TOPIC: I WILL NOT DIE, BUT LIVE…
What a proclamation of faith by the Psalmist!
He reflected on the distresses he had faced and how God had rescued him in love.
Ps 118:17-24 (NLT)17 I will not die; instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done.18 The Lord has punished me severely, but he did not let me die.19 Open for me the gates where the righteous enter,and I will go in and thank the Lord.20 These gates lead to the presence of the Lord, and the godly enter there.21 I thank you for answering my prayer and giving me victory!
The rejected man has become the corner stone.
V22 The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.23 This is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.24 This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
His conditions might not be the same as ours, but many of us are facing challenges today of varying severity. Some threaten our joy, health, family, ministry and safety. In the same spirit of faith declare that “I shall not die, but live and declare the works of the Lord.”
No matter what is thrown at you, the righteous says “I will not die but live to declare the goodness of God”
Ps 34:17-20(NLT)17 The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. 18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. 19 The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time. 20 For the Lord protects the bones of the righteous; not one of them is broken!
No matter how you distress him, he sees the vision of his Lord’s salvation.
Ps 91:14-16(NIV)14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. 15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation.”
Your living is for a purpose; He will not allow the enemy to destroy you.
Jer 30:16-17(NKJV)6 ‘Therefore all those who devour you shall be devoured; And all your adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; Those who plunder you shall become plunder, And all who prey upon you I will make a prey. 17 For I will restore health to you And heal you of your wounds,’ says the Lord”
Many don’t know how to strengthen their faith in God; your faith must fight.
Jer 33:3(KJV)3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.
When He brings you through that situation, you will live to tell the story.
Ps 41:1-13(TLB)God blesses those who are kind to the poor. He helps them out of their troubles. 2 He protects them and keeps them alive; he publicly honors them and destroys the power of their enemies. 3 He nurses them when they are sick and soothes their pains and worries. 4 “O Lord,” I prayed, “be kind and heal me, for I have confessed my sins.” 5 But my enemies say, “May he soon die and be forgotten!” 6 They act so friendly when they come to visit me while I am sick; but all the time they hate me and are glad that I am lying there upon my bed of pain. And when they leave, they laugh and mock. 7 They whisper together about what they will do when I am dead. 8 “It’s fatal, whatever it is,” they say. “He’ll never get out of that bed!” 9 Even my best friend has turned against me-a man I completely trusted; how often we ate together. 10 Lord, don’t you desert me! Be gracious, Lord, and make me well again so I can pay them back! 11 I know you are pleased with me because you haven’t let my enemies triumph over me. 12 You have preserved me because I was honest; you have admitted me forever to your presence. 13 Bless the Lord, the God of Israel, who exists from everlasting ages past-and on into everlasting eternity ahead. Amen and amen!
The Lord is a strong tower in fearful and scary times. It is a place of safety that God promises to those who run to Him
Prov 18:10(KJV)The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.
This verse is short and simple, but the promise is profound.
Determination to live in spite of an adverse situation requires a strong heart to survive all you are going through.
Prov 24:10(NKJV)10 If you faint in the day of adversity, Your strength is small.
Every person eventfully faces times of depression and trouble. You must learn to run into the name of the Lord.
2 Cor 1:8-11(NLT)8 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. 11 And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.
I have told you to be strong like iron in your inner mind. If your heart doesn’t collapse and die, your body will not die.
Deut 31:6(MSG)6 “Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.”
Christians that have inner spiritual resolve will not give in to the devil.
Isa 38:1-6(NIV)In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, “This is what the Lord says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.” 2 Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lord, 3 “Remember, O Lord, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4 Then the word of the Lord came to Isaiah: 5 “Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life. 6 And I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria. I will defend this city.
Often, your spirit may tell you that you are going to die. Rebuke that thought and command it to be silent, and then listen to the Word of God.”
Ps 116:3-8(NLT)3 Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. 4 Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Please, Lord, save me!” 5 How kind the Lord is! How good he is! So merciful, this God of ours! 6 The Lord protects those of childlike faith; I was facing death, and he saved me. 7 Let my soul be at rest again, for the Lord has been good to me. 8 He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling.
I got my mind made up! I won’t give up and I won’t give in.
Eph 3:16-17(KJV) That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;17 That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Isa 26:3 (MSG)3 People with their minds set on you, you keep completely whole, Steady on their feet, because they keep at it and don’t quit.
This is the oppression of the strong spirit in a man.
Isa 54:14-17(NKJV)In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; from terror, for it shall not come near you. 15 Indeed they shall surely assemble, but not because of Me. Whoever assembles against you shall fall for your sake. 16 “Behold, I have created the blacksmith Who blows the coals in the fire, Who brings forth an instrument for his work; And I have created the spoiler to destroy. 17 No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment. You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness is from Me, “Says the Lord.
As children of God, we must not be subject to the fear of death but be bold as lions in order to be able to declare, like the above psalmist, I shall not die but live to declare the works of the Lord.”
2 Tim 1:7(KJV) For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.
