"THE PSALM OF VICTORY"
“THE PSALM OF VICTORY”
Sunday, February 15, 2014, the Year of Our Lord
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
As a preface to today’s message, I want to honor Prophet Bob Jones, who passed into glory, Friday, February 14, 2014, the Year of Our Lord. I can’t claim to have been in relationship with Brother Jones, but I was blessed to have him speak into my life on more than one occasion in Birmingham, Alabama and Atlanta Georgia at conferences hosted by Kathie Walters.
Psalm 71: 17-19: “O God, You have taught me from my youth; and presently have I declared Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray headed, O God, forsake me not; until I have shown Your strength to this generation, and Your power to every one that is to come. Your righteousness also, O God, is very high, who have done great things; O God, who is like to You!
Bob Jones surely walked the journey described in this Psalm. The Psalm is a retrospect of the life of trust of an aged believer, beset by troubles and enemies all the way, but his joy in God undimmed. The singer in the Psalm passes from memory to hope, and from experience to praise.
We have this assurance that Brother Bob Jones is soaring in magnificent flight, amid angels and kindred spirits in the upper sanctuary, with the ministers of flaming fire; ---communing with the sainted fathers and patriarchs;---gazing on the ineffable glories of God.
PSALM 71 -THE VICTORY PSALM
It appears that all around us we continue to see attacks of the enemy and tribulation. Psalm 71 gives us one of the keys of faith of how we handle trouble and the ultimate victory of the faithful.
71: 1-3: “In you, O Lord, do I put my trust; let me never be put to confusion. Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong habitation, whereto I may continually resort; You have given commandment to save me; for You are my rock and my fortress.”
The front line warriors are being realigned and re-commissioned. Since the first of the year, we have been in direct battle with:
- The spirit of anti-christ over the land (separation of church and state).
- The religious spirits of Ahab and Jezebel coveting the vineyard (garden of cucumbers – Isa. 1:8-9) “The daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Except the Lord of hosts had left to us a very small remnant, we should have been as Sodom and we should have been like to Gomorrah”
- The spirit of death which is driving Obama-Care.
All of the above attacks came simultaneously. However, in the midst of the battle, the Lord spoke clearly to “cast all of our care upon Him, for he cares for us.” In these three verses we are given eight promises:
- In you, O Lord, do I put my trust.
- Let me never be put to confusion.
- Deliver me in Your righteousness.
- Cause me to escape.
- Incline Your ear to me and save me.
- Be my strong habitation, whereto I may continually rest.
- You have given commandment to save me.
- You are my rock and my fortress.
On my return from Missouri and the care of my Mother, where I had my confrontation with the spirit of deathL driving Obama-care, Henry Johnson sent me this word:
“As you approach your trip to Israel, there are still a few battles to be fought, however the victory is near. Some battles will intensify while others will subside. Be strong and of good courage for your deliverance from these light afflictions will be over.
Just remember the battle is not yours but The Lord's. Some of the wolves will continue their hunt for us. Just as Jesus had to flee to Egypt to escape Herod, so shall you escape that same spirit that's seeking to destroy "the anointing" that you carry” (Henry Johnson).
Ps. 71: 4-6: “Deliver, O my God out of the hand of the wicked, out of the hand of the unrighteous and cruel man. For You are my hope, O Lord God: You are my trust from my youth. You have I been holden up from the womb; You are He that took me out of my mother’s bowels; my praise shall be continually of You.”
God is not only doing something for us as He brings us through tribulation, He also destroys our persecutors and pursuers. Our enemies are His enemies. God is very efficient. He develops us for the next Kingdom invasion and destroys His enemies at the same time.
Psa. 18: 28-29: “For you will light my candle; the Lord my God will enlighten my darkness. For by you I have run through a troop; and by my God have I leaped over a wall.”
The church is called to be an overcomer. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we are the only force on earth with the power over the spirit of death; hell and the grave. We have to apprehend our authority to be an overcomer. Leap over that wall. Mount that obstacle. You are the light of the world. We can run or break through every problem because of the strength and joy of the Lord.
Isa. 48:10: “Behold, I have refined you, but not with silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction.”
Matt. 10:1 6: “So the last shall be first, and the first last; for many are called, but few are chosen…”
The Kingdom of God is not some dry old doctrine. The Kingdom of God is a present reality. It is a lifestyle filled with righteousness, peace and joy. It is a walk in the Holy Ghost. Get filled with the King. Get enough of Him so that your family and your neighbors can see Him! We will pay a price for a walk like this. The prophet Daniel said there will be two kinds of Christians in the end of this age:
1. Those who would be worn out by the beast systems (Daniel 7:25).
2. Those who would be strong and do great exploits because they know their God (Daniel 7:25).
The word for ‘wear out” in Daniel 7:25 is #1080 and means “to afflict or wear out (in a mental sense);”. Wilson adds, “ to afflict to vex; to wear out, to persecute with the purpose of entire annihilation.”
In Acts 14:19, we can see that this is what the Jews tried to do with Paul when they stoned him and dragged him out of the city. He later went back to Lystra, bearing in his body the marks of the Lord. He preached, and demonstrated that we must pass through tribulation. Paul was an overcomer, He was not worn out because he knew his God!
Where do you get to know God and His strength? In the valley of humiliation and degradation and heartache and pain; In the wilderness; the place of humiliation and brokenness; In some of those dark, lonely hours when the evil one shoots his fiery darts. It’s not easy. David gives us some good advice:
2 Sam 24:24: “…but I will surely buy it of thee at a price; neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which does cost me nothing.”
Psalm 71: 7-11: “I am as a wonder to many; but You are my strong refuge. Let my mouth be filled with Your praise and with Your honor all the day. Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength fails. For my enemies speak against me; and they that lay wait for my soul take counsel together, Saying, God has forsaken him; persecute and take him; for there are none to deliver him”
This is the litmus test of friend versus enemy. It is the litmus test of love. There may be some who will flatter us when we are in the winner’s circle, yet judge us when we are down. Not only will they judge us, but will use that as their opportunity to take advantage. Your enemy will not come at you when you are strong. They will wait and watch for your moment of weakness or vulnerability to take advantage.
Psalm 71: 12-16: “O God, be not far from me; O my God, make haste for my help. Let them be confounded and consumed that are adversaries to my soul; let them be covered with reproach and dishonor that seek my hurt. But I will hope continually, and will yet praise You more and more. My mouth shall show forth Your righteousness and Your salvation all the day; for I know not the numbers thereof. I will go in the strength of the Lord God; I will make mention of Your righteousness, even of You only.”
It is time to possess the land. Be strong and of a good courage. The king of Jericho shudders at the thought of the Overcomer who is within the Daughter of Zion.:
“It is time to take the Kingdom.
Rise up, ye strong, ‘tis Christ’s command.
For every power and dominion is given now into your hand!
You that have ears to hear the trumpet,
You that have hearts to understand, it is time to take the Kingdom.
Rise up, you strong, possess the land!” (Kelly Varner)
Psalm 71: 17-21: “O God, You have taught me from my youth; and presently have I declared Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old and gray headed, O God forsake me not; until I have shown Your strength to this generation, and Your power to every one that is to come. Your righteousness also, O God, is very high, who have done great things; O God, who is like to You! You, which have shown me great and sore troubles, shall quicken me again, and shall bring me up again from the depths of the earth. You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.”
It is not a time for the defenders of the faith to be slack or worn out in the midst of this time of warfare. The soul of our nation has become woefully demoralized. Lawlessness abounds in the highest level of government. The eyes and ears of a nation have lapsed into abominable idolatries and only a remnant protests. Yet this word declares the promise of the strength of God to the overcomer who will not faint in the midst of the battle.
71: 22-24: “I will also praise You with the psaltery; even Your truth, O my God: to You will sing with the harp, O You Holy One of Israel. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You; and my soul, which You have redeemed. My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long; for they are confounded, for they are brought to shame that seek my hurt.”
We must through much tribulation enter into the Kingdom of God. the word for “must" is “dei” (#1163) and means, “it is necessary.” We must continue in the faith. We must not be weary in well doing. We must be strong and of a good courage that we may continue to show the strength of our God to this generation and His great power to every one that is to come.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries, Inc.
Scripture from K.J.V. Prophecy given by Henry Johnson; Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those whom I entered into their labors.