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Encouraging Words in Discouraging Times, Part 4

Leading the Way / Michael Youssef
The Truth Network Radio
October 10, 2024 12:00 am

Encouraging Words in Discouraging Times, Part 4

Leading the Way / Michael Youssef

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October 10, 2024 12:00 am

In this 4-part series from Dr. Michael Youssef, get Biblical encouragement that’s God justice is real—and reminders from Kind David about the benefits of trusting God completely with your life.

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Guiding you to words found in Psalm 119, Dr. Michael Yousaf. Psalm 119, 9 to 16 is telling us two very important powers for living. First, the Word of God has an indescribable power to overcome discouragement, verses 9 to 12.

And the second, what the Word of God does and the power of the Word of God does, it gives us an incalculable preeminence in overcoming all of discouragements and temptations of life, verses 13 to 16. You've joined listeners worldwide for Leading the Way with pastor, author, and international evangelist, Dr. Michael Yousaf. Next on Leading the Way, Dr. Yousaf wraps up his series from the pages of the Psalms, encouraging words in discouraging times. Listen with me as Dr. Yousaf begins. Turn with me please to Psalm 119.

Yeah, you heard me right. Psalm 119. I can see gasps and nervous laughter for those of you who know that Psalm 119 is 176 verses. And it's divided into 22 different sections. Each section is numbered not by numbers 1, 2, 3, but the Hebrew alphabet.

For example, the letter A in Hebrew is Aleph, and the B is Bath, and so on. Each of these 22 sections, they have different emphasis, but all of them have to do with the importance of the Word of God. The importance of the Word of God in giving us comfort in the times of need, in keeping us from sin, the importance of being thankful for the Word of God. How important is the Word of God to us to understand it and to value it and to cherish it and to live by it. Now that I've got some of you panicking and thinking I'm covering the whole Psalm, I want you to look at verse 9 to 16.

That is the second section, Bath or B. In this section, Psalm 119, it places the emphasis on the protection of the Word of God. The protection of the Word of God. When the Word of God finds or places deep roots inside of us, when the Word of God finds a home inside of us, when the Word of God is constantly dwelling on the inside of us, we will be constantly encouraged. Especially when we are surrounded by discouraging news.

Especially when we are constantly hearing discouraging news. Beloved, it is not by accident that this second section about the protection of the Word of God and the importance of the Word of God dwelling on us is section Bath or B. Bath in Hebrew is the word house from which we get Bethlehem, the house of bread, or Beth-el, the house of God and so on. The psalmist wanted us to know that whenever we are frazzled, whenever we are frustrated, whenever we are flustered, whenever we get the bubbles in this life, the only safe place to return to is where we have housed the Word of God. The only true peace that you can experience and I can experience is when God's Word finds a home, a bath in our hearts.

Why? Because only the Word of God can protect us from the enemy of our soul. Only the Word of God will strengthen us in times of temptations. Only the Word of God will sustain us when we are under pressure. Only the Word of God will heal our wounded spirit and bind our broken hearts. Only the Word of God can do all of that. And that is why the Apostle Paul could say, let the Word of God dwell richly where? In your hearts.

Hear me right please. There is a world of difference between fighting the enemy on your own strength and fighting the enemy with God's strength and the Word of God. There is a world of difference. That's why Psalm 119, 9 to 16 is telling us two very important powers for living. Two very important powers that God gives us, that the Word of God gives us.

And here they are. First, the Word of God has an indescribable power to overcome discouragement. Verses 9 to 12. And the second, what the Word of God does and the power of the Word of God does, it gives us an incalculable. Why is it incalculable?

Because your computer cannot compute that. Incalculable. Preeminence in overcoming all of discouragement and temptations of life.

Verses 13 to 16. First, the indescribable power to overcome discouragement. Why am I calling it indescribable? Because I can tell you this and all of you would testify to that. You cannot describe it to somebody else. You cannot say, here it is. Yeah, I got it.

Great. No, you have to experience it personally. What would that power do? Verse 9, it tells you. In verse 9, it tells you that this power cleanses us. In verse 10, it tells us that this power controls us. In verse 11, it tells us that this power corrects us. It cleanses. It controls us.

And it corrects us. How can a young person or old person for that matter keep his or her way pure? By the ability to use the power of the Word of God.

How can you use it? By commitment to obeying it. And not by your own grit.

No. There are many times I said, God I love you and I want to obey you with all my heart but I can't do it. You have to empower me to do it. And God will. That's one prayer he will answer. Now beloved, when it comes to our character, to our conduct, and to our visceral response to our circumstances, no amount of goodwill, no amount of good intentions, no amount of good efforts will help us to stay pure. But the best borax that cleanses, the best ammonia that purifies, the best detergent that keeps us from all sorts of disappointments and temptations and discouragement is found where? What the Word of God does, it helps us put up a guard rail around our thoughts. Around our thoughts. Because that's where it starts. That's where everything begins, in the thoughts.

That's where the problems start. Everything begins in the thought. And that's where the attack begins whether it's from the flesh or it's from the enemy of our soul.

Or both. So that's when the armor of God comes in and begins to put a guard around us. The Word of God then reminds us that God is sovereign. That God is in control. That God and God alone will have the last words. And that you and I are redeemed, blood-bought children of the living God. That we have a special place in the heart of God. The Word of God reminds us that we're not a feather in the wind. We're not a feather in the wind. No, no. We're not just nameless and faceless people, aimless people. No. But we are ambassadors of the King of Kings.

We have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us and His Word, take His Word that He authored and He imprints it on our hearts and in our minds. And that's why we need to do this. Listen to me. We need to turn the television news off.

I tell you, I mean it's so depressing. Unplug the internet if you have to. Stop listening to the doomsayers. And remember that we are destined to glory. The indescribable power of the Word of God does not only cleanse us, but it controls us. Look at verse 10. With my whole heart I sought you. Do not let me wander from your word.

And he's praying that God would keep him under the control of the Word of God. You know when Daniel and his friend were taking captives in Babylon, it was a short distance, but they were a million miles away culturally. A million miles away spiritually.

A million miles away in every sense of the word. But because the seeds of the Word of God, the good seed was planted in them, they were able to withstand the godless pressure of the King's College in Babylon. Why? Because they sought to treasure the Word of God in their hearts. And when our children see us placing guards in our thoughts and our actions, they will do the same. Cannot help but do the same. The indescribable power of the Word of God not only cleanses, not only controls, but thirdly, it corrects.

That's one thing we really, really don't like. I know. Listen. I'm still made of flesh and blood.

Correction or discipline. Not very popular. Oh, they're not welcome.

They're not very popular. Not in our culture. That's not part of the Word of God that we like.

That's why some preachers are saying, let's get unhitched from that part that you don't like. We don't want to be corrected. We don't want to be rebuked. We don't want to be instructed. We don't want to be disciplined. But I can tell you, and God is my witness, the moments and the times when the Word of God rebuked me, when the Word of God corrected me, when the Word of God challenged me, these are the greatest part of my Christian walk. Oh, not at the time.

I was level with you. Even the Bible said, the Scripture said, no discipline appears to be pleasant at the time. But when I look back, I say, oh, thank you, Lord.

The fruit and the result is indescribable. So the indescribable power of the Word of God cleanses us. It controls us. It corrects us. Secondly, the Word of God has incalculable preeminence in its power. That preeminent power of the Word of God lifts us up in the times of discouragement, in the times of depression, in the time of when we feel everything is just going wrong. Look at verses 13 to 16. Listen to me, please. Our generation, I know the price of everything, but they seem to be unable to understand the value of anything. But the value of the Word of God is incalculable.

You cannot compute it on your best computer. Now I want to give you three exercises. Hymirat, please. To treasure the Word of God is great. It's wonderful. But you can't stop there. You can't stop there. For the Word of God to have preeminence in our lives, we have to apply it into our lives.

Sometimes, not daily, but several times a day. Let me simplify it even further. I want to make it so simple. Everybody at the sign of my voice will understand it. To have a headache medicine in the medicine cabinet is great, but it's not good enough if you don't use it when you have a headache. Having money in the bank, wonderful. God bless you.

But it's not enough if you don't know how to make withdrawals to get it out and use it when you need it. Lots of Bible-believing Christians in America would agree about the importance of the Word of God, but only 18% of them read it and apply it. Would that make you weep? That's me. Years ago, I knew a man who diligently memorized the Scripture, but his life was in shambles.

What's wrong with that picture? And the answer to that question brings me to those three exercises. I pray God will apply them to our lives and use them. The first exercise is in verse 13. Speak the Word of God. Second exercise, verses 14 and 15, savor the Word of God. Third exercise, verse 16, substantiate the Word of God in your life. The psalmist said, with my lips. With my what? I have told of all your ordinance that came out of your mouth.

I love it. Reading the Word of God rightly, meditating on the Word of God rightly, saturating your mind on the Word of God rightly, all these are absolutely wonderful. But if you do not speak it, if you do not verbalize it aloud, it cannot have the same impact.

Now, I think I am safe in saying this. Most of the wonderful Bible teachers that we have, and there were the home group leaders, and all the Bible teachers in this place, and I thank God for all of you. I think they would testify. They will testify to you that they get more out of their teaching when they speak it than their hearers. I know that experientially, because I am absolutely sure that you're not getting as much benefit from my preaching as I'm getting it from my preaching. Sometimes I wonder how blessed you are by hearing, not speaking. I'm sure some of you are saying, Michael, wait a minute, wait a minute. Are we all going to be teachers now? Yes!

Yes! How? By sharing what you learned from the Word of God with your family, with your friends, with anyone who would listen. By speaking and verbalizing what you have learned from the Word of God will make it sink deeper into your heart, into your life. By sharing how the Word of God guided you out of dark pits, the dark times. By verbalizing the Word of God, speaking the Word of God, how it lifted you out of discouragements in life.

I do this all the time with my family. By speaking the Word of God, you are strengthening and it's strengthening your inner person far more than just reading it. The second exercise, savoring, treasuring.

The word savoring, look at verse 14. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. Okay, I'm going to give you permission to go into fantasy land, okay?

Just please, humor me. And imagine that this afternoon you're going to get a phone call and somebody says to you, your great uncle that you did not know existed had just left you ten million dollars. He died and left you an inheritance, ten million dollars.

What do you do? You call your pastor. There's no such luck, alright? I understand.

But look, let's be realistic. You're excited, you're elated, you're thrilled, you tell your family, you tell your best friends, you're celebrating and rightly so. Psalmist is saying, that's how I feel about the Word of God. I treasure it. When you discover strength and power in the Word of God, it's like you've inherited a fortune and be just as excited about the Word of God.

You're so overwhelmed and you can't wait to tell everybody. So, speak it. What's the first one?

Second? Thirdly, substantiate it in your life. How? Well, verse 16 gives us the answer.

Thank God I don't have to come up with answers. By letting it be demonstrated in my life. By proving it in my life. Look, we don't operate or believe on the personal experience. Our authority is the Word of God, not the experience.

But, if the Word of God is real, it's going to be validated in your experience. Can I get an amen? Let me give you a simple illustration from the psalmist. You know how David was on the run for years and Saul king, the king and his mighty army, running after this one Saul with a motley crew and he's running and he's tired. He wants freedom and longing for freedom just to get a break from this kind of chasing all the time and chasing all the time.

They're looking for an opportunity to be free. Free from all of his troubles. Free from all his pain and suffering.

I think all of us would want that, right? So, the opportunity came where David can be free. The opportunity came when David finally fulfills the Word of God in his life. They come into the cave and they see Saul and his military geniuses. They're all in deep sleep. I mean, I'm not over just sleeping. They were dead to the world.

A bomb wouldn't have woken them up. This is his chance. This is his opportunity, right? Now he can get victory. Now he can have freedom from all the stuff that's going on. Now this is his chance to kill King Saul and he become king, fulfilling the very anointing that the prophet Samuel spoke over his life and anoint him with oil many years earlier. Ah, I can help God fulfill his will.

Hello. God give an opportunity, right? Wrong.

Wrong. David did not only treasure the Word of God in his heart, but he demonstrated it in his life. He demonstrated it in his life. David not only knew the Word of God, loved it and treasured it, but he had an opportunity to apply the Word of God in his life, to demonstrate the Word of God in his life, even at a humongous cost for him. Because he knew that the Word of God also said, harm not, God's anointed.

Touch not, God's anointed. Knowing what the Word of God said is good, but not good enough. Substantiating the Word of God honors God and blesses God and it blesses you.

Beloved, listen to me, I'm about to finish. Sometimes shortcuts and short-term gain can deprive us of a long-term blessing. Applying or substantiating the Word of God may delay your happiness, but it will bring you eternal joy. A powerful message from Dr. Michael Youssef to not only treasure the Word of God in your heart, but also apply its truth in your daily life. We thank you for making time for Leading the Way. And if you have any questions about God's Word and how God's Word applies to your life right now in 2024, I hope you'll consider having a conversation with one of our Leading the Way pastors or counselors. These are passionate people, standing by, ready to spend time talking or chatting with you.

And you can start that conversation just by filling out a short contact form. Go to ltw.org slash jesus. In times of trouble, where do you run? When bad things happen, where do you find comfort and assurance?

In times of national uncertainty, personal crisis, or devastating news, how can we manage our fears for the future? Whenever we're frazzled, whenever we're frustrated, whenever we're flustered, the only safe place to return to is where we have housed the Word of God. In his newest book, My Refuge, My Strength, Dr. Michael Youssef takes you on a 60-day journey towards a deeper understanding of the peace God offers us through Christ. 192 pages full of encouraging devotions that explore powerful biblical examples and life-changing truths about our faithful God. For a limited time, for your gift of any amount, Leading the Way will send you your very own hardcover copy of My Refuge, My Strength. Get your very own copy of My Refuge, My Strength when you give a gift of any amount to the growing international ministry of Leading the Way. Here's the number to call to speak with a representative at the call center.

866-626-4356. And online, we're at ltw.org. That's ltw.org. You can also write to us at Leading the Way, Post Office, Box 20100, Atlanta, Georgia, 30325. This program is brought to you by Leading the Way with Dr. Michael Youssef. Connect further with audio and video content at ltw.org.
Whisper: medium.en / 2024-10-10 10:18:30 / 2024-10-10 10:26:46 / 8

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