOOD PRAYER FOR ALL OF US.    IT MAKES ME THINK OF STANDING IN A FAST FLOWING STREAM, AN OPPOSING CURRENT, WHICH WANTS TO CARRY ME AWAY.     BUT GOD, IN OUR LIVES CAN BE LIKE A STRONG ROCK THAT WE CAN HOLD FAST TO AND NOT BE SWEPT AWAY.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        IN VERSE 2 DAVID TALKS ABOUT "SHIELD AND BUCKLER": A LARGE AND SMALL SHIELD.    THE SMALL SHIELD COULD BE USED FOR HAND TO HAND COMBAT, WHILE THE LARGE SHIELD COVERS THE ENTIRE BODY - SOMETHING YOU CAN HIDE BEHIND.                                                    THESE ARE DEFENSIVE WEAPONS; NOT THAT THE LORD STANDS IN NEED OF ANY OF THESE TO DEFEND HIMSELF, BUT THAT HE WOULD BE AS THESE TO DAVID AND ALL BORN AGAIN BELIEVERS.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  THE PICTURE HERE IS GOD BREAKING THROUGH THE ENEMY RANKS TO PROVIDE HELP AND PROTECTION TO HIS CHILDREN.    GOD GIVES UNTO HIS CHILDREN THE SHIELD OF SALVATION; HE ENCOMPASSES THEM ABOUT WITH HIS FAVOR AS WITH A SHIELD, AND KEEPS HIS CHILDREN BY HIS POWER, SAFE FROM ALL THEIR ENEMIES, SPIRITUAL AD SOMETIMES PHYSICAL.    THE LORD ARISES, AND STANDS BY HIS PEOPLE AGAINST SATAN  AND HIS DEMONS, DELIVERING HIS PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR HANDS.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             THE MEANING FROM THIS IS THAT ALMIGHTY GOD STANDS BETWEEN US AND ANY DANGER.    HE PROTECTS US.    HE IS OUR SHIELD AND HE BUILDS A HEDGE AROUND US TO KEEP US FROM HARM.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           IN VERSE 3 DAVID TALKS ABOUT OFFENSIVE WEAPONS - NOT JUST PROTECTION BUT ACTIVELY FIGHTING AGAINST THE ENEMY.    HE FOLLOWS WITH SOME VERY PICTURESQUE LANGUAGE ABOUT HOW THAT DELIVERANCE SHOULD TAKE PLACE AND HOW QUICKLY THE ENEMY WOULD BE DRIVEN AWAY.                                                                                                                           AN OFFENSIVE WEAPON: EXPRESSIVE OF THE VENGEANCE WHICH GOD SOMETIMES TAKES OF THE ENEMIES OF HIS PEOPLE.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         THE ENEMY, THE FLESH, AND THE WORLDLY CULTURE HAVE DEVISED ALL SORTS OF NETS (TRAPS) FOR US TO FALL INTO AND ALL SORTS OF TEMPTATIONS TO DO THINGS NOT GOD'S WAY.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              WHEN GOD SAYS TO US THAT HE WILL BE OUR SALVATION; THAT HE WILL PROTECT US; THAT HE WILL DELIVER US FROM SIN, FROM DANGER, FROM HELL, THE MIND MAY AND WILL BE PERFECTLY CALM.    TO THE BORN-AGAIN BELIEVER HE GIVES THIS ASSURANCE.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   THE WHOLE PLAN OF SALVATION IS ARRANGED WITH A VIEW TO FURNISH SUCH AN ASSURANCE, AND TO GIVE A PLEDGE TO THE SOUL OF THE BELIEVER THAT GOD "WILL" SAVE.             THE SALVATION OF OUR SOULS IS IN BELIEF IN JESUS CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOR. 

                                                                                                                                                                                     THE REDEEMED MAN AND WOMAN MOVES ON CALMLY, FOR IN ALL THE FUTURE AND IN ALL WORLDS, THEY HAVE NOTHING TO FEAR.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                NO TEMPTATION HAS OVERTAKEN YOU EXCEPT WHAT IS COMMON TO HUMANITY.    GOD IS FAITHFUL AND HE WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO BE TEMPTED BEYOND WHAT YOU ARE ABLE TO WITHSTAND, BUT WITH THE TEMPTATION HE WILL ALSO PROVIDE A WAY OF ESCAPE OR ENDURANCE, SO THAT YOU ARE ABLE TO BEAR IT.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         THAT IS OUR PROTECTION AND OUR OFFENSIVE WEAPONS; TO TRUST IN A FAITHFUL GOD AND LOOK FOR THE WAY TO ENDURE OR ESCAPE.    IT MIGHT BE TO PHONE A CHRISTIAN FRIEND, PASTOR, OR TO PRAY, TO SING, TO LEAVE THE SITUATION, TO GET INTO THE WORD (KJV BIBLE), OR IT MAY REQUIRE YOU TO GET SOME OTHER HELP - BUT IT IS THERE FOR US.

 READ PSALM 35:9-10     

           "MY SOUL" AND "MY BONES"  ARE TWO EMPHATIC WAYS OF SAYING "I" OR "MYSELF". 

THIS IS SAYING "I SHALL BE JOYFUL", OR "WILL REJOICE".                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              IT IS NOT JOY IN THE DESTRUCTION OF OUR ENEMIES, BUT IT IS JOY THAT THEY THEMSELF WOULD BE DELIVERED.                                                                                                                         OUR OWN DELIVERANCE THAT COMES FROM THE HAND OF OUR ENEMIES MAY INVOLVE THE NECESSITY OF THEIR BEING CUT OFF, OR RUINED.                                                                                    WHAT WE REJOICE IN, IN SUCH A CASE, IS NOT THEIR RUIN, BUT OUR OWN DELIVERANCE.    AND FOR THIS IT CAN NEVER BE IMPROPER TO GIVE THANKS TO GOD.                          WE SHOULD NEVER REJOICE IN THE DOWNFALL OR PROBLEMS OF OTHERS, BELIEVERS OR LOST SINNERS, EVEN IF THEY HAVE TRIED TO DO US WRONG.

 READ PSALM 35:11-16

           LITERALLY, MALICIOUS, OR UNRIGHTEOUS WITNESSES AND THE LIKE ARE EXHIBITED AGAINST THE FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, WHO GO THROUGH GOOD REPORT AND BAD REPORT, AND WHOSE GOOD CONVERSATION IS FALSE BY MALICIOUS MEN AND WOMEN.                                                                                                                                                                                                                    THIS HAS BEEN THE SAME ALL THROUGH THE AGES.    THE ACCUSERS OF JESUS WERE RELIGIOUS LEADERS BUT WERE FALSE WITNESSES AS WELL.    THE SAME IS TRUE TODAY.                    IF YOU ARE TRYING TO LIVE FOR GOD, THERE WILL BE FALSE ACCUSERS WHO WILL BE TRYING TO TEAR OR SMEAR YOUR REPUTATION DOWN.                                                                                  NOT ALL OF YOUR ACCUSERS WILL BE LOST SINNERS OUT IN THE WORLDLY LIFE, BUT THERE MAY BE, AND PROBABLY WILL BE, SOME FROM WITHIN THE CHURCH DRIVEN BY JEALOUSY AND PRIDE. 

          THE APOSTLE PAUL ECHOED THIS SECTION THIS WAY:                                                      READ ROMANS 12:17-21                                                                                                                             VERSE 17 "RECOMPENSE TO NO MAN EVIL FOR EVIL. PROVIDE THINGS HONEST IN THE SIGHT OF ALL MEN".                                                                                                                                    "RECOMPENSE": MEANS TO REPAY.    GOD DOES NOT WANT US TO GET EVEN FOR THE THINGS PEOPLE HAVE DONE TO US.                                                                                                                       CHRISTIANS ARE TO RESPECT WHAT IS INTRINSICALLY PROPER AND HONEST.    THIS CARRIES THE IDEA OF VISIBLY AND OBVIOUSLY HAVING THE RIGHT BEHAVIOR WHEN WE ARE AROUND OTHERS, ESPECIALLY UNBELIEVERS.

 VERSE 18 "IF IT BE POSSIBLE, AS MUCH AS LIETH IN YOU, LIVE PEACEABLY WITH ALL MEN."                                                                                                                                                                           PAUL IS SAYING, THAT IT IS NOT ALWAYS POSSIBLE TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH ALL MEN AND WOMEN.                                                                                                                                                                        SOMETIMES IT SEEMS THE MORE WE TRY TO LIVE GOOD AND DO GOOD, THE MORE YOU ARE ATTACKED BY YOUR FELLOW MEN AND WOMEN EVEN WITHIN THE CHURCH.                                                                                                                                                                                                                   ALTHOUGH WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO BE AT PEACE WITH OTHERS, IT WILL NOT ALWAYS COME, BECAUSE IT ALSO DEPENDS ON OTHERS ATTITUDES AND RESPONSES.

           JESUS IS THE KING OF PEACE.    IF WE ARE TRULY HIS FOLLOWERS, THEN WE WANT TO HAVE PEACE AS WELL.                                                                                                                                             THERE IS A PEACE THAT WE CAN HAVE AND IT IS A PEACE THAT IS IN OUR HEART THAT NO ONE CAN TAKE AWAY FROM US, COLOSSIANS 3:15.                                                                                   EVEN WHEN YOU REACH OUT IN LOVE WHEN SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO HARM YOU IS IN TROUBLE, DO NOT EXPECT THEM TO RETURN THE FAVOR WHEN YOU ARE HURTING.                                                                                                                                                                                                             WHEN BELIEVERS LOVINGLY HELP THEIR ENEMIES, IT SHOULD BRING SHAME TO SUCH PEOPLE FOR THEIR HATE AND ANIMOSITY, MATTHEW 5:44-45.                                                                     IF WE ARE TO BE CHRISTLIKE, THEN WE MUST LOVE PEOPLE WHO DO NOT DESERVE OUR LOVE.    WE MUST LOVE IN SPITE OF, RATHER THAN BECAUSE OF, TO BE LIKE HIM.

 READ PSALM 35:17-26                                                
         THE ENEMY, THE FLESH, OUR BROKENNESS, AND THE WORLDLY CULTURE AROUND US WILL LOOK FOR ANY OPPORTUNITY TO ACCUSE US.    THAT'S WHY SATAN IS CALLED "THE ACCUSER OF THE BRETHREN".                                                                                                            SOMETIMES IT IS DESERVED; SOMETIMES IT IS JUST MADE UP.    WE ARE NOT PERFECT, BUT WE LOVE A PERFECT LORD WHO DIED FOR OUR MISTAKES, OUR SIN, AND FAILURES AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING US LIKE HIM.

           IN VERSE 18 WE HAVE THE RESOLUTION THE PSALMIST CAME UNTO.    THE PROMISE HE MADE, THAT SHOULD HE BE DELIVERED FROM HIS ENEMIES, HE WOULD GIVE GOD THANKS IN THE MOST PUBLIC MANNER.                                                                                                                                  THAT IS, HE WOULD ACKNOWLEDGE GOD TO BE THE AUTHOR OF THE MERCY, AND HIMSELF UNWORTHY OF IT.                                                                                                                                    THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO GIVING YOUR TESTIMONY IN CHURCH TODAY.                                            WHEN GOD HAS DELIVERED US FROM A TRIAL, FROM A TERRIBLE SITUATION, FROM A BURDEN OF HEART, WE NEED TO GO BEFORE THE CONGREGATION OF OUR CHURCH AND TELL OF THE WONDERFUL THING GOD HAS DONE.

          TO GOD BE THE GLORY AND PRAISE!

 READ PSALM 35:27-28

            LET MY FRIENDS SEE THAT GOD IS ON MY SIDE, AND THAT THEY HAVE OCCASION TO REJOICE IN HIS MERCIFUL INTERPOSITION IN MY BEHALF.                                                                                 VERSES 27 AND 28 COULD BE THE CONGREGATION, THE LOCAL CHURCH, THOSE BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN THE BODY OF CHRIST WHO ARE ROOTING FOR YOU.                                         LEAN ON THEM, ASK THEM TO PRAY FOR YOU IN YOUR STRUGGLES, YOUR TRIALS, AND TEMPTATIONS, AND ATTACKS BY SINFUL ACCUSERS.    ALSO KNOW THAT GOD IS ALSO ROOTING AND WORKING FOR YOU.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   GENUINE CHRISTIANS SHOULD REJOICE AT THE SUCCESS OF OTHER CHRISTIANS WHO ARE WORKING FOR GOD.    NO JEALOUSY SHOULD EXIST BETWEEN BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     EVERY NEW PROOF OF KINDNESS OF GOD TO A BELIEVER SHOULD LEAD TO NEW ACTS OF WORSHIP AND PRAISE.                                                                                                                                      THE APPROPRIATE RESPONSE TO GOD'S DELIVERANCE FROM OUR STRUGGLES SHOULD BE PUBLIC PRAISE AND TESTIMONY.                                                                                                                    THERE IS NO TIME MORE GLORIOUS FOR THE BELIEVER THAN WHEN THEY KNOW BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT GOD HAS WON THE VICTORY FOR THEM.

          CONCLUSION:

          SO WHAT IS OPPOSING YOUR WALK WITH GOD?         

          WHAT IS KEEPING YOU FROM GOING ALL IN WITH HIM?

            IS IT YOUR FEARS, YOUR WEAKNESSES, OR SOMETHING IN THE VALUES IN THE WORLD AROUND YOU?       

           BE BOLD IN YOUR PRAYERS, SEEK HIS GUIDANCE, STUDY HIS WORD (KJV BIBLE), AND IF NEEDED AS A CHRISTIAN BROTHER OR SISTER FOR THEIR PRAYERS AND HELP.

          WATCH FOR GOD'S VICTORY IN YOUR LIFE!

          AMEN!