Psalms 27: 13-14
This is a very interesting song of David. He begins by talking of the goodness of the Lord, calling him his light, strength, and savior. He says that with God on his side, he has no reason to fear anyone or anything. He says when sinful men came up against him, they all tripped and fell. And if an army were to rise up against him, he still wouldn’t be afraid because he was sure of the Lord.
Then he goes on to say that the one thing he desires the most is to be able to dwell in the house of the Lord forever, for there was safety/security in that place. He could worship/give praise freely, because in the house of God he would be kept in the day of trouble.
Then in V.7 he begins to say that God told him to seek his face, and David says he is doing just that. For, he realized that without the strength of God, he would never be able to endure. He pleaded for the Lord not to leave him. He said even though his father and mother had forsaken him, he knew God would not.
He continues to moll over the fact that he has multiple enemies about him, and he was in trouble. But he makes a statement in V.13: “I would have fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living”. In other words, “I wouldn’t have made it, I wouldn’t have survived, I would have lost hope, I would have given up if it had not been for the fact that I believed God was going to show me his goodness and get me out of the mess I was in”.
I’ve told you before, but you must understand this man is speaking from the perspective of someone who literally lived a life of turmoil/travesty. He endured everything from wrestling a bear and a lion, to fighting a gladiator from Gath, to escaping the wrath of a wicked king, to seeing his own son die, to losing the respect of his wife, to having his own children to try and kill him, and more. But somehow he knew that in God’s way/time, victory was going to come and the blessings of the Lord would be poured out.
You need to notice that he doesn’t say he would’ve fainted if it hadn’t been for the Lord giving goodness, but rather if it hadn’t been for the fact he believed he would see the goodness of the Lord. In other words, he wasn’t there now, but in his spirit he could see himself blessed. *What a word for the church: if you are going to get to your blessing, you must, in the midst of your circumstance, see yourself blessed. If you are going to get the victory, you must see beyond your current state and see yourself victorious. If you can’t see it now, you aren’t ever going to get there. That’s why Heb. 11:1 says “Faith is the substance of things HOPED for, the evidence of things NOT SEEN”. You don’t need faith if you already have it. But until you get it, you need to see it in your spirit. *If you’re sick, see yourself healed. If you’re broke, see yourself rich. If you’re lonely, see yourself comforted. If you’re bound, see yourself delivered. Bottom line is: If you don’t see it now, you won’t see it then!
Here’s what happens to so many of us: We pray and pray, weep and cry, but still we have one set back, one disappointment after another. And we begin to wonder why it is that things aren’t changing. Why is it we can’t get a breakthrough? Prov. 13:12 Message “Unrelenting disappointment leaves you heart sick. But a sudden good break can turn life around”. How true this is. David even said in 1 Sam. 27:1 “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul…” I wish I could tell you we can snap our fingers and things will change immediately. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it goes. But David says here in Ps. 27, ‘I don’t have to get a breakthrough right now. Just the sheer knowledge that one is coming is enough for me!’
If some of us could grab a hold of that today, my goodness how life would be different. Suddenly your smile will come back, you’ll start singing a song of praise again, joy will come back to you, and his mercies will become new to you every morning. *I can’t tell you when you’re going to come out, I’m just here to tell you that somehow God is going to do it. But in the mean time, don’t let go of the fact that weeping may endure for a night, but joy truly is coming in the morning! Hallelujah!
Look at some people from the Bible who saw it before they got it, and one day did get it.
(1)Abraham-looked for a city whose builder/maker was God, (2)Job- I know that my redeemer…, (3)Joseph-when he was dieing said he knew his people would return back to their homeland, and said don’t leave my bones in Egypt when you go, (4)Moses-according to Heb. 11:26 was looking forward to his reward, and was therefore able to regard disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, (5)3 Hebrews-our God will deliver us out of this fiery furnace, (6)Centurion/servant-just speak the word and he’ll be healed, (7)Issue of Blood… (8)Jairus…
THESE ALL SAW IT BEFORE THEY GOT IT!
Hebrews 11:13-16 “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance. And they admitted that they were aliens and strangers on earth. People who say such things show that they are looking for a country of their own. If they had been thinking of the country they had left, they would have had opportunity to return. Instead, they were longing for a better country- a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them”.
What I’m telling you is, you can’t wait until victory comes to start believing for it, and seeing it in your heart. A general don’t go into battle thinking he is going to lose, but he is determined to win. You too must see yourself as you are wanting to be, not as you are.
Now, there are many who say that because of their circumstances being as they are, they can’t go on because things are too hard, and it seems like it never ends. Some have even reached a point where they have determined they can’t even/don’t want to continue living for God because things are so bad. But listen to Phil. 4:11-13 “…I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me”.
You can make it if you want to. It may take some grit/determination, and potentially years of praying/weeping/fasting, etc. But you can do it. Thousands of others have, and you can too. But if you are, you have got to see it right now!
