November 12, 2006 | Author: Bob Walls  

Cry Out for Deliverance From Evil

“ In the day of my trouble I will call to you, for you will answer me.  Among the gods there is none like you, O Lord; no deeds can compare with yours.” Psalm 86:7-8

Notes in the titles of the psalms are actually a part of the psalter - a part of the testimony preserved by the Holy Spirit - sometimes included when the psalm is quoted in other parts of the Bible.  Psalm 86, therefore, is declared to be a “prayer of David.”

Now, David was ‘a man after his [God’s] own heart’ (1 Sam 13:14) but he lived a life of extremes.  He went from the poorest shepherd boy to being a wealthy king.  He was both the hunted and the hunter, the pursued and the pursuer.  He sometimes feared for his life and sometimes lived in the greatest of security.  His faith in God was unmatched as was his courage before God.  David, above all others, rejoiced and sang about his love of God and his faith in God.   But David also called out with the greatest passion about his sufferings and his persecutions and spent long hours beseeching God for deliverance from evil.

Do we Christians not follow a kindred path?  We begin our new life with Christ with great thanksgivings, enthusiasm and confidence.  Then, just as Jesus came up out of the waters of baptism and was led away into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan, so too are we.  And it is no small threat to our faith!  However we may have fared with the initial temptations, Satan and his powers of darkness always hover close, looking for an opportunity to go for the kill.  Our lives – like David’s – are interspersed by failures, cries for God’s deliverance, forgiveness, blessings, recommitment, rejoicing, carelessness, failure, regret ....  and the cycle goes on.  But, hopefully, we also mature in the Christian graces and in our submission to the Spirit of the Christ who is able to protect us and save us from all evil.

Pre-Class Assignment

Read Psalm 86 at least three times, as follows:

1) as if you were listening to David.

2) while considering which verses might represent the words of Jesus in prayer and

3) while considering which words, thoughts and emotions might apply in your own prayers during times when your faith and your behavior are being tested, if not by real threats of bodily harm, then  by hardship, disease, fleshly temptations, discouragements and other besieging evils.

Supplementary Readings:

Psalms 77, 142 and 143

Suggested Readings in Class

For reading Psalm 86 in class we suggest assigning 7 different readers the following sets of verses (in parentheses).  These selections should be read in succession, without interruption:  verses (1-3}, (4,5), (6,7), (8-10), (11-13), (14-16) and (17).

If there is time, read these verses from Psalm 77: (2), (4-6), (7-9) and (10-14).   From Psalm 142 read verses: (1,2) and (5-7.  Read all of Psalm 143: (1-12).

Questions for Discussion:

You will see that questions 1) and 2) from the November 5 lesson guide have been repeated below.  If you did not discuss these questions during that lesson, you may wish to do so now while drawing material from both.

1) In time of need, to whom or to what do you first turn?

2) Are you as acutely aware of immediate danger as are the psalmists?  Is it only the threats of the physical world that grab your attention?   Are you as alert as you should be to the deadly dangers accompanying the spiritual warfare that swirls about us?  Who or what are our enemies?  CF Eph 6:12

3) Some students of the Psalms have come away with the impression that “these psalmists are a bunch of whiners, doubters and complainers!”  Psalm 77 (by Asaph), of those cited in this lesson, might seem to be the most that way.  However, Psalms 86, 142 and 143 are all attributed to David and therefore, at least suspect of being representative of the prayer habits of Jesus.  Compare the statement about Jesus’ prayer habits in, Heb 5:7.  What then, is your impression from these sources of the “approved by example” limits of ‘wrestling with God’ in prayer?

4)  In these psalms, the authors answer their own questions of doubt and quell their impatience by ‘remembering the mighty works of God’, see Ps 77:10-20, Ps 86:8,10 and Ps 143:5.  How does this speak to the power of the knowledge of God’s word in our struggles with the temptations of evil?

5) In these several psalms, consider the number of ways and the studied intent with which these psalmists pursue God and call upon Him to teach them His ways.  How can we gain inspiration to do likewise?  See especially, Ps 86:11 and Ps 143:10.

6)  In Ps 86:17, David asked for a ‘sign of your goodness’ so that his enemies might be put to shame.  What sort of sign did David expect?  What might Jesus have meant by such an expression?  What sign(s) might you expect from God? Answered prayers? Deliverance from besetting sins/temptations? A ‘changed life?  The indwelling Spirit?  Fruits of the Spirit (Gal 5)?  The Christian Graces(1 Pet 1)?

Blessing:

“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”  Ps 143:10