"YOUR ROD AND YOUR STAFF THEY COMFORT ME"
“THY ROD AND THY STAFF THEY COMFORT ME”
(Psalm 23)
Preached by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Sunday, March 14, 2010
For the past month, our church has been under an increased visitation of the Holy Spirit, angelic presence, and the Presence of the Lord. For those of you who have visited Little
This past Wednesday night, we had another powerful manifestation. Normally on Wednesday night, we faithfully pray for the nation, leaders of the nation, and nations of the world, church and church families as we are led by the Holy Spirit. We were discussing the gentle pastor and gentle pasture as compared to pastorates that are tyrannical, oppressive, harsh, demanding and controlling. (Ez. 34)
I sat down on the Pastor’s pew, I heard, “Get the shepherd’s rod and have the prayer’s grab hold of it.” Pragmatic servant that I am, I sat there for a few minutes checking to see if this was coming from me or if I was being prompted by the Lord. The unction came stronger. So by Faith, I picked up the rod from the platform and asked who would come grab hold of it.
One by one the came forward and the Holy Spirit moved from the rod onto them in a powerful manifestation of His Presence. I believe now this supernatural demonstration was the Good Shepherd, the Lord Himself. For the full two hours, we laid out on the floor as the Holy Spirit moved upon and in us. From this unction came the prophetic word of protecting the children of the world from evil and wicked men who have plotted to harm the children. Then the power of the Lord moved on us through prayer to break this evil power and principality over the U.S.A. and the U.N.
‘THY ROD AND THY STAFF THEY COMFORT ME”
Psalm 23 is the Shepherd’s Psalm and David’s heavenly pastoral recognition of Jesus Christ as the good shepherd: “the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.” (John 10:10).
Jesus is the Great Shepherd in Hebrews 13:20: “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant.”
Jesus is the Chief Shepherd of 1 Pet. 5:4: “And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, you shall receive a crown of glory that fades not away.”
In this Messianic Psalm, it properly follows that to those who have received Jesus as Savior, He becomes to them a Shepherd. This is an unruffled song of rest and Sabbath. All the circumstances of the pilgrimage, want, weariness, journeyings, wanderings, death, perplexities, the shadowed mysteries of the valleys, the thronging enemies, and the infinite beyond, are present and the singer knows them. Finally, the path runs on, not into a tangled wilderness, but into the King’s own palace.
Many types of loss and fear of loss can bring people into the wilderness of grief: death of a spouse, family member, or friend; loss of health, terminal illness; birth of a child with a mental or physical challenge; divorce, job loss, geographic move; child with a severe or terminal illness; end of a love relationship and many more. The Lord reveals Himself to us in this Psalm as our Shepherd, provider, guide, salvation, Faith, comforter, security, rest, peace, hope and future.
Henry Ward Beecher: “This Psalm has flown like a bird up and down the earth, singing the sweetest song ever heard. It has charmed more grief to rest than all the philosophies of the world. It will go on singing to your children, and to my children, and to their children, till the end of time. And when its work is done, it will fly back to the bosom of God, fold its wings, and sing on forever in the happy chorus of those it had helped to bring there.”
It is believed that David may have composed this Psalm when he was yet a shepherd boy, watching his father’s flocks, on the very same Shepherd’s field where 1000 years later, the heavenly host announced the birth of the Good Shepherd.
I had a wonderful fourth grade teacher who required that we memorize this Psalm. May the Lord again rise up powerful fourth grade teachers who will have the strength of character to require children to put scripture to memory?
23:1: “The Lord is my Shepherd”: (“feed, guide, and shield”) “I shall not want.” The Lord takes care of me as his sheep; I will not be without any good thing.” (“Want” = “diminish, cut short; suffer need or want, poverty.”)
(Tender grass, choice; “dwellings, habitations” green = life). “He leads me beside the still waters” (waters of rest – Jehovah-Shalom) John 10:9: “I am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and go in and out, and find pasture.” Numbers 10:33: “And they departed from the mount of the Lord three days’ journey; and the ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them in the three days’ journey, to search out a resting place for them.” (Spurrel) “He makes me to repose in verdant pastures; beside the tranquil waters He will gently lead me.” (“Waters” – the Life of the Spirit, (“of quietness”); fully fed and satisfied.)
23:3: “He restores my soul” (“nepesh” = mind, emotions, and will). “He leads me in the paths of righteousness” (John 14:6): “Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man comes unto the Father, but by me.” “For HIS NAME’S sake.” (Rev. 14: 1-5): “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the
23:4: “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. (Not into, but through – in and out of it into resurrection life!). (Psalm 44:19): “Though you have broken us in the place of dragons, and covered us with the shadow of death.” “I will fear no evil” (wicked, injurious – This is the authority over the wicked and evil plots against the children.) “For you are with me” (Matthew 28:20b) “lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:8) “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.” YOU’RE ROD AND YOUR STAFF THEY COMFORT ME.” The rod is to protect and the staff is to guide. The rod counts the sheep one by one, used to quicken their pace so that they can move on (chastening) used to fetch back one who wanders.
Part of the commission of the church is to “comfort you, comfort my people”. We are to “comfort those who mourn and heal the broken-hearted.” (Psa. 10:14) “You have seen it; for you behold mischief and spite, to requite it with your hand; the poor commits himself unto you are the helper of the fatherless. Break the arm of the wicked and the evil man; seek out his wickedness until you find none.”
The Holy Spirit is the comforter. (Isa. 61: 1-3): “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord has anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, an the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called the trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified.”
People search for eternal and human comfort from the storms, droughts, hungers, earthquakes, illnesses, loss of love through death or divorce, financial losses, trauma, loss of dreams, etc. The soul often searches wandering and wondering around for new direction, hope and happiness. After such loss we must slowly renegotiate our roles, goals, love, finances, family, future, etc. The Chief Shepherd has left us a comforter, the Holy Spirit, who will guide us into all truth and help us enter the mystery of the unknown. Throughout the life cycle we had to die in order to live. Paul says, “I die daily”. Faith is the fuel that feeds our spirit and courage as we make the journey.
The Holy Spirit then would be the anointing and visitation of His Supernatural Presence as the Chief Shepherd that was so gloriously demonstrated to us this past Wednesday evening. The rod and the staff was a prophetic action of the demonstration of His Presence, Provision, Power and ability not only for those present, but for all the children of the world and His great power to comfort all who mourn.
23:5: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” Those who are jealous of us and wish us harm are our enemies. I didn’t know I had an enemy in the world until I answered the call to full time ministry. The list of adversaries grew quickly. ‘YOU ANNOINT MY HEAD WITH OIL ( Holy Spirit); MY CUP RUNS OVER.” (Psa. 73:10) “Therefore his people return here; and waters of a full cup are poured out to them.” (Knox) Envious my foes watch, while you spread a banquet for me.” The Lord is the host of his table.
23:6: “Surely goodness and mercy” (These are two angels) shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
We are experiencing the power and presence of the firstfruits of the Harvest. We will be held accountable for this awesome Presence of the Lord of which we are blessed. I have always walked in prayer and circumspect before the Lord. We must never take these visitations for granted, but seek the Lord that we may co-operate with Him as we are coming into the Harvest.
Psalm 22: 27-31 describes worldwide harvest that comes from the seed that was planted in death on
This will be the Harvest of the nations following the firstfruits company. We have a firstfruits company of young adults in this assembly. You are being prepared to help bring in the Harvest. The Chief Shepherd is your Lord and you will know Him as your provider, rest, guide, savior, righteousness, healer, deliverer, protector, and comforter.
Preached by: Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.