DELIVER ME OH LORD FROM ALL MY ENEMIES

CHRIST THE ROCK CONGREGATION

SUNDAY JUNE 23^RD 2024

SERMON BY PASTOR MARC SIMEON

OH LORD DELIVER ME FROM ALL MY ENEMIES

PSALM 31:13-18

Ps 31:13 For I hear the slander of many; Fear is on every side; While they take counsel together against me, They scheme to take away my life.

 14 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”

 15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.

 16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake.

 17 Do not let me be ashamed, O LORD, for I have called upon You; Let the wicked be ashamed; Let them be silent in the grave.

 18 Let the lying lips be put to silence, Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous.

INTRODUCTION

• Psalm 31 is a psalm of David .
• It is a psalm of urgency.
• There are times to make cute little prayers to God, and there are times that call for S.O.S. prayers.
• It may even seem as if you are yelling at God.
• It may feel like you are giving out orders to God.
• It may feel that you are disappointed with God.
• God knows your heart and your state of being.
• God doesn’t take offense at these prayers for He knows that your fears and concerns have taken over your soul.
• A husband cannot take to heart any harsh words coming from his wife while in labor.
• When we are in the presence of danger, despair and fear, the tone of our prayer changes.
• When we are been threatened by our enemy the tone of our prayers changes.
• David has spent almost his entire life in the spotlight.
• He has known his share of glory throughout his life, so has he known his fair share of persecution and threats.
• Many of the psalms of David are psalms of imploration and urgency to God for protection.
• David never set out to make enemies, yet he had no lack of them.
• Christians often fail to realize that they are God’s soldiers on the battlefield.
• We find ourselves in disbelief when we see how many shots have been fired aiming at us.
• We cannot understand the rage and the urgency of the enemy to take us out.
• After a while we realize that it is the normalcy of the Christian pilgrimage on earth, to be constantly on the edge and at odd at all times.
• Thank God we have the Bible so that we can study the lives of the saints who lived before us, whom we consider as the pioneers and the pillars of the faith.
• Thank God that we have the psalms to help us formulate the right words of prayers in times of distress.

WHY ARE YOU A TARGET?

Lu 22:31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.

 32 “But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

• Peter was the target because God has chosen him to be the front runner of the church to be born.
• The enemy has some information about your destiny that even you don’t know.
• Satan tries to disqualify the children of God even before they become aware of their mission in life.
• The work is plentiful but the workers are few in God’s kingdom, because the enemy keeps on disqualifying them.
• You are a target because of the potentials God has placed in you.
• You are a target because you will be a problem for the kingdom of darkness if you stay on course.
• You are a target because Satan is jealous of the rewards that you will be getting if you fulfill your assignment on earth.
• Abraham was targeted and could not have children because God promised him that he would be the father of a great nation and that the entire human race would be blessed through him.
• Isaac’s wife, Rebecca, was barren so that the promise of God could be halted and dismissed.
• Jacob was targeted because he was the chosen child of the alliance.
• Joseph was targeted because He was going to be the deliverer of his family in the furtherance of God’s alliance.
• Moses was targeted because he would be the chosen one to take the children of Israel out of Egypt.
• David was targeted because he was going to become the king of Israel after God’s own heart.
• David was targeted because the Messiah was going to come from his ancestral line.
• Everyone who will contribute to enhance the Kingdom of God on earth is a target of the enemy.
• Your attacks are a signal that God plans to do something significant with you.

HOW ARE YOU TO RESPOND TO THE ASSAULTS OF THE ENEMY?

• Know that the battle is not yours but the Lord’s.
• Expect the cross that is associated with being a servant of God.
• Have a sustained prayer life.
• Walk in the path of righteousness so that you can leave the devil no access point.
• Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, The Lord will not hear.
•  
• James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
•  8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
•  9 Lament and mourn and weep! .. . .
• 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.
• Don’t panic and have full confidence on God’s promises in times of trouble.
• Respond with boldness and faith.
• Resist the devil until he flees from you.
• Double your prayer life.

WHAT IS TO EXPECT FROM GOD AFTER OUR PRAYERS?

Ps 18:1 ¶ A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD, who spoke to the LORD the words of this song on the day that the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. And he said:>> I will love You, O LORD, my strength.

 2 The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

 3 I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.

 4 The pangs of death surrounded me, And the floods of ungodliness made me afraid.

 5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me.

 6 In my distress I called upon the LORD, And cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, And my cry came before Him, even to His ears.

 7 Then the earth shook and trembled; The foundations of the hills also quaked and were shaken, Because He was angry.

• We need to know that all of our prayers are heard.
• All of our prayers are answered.
• Sometimes the answer is to wait. “Seat by my right hand until I make of your enemies your footstool.”
• Sometimes the answer is no.
• Sometimes there are conflicts in the airways, whereby we have to wait for clearance.
• Sometimes God answers our prayers without giving us any feedback, we must maintain our confidence on God.
• Sometimes God says, you have to go through this one; my name is glorified in this that you are going through.
• Sometimes God says, it is only a test. None of it is real, the enemy is just bluffing.
• Never stop calling on God even if you don’t yet see any noticeable result.
• Sometimes God is working out your patience.
• Sometimes God is helping you to develop your spiritual muscles.
• Sometimes God is just trying to get your attention.
• Sometimes God allows the attacks so that you can be steered in the right direction because you were getting distracted.

CONCLUSION

Psalm 31: 14-16

14 But as for me, I trust in You, O LORD; I say, “You are my God.”

 15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.

 16 Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake.

• The attacks will come for sure, but the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you.
• All your present tests will turn into testimonies if you persevere.
• May the Lord bless His word!

AMEN!