THE LORD DELIVERED ME FROM ALL OF MY TROUBLES

Proclamation:

“… I will praise Your name, Lord, for it is good.  You have delivered me from all of my troubles, and my eyes have looked in triumph on my foes.”  Psalm 54:6-7 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by King David.  He began this psalm by praying to The Lord God. (Psalm 54:1-2) He wanted God to save him from his enemies. (Psalm 54:3)  He ends this psalm by stating that he will praise and thank The Lord for His goodness and for delivering him.

Application:

As believers we should not only pray and ask The Lord God for the things that we want, we should also anticipate them with confidence and behave as if our requests had already be answered and done.  The Lord knows what we need and what we want, and He has the power and ability to grant our requests. (Matthew 7:7-8)  If what we ask for will glorify Him, then it will be done. (James 4:3)

PRAY THEN HAVE FAITH AND BEHAVE LIKE IT IS ALREADY DONE

Proclamation:

“Praise be The Lord, for He has heard my cry for mercy.  The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him.”  Psalm 28:6-7 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written by King David under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  In the first half of this psalm David prays and petitions The Lord. (Psalm 28:1-5)  In the second half of the psalm he offers thanksgiving to The Lord for hearing him and helping him. (Psalm 28:6-9)  David realized how dependent he was upon God’s help, and he knew what would happen to him if God did not help him so he cried out for mercy. (Psalm 28:1-2)  Then he praised The Lord God for hearing and answering his prayer and for helping him before his situation had changed. (Psalm 28:6-7)  After which he prays and asks for blessings for the people of God, for their safety and provisions.

Application:

In times of crises, as believers we ought to display more confidence in The Lord.  After we pray and ask Him something, we ought to demonstrate our faith in Him by acting as though we know that He heard our prayer and that which we asked for is already done, the blessing is on the way.   As believers we know that our strength and help comes from The Lord, and we ought to be joyful, thankful, and give Him praise.  Only The Lord God can turn the sorrow of His saints into songs of praise, and turn trials into triumph.

REJOICE GOD HEARS AND ANSWERS PRAYERS

Proclamation:

"Praise be to The Lord, for He has heard my cry for mercy.  The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.  The Lord is the strength of His people, a fortress of salvation for His anointed one.  Save Your people and bless Your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever." Psalms 28:6-9 (NIV)

Explanation:

These are the words of King David which were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  After lamenting about his situation, David prayed for deliverance, then offered praise and thanks to God, even though his situation had yet to change.  David knew that God would hear him, strengthen him, protect him, help him, save him, and bless him, so he was joyful and thankful before anything happened.

Application:

After we pray, we should have faith, believe and behave as if our prayers have already been answered.  Our faith in God should allow us to know that He hears our prayers and that He will bless us because He loves us, not because we deserve it.  Let us exercise a little more faith in God with each passing day.  If we pray for rain, then we should go and get our umbrella because we know that the rain is coming.