Devotions

“He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:16-19, NKJV).

In this psalm, David looks back after a great deliverance and rejoices because the Lord has rescued him from his enemies: “I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies” (Psalm 18:3).

David had just gone through a terrible time of testing. Saul had put a bounty on his head and chased him relentlessly, forcing him to sleep in caves, dens and open fields. David said of that dark time, “The sorrows of hell surrounded me, and I lived in distress. Ungodly men made me afraid that my enemies were too strong for me. They all hated me.”

Then God came roaring out of the heavens to deliver David. “He bowed the heavens also, and came down… The Lord thundered from heaven… He sent from above, he took me; he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy” (Psalm 18:9-17).

The enemy had come in like a flood, and David was surrounded by demon powers, yet he was able to rejoice in his deliverance, “They confronted me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my support. He also brought me out into a broad place; he delivered me because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:18-19).

In other words, David could say, “The reason God delivered me from all my enemies, all my sorrows, and from the powers of hell is because I am precious to him. My God delights in me!”

Beloved, if you find yourself in need of deliverance, whether from the grip of lust, the lure of temptation, or the weight of trial, whether your struggle is mental, spiritual, emotional or physical, remember this: God delights in you. You are precious to him. 

“But know that the Lord has set apart the godly for himself; the Lord hears when I call to him” (Psalm 4:3, ESV). The phrase “set apart” in this verse reflects holiness. This, in turn, indicates the weightiness or substance that comes through living our life in Christ.  

The King James Version of the Bible calls us peculiar in the world’s eyes, meaning special or set apart. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9, KJV).

Two chapters later, Peter revealed the purpose of our peculiarity and its impact. “With respect to this, they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does” (1 Peter 4:4-6, ESV).

This should encourage you never to compromise your stand for righteousness nor lose your testimony as a countercultural Christian. Distresses will come from a mocking, slandering, cruel world, but you have been set apart by God himself, whose purpose is revealed by the Spirit. 

We are also given this comforting assurance: “…the Lord hears when I call to him” (Psalm 4:3). As a set-apart people, we are called to show God’s glory, to demonstrate that something amazing exists that is different from anything the world has to offer. 

David testified of the Lord, “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound” (Psalm 4:7). David was saying that he had more treasure in the Lord than all the wealth these partiers could ever own. 

A person of abundance can lack a truly, deeply rooted joy, but for the peculiar or set-apart person, joy is a continual reality. As people of God, we are fulfilled in heart while not distressed over what we may lack. 

We pray that a hungry, waiting world will see the difference in us and find joy in the God of our salvation.  

^{This devotional has been adapted from Gary Wilkerson’s book, The Altar of Our Hearts: An Expository Devotional on the Psalms.} 

It’s really important to understand the gospel of grace. Jesus died on the cross, and when he died on the cross, he paid the price for our salvation in full. Because of that, we don’t have anything to add to the equation.

So it’s a problem when people say, “Well, you know, Jesus did his part, and now I do my part. He started the good work, and now I have to work to finish it.” Anytime you try to add to the finished work of Jesus, it’s a simple definition of legalism. 

When people live on a treadmill of works, constantly trying to do things to please God, the only way we break free is to understand God’s grace. First and foremost, Jesus pleased God as the ultimate sacrifice at Calvary. When he gave his life, he fulfilled all of the demands of God, so God’s wrath is not against us. Now we live in the liberty and power of Christ. 

The choice is laid out for us. We can seek a relationship with God that is based on debt, or we can seek a relationship with God that is based on faith. If it’s a relationship based on debt, then you’re never quite sure if you’ve paid enough. “Did I sacrifice enough, did I fast enough, did I pray enough, did I give enough in order to get God’s favor?” 

The Apostle Paul moved from this place of being born under the law and living under the law to being free in Christ. He was a Pharisee of Pharisees, but when he came to know Christ and the power of the gospel, the Holy Spirit filled his heart, and there was a complete transformation.

Paul wrote about how glorious this freedom is! “For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace…” (Romans 4:14-16, ESV).

Now, under the promise resting on grace, we’re conformed to Christ’s image, and we live like him, and we pray like him. It’s a holy walk with God, but it’s a holiness that’s produced by God rather than by our own effort.

^{John Bailey is the Vice President of World Challenge Inc. and the Founding Pastor of The Springs Church in Jacksonville, Florida. John has been serving the Lord in pastoral ministry for 35 years, ministering the gospel in over 50 nations, particularly as a pastor and evangelist in Cork, Ireland.}

The Holy Spirit is calling the church to action, and we have to know what type of faith to employ or what action to take. If you start flailing away with a sword, stirring things up on your own and saying, “I’m going to take care of this mess”, you are going to hurt others and yourself.

Perhaps you think you should just pray over an issue, but God says, “No, this is the time for you to stand up and take action.” On the other hand, God may say, “Just trust me right now. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.”

People ask me all the time how they can attain discernment or how they can know what to do in a situation. They want to have the type of faith that gets action.

Well, there is not a ten-week series on what to do in every situation in your life, and you can’t call a counselor every day and say, “I have to make a decision, and I want to know what to do.” You have to know Jesus, and you will gain discernment only as you spend time in his presence.

If you’d never run before and I were to tell you today to go out and run a marathon, you would go about two miles and then drop. On the other hand, if you began to train at running one mile then two miles and then three, eventually you would be able to run that kind of race.

Likewise, we must train for righteousness. You may be feeling very stretched but begin to let yourself be trained by hearing the Word of God. If you obey in the small things, he will give you more and more wisdom and strength. Before long you will know when it’s time to say, “God, you are in control. This is out of my hands.” You will know when it’s time to pray. You will know that it’s time to stand up and do what he has called you to do.

Perhaps during times of affliction, you have almost fainted. You may have been so weak and weary that you thought you couldn’t go another step. Now from where you stand, though, you can say, “I never want to go through that again, but God brought me out. He has been faithful. Praise the Lord!”

God is not satisfied with a heartfelt “thank you” from us. Rather, he says, “Wait just a moment, my child. I did not bring you through all those troubles and afflictions just to make you a grateful overcomer. I’ve spent years training you, putting you through all these things for a purpose, and I’m not going to let you waste them now. I fully intend for my investment to pay off. I tell you that your best work is ahead of you!”

As you emerge from your college-level afflictions, God opens your eyes to your struggling friends in kindergarten. These beloved ones don’t think they can make it, so what do you do with your affliction experiences? God whispers to you, “I need seasoned, tested veterans, people who have survived deep waters and awful fires, who have been refined through suffering. I want people who will prove my faithfulness to this generation.” The psalmist writes, “Now also when I am old and grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare your strength to this generation, your power to everyone who is to come” (Psalm 71:18, NKJV).

Paul sums it all up beautifully. “But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel” (Philippians 1:12). That is saying something. When Paul wrote this, he was an older man with years of experience, and he was in the midst of one of the worst trials of his life. 

He spoke to his friends from his heart. “It would be the most wonderful thing right now if I could go home and be with my Lord. That is my greatest desire, but I’m a veteran; I’ve been through afflictions and trials, and I know I’m needed here. This generation needs to see a sufferer who survives and rejoices in any affliction. The church I’m leaving behind is going to face all that I’ve faced, and they need to know that God will bring them through. So it is best that I stay and endure these deep afflictions. Look at me! Not only have I survived, but I have true hope. I’m not down or depressed. I rejoice in the Lord for all he has brought me through!” (see Philippians 1:19-30).