Post by Les Brewer on Feb 24, 2014 23:36:15 GMT
Grace Ministries Bible Study
The Relevance of Psalms Today
Psalm 7 (part 2)
Taking a step back for just a second, in part one I talked about the oppressive spirits that persecute our souls. These spirits can gain access to our lives through tragedies, through people and through our unconfessed sin. Those who persecuted David where actually people whose behaviors were influenced by the enemy. He asked God to save him and deliver him from his persecutors “Lest he tear my soul like a lion.” Our soul is what makes us uniquely us. Their actions and behaviors tore at the very core of David being, his soul, but David’s trust was in the Lord.
I am going to digress for a minute here because the Spirit of God is leading me too. The enemy always disguises himself. In my quiet time, I asked the Lord why Satan and his demons disguise themselves. He has been disguising himself from the very beginning when he approached Eve as a serpent. His answer to me was that he, Satan, is a coward. His characteristics, his makeup are the spirits listed in part one. He is fearful, anxious, depressed, angry etc and he is a coward. Know my brothers and sisters that he is a coward and we need to understand and exercise our God given authority over him.
Alright, back on topic. In the next few verses David turns his attention from his persecutors to himself.
“O Lord my God, if I have done this; if here be iniquity in my hand;”
As I read this, my question to the Holy Spirit was done what? David said “if I have done this.” David’s reaction to the persecution he was suffering was to look within himself and ask have I ever treated someone this way? Have I allowed the enemy to use me to persecute the soul of a man? David knew that he was not exempt from being used of the enemy. We need to be acutely aware of this fact. This is one of his most successful tactics in the church. Given the opportunity he will use you against your brother or sister.
“If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause in mine enemy ”
David’s life is literally and open book. Was there a time in David’s life that he rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with him? Yes, we read this in the account of his dealing with Uriah. Yet, David was a man after God heart. You may be a man or woman after God heart, but know that you are not exempt from being used of the enemy.
Because David is using the word “if” he is asking God to search his heart. He wants to know if he brought this evil upon himself through his behavior toward others. We need to be like David, humble enough to want the Lord to show us who we have wronged.
“Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.”
The consequences for persecuting the innocent are described in this verse. The door is open for the enemy to persecute your soul and take it, to make your life on earth a living hell and to destroy your testimony. David was ready and willing to accept the consequences of his wrong.
I praise and glorify my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who willing accepted the consequences of my wrong. The key, however, is to confession you sin and if you have been used of the enemy to persecute your brother or sister go to them and make it right. Confess you fault to them and close the door in Satan’s face. He wants your pride to keep you from doing what God requires of us and what will set our soul free of his oppressive spirits.
Join us next time for part 3 of Psalm 7.
The Relevance of Psalms Today
Psalm 7 (part 2)
Taking a step back for just a second, in part one I talked about the oppressive spirits that persecute our souls. These spirits can gain access to our lives through tragedies, through people and through our unconfessed sin. Those who persecuted David where actually people whose behaviors were influenced by the enemy. He asked God to save him and deliver him from his persecutors “Lest he tear my soul like a lion.” Our soul is what makes us uniquely us. Their actions and behaviors tore at the very core of David being, his soul, but David’s trust was in the Lord.
I am going to digress for a minute here because the Spirit of God is leading me too. The enemy always disguises himself. In my quiet time, I asked the Lord why Satan and his demons disguise themselves. He has been disguising himself from the very beginning when he approached Eve as a serpent. His answer to me was that he, Satan, is a coward. His characteristics, his makeup are the spirits listed in part one. He is fearful, anxious, depressed, angry etc and he is a coward. Know my brothers and sisters that he is a coward and we need to understand and exercise our God given authority over him.
Alright, back on topic. In the next few verses David turns his attention from his persecutors to himself.
“O Lord my God, if I have done this; if here be iniquity in my hand;”
As I read this, my question to the Holy Spirit was done what? David said “if I have done this.” David’s reaction to the persecution he was suffering was to look within himself and ask have I ever treated someone this way? Have I allowed the enemy to use me to persecute the soul of a man? David knew that he was not exempt from being used of the enemy. We need to be acutely aware of this fact. This is one of his most successful tactics in the church. Given the opportunity he will use you against your brother or sister.
“If I have rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with me; (yea, I have delivered him that without cause in mine enemy ”
David’s life is literally and open book. Was there a time in David’s life that he rewarded evil unto him that was at peace with him? Yes, we read this in the account of his dealing with Uriah. Yet, David was a man after God heart. You may be a man or woman after God heart, but know that you are not exempt from being used of the enemy.
Because David is using the word “if” he is asking God to search his heart. He wants to know if he brought this evil upon himself through his behavior toward others. We need to be like David, humble enough to want the Lord to show us who we have wronged.
“Let the enemy persecute my soul, and take it; yea, let him tread down my life upon the earth, and lay mine honour in the dust. Selah.”
The consequences for persecuting the innocent are described in this verse. The door is open for the enemy to persecute your soul and take it, to make your life on earth a living hell and to destroy your testimony. David was ready and willing to accept the consequences of his wrong.
I praise and glorify my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who willing accepted the consequences of my wrong. The key, however, is to confession you sin and if you have been used of the enemy to persecute your brother or sister go to them and make it right. Confess you fault to them and close the door in Satan’s face. He wants your pride to keep you from doing what God requires of us and what will set our soul free of his oppressive spirits.
Join us next time for part 3 of Psalm 7.