“I Will Fear No Evil”
July 12, 2020
Psalm 23:4 (NIV) Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Main idea: “I need fear no evil because He is with me.”
1. There are scary things in the Valley of the Shadow of Death.
- Valley of the Shadow of Death as a metaphor for overwhelming trials and adversity. Life at its scariest and most difficult.
- Faith never requires us to deny reality or our humanness, but to properly frame them with God’s truth.
- Jesus wasn’t kidding when He said in this world you will have tribulation. It is not abnormal. It’s par for the course of our lives down here.
- It is not only possible, but normal to be in the very center of God’s will for us and still feel threats from all sides.
2. The Most Dangerous Evil Assaults Take Place Within Us
- The evil that threatens us most does not come from the evil one’s assaults on our lives but from his assaults on our identity. Our status and standing with God.
- God is a defender of our thoughts as well as our lives, our circumstances.
- To fear no evil, I need but remember He is with me. He is with me to bear my burdens (Psalm 68:19), not judge them.
- The warmest love on earth always comes from Him.
- The directive is given to us to guard our thoughts. But we are invited to turn to the Lord for help with our thoughts. Psalm 55:22. 1 Peter 5:7. Psalm 94:19
- The evil one will always try to get you to focus on what you have done but never on who you are. You are not defined by your sinfulness. “May I never boast except in the cross of Christ” (Galatians 6:14).
- When we dare to share our secrets with the Lord the devil is the one who is shamed, for then the Lord embraces us and his lies about God are exposed.
3. If the Lord is with me – Why do I sometimes feel so disconnected?
- Don’t fret and definitely do not panic when your connection with the Lord seems to go from 4 “bars” to 1, or even none. As we move about and through this life that is normal.
- What is important to keep in mind is our “signal” is not the same as God’s. Our receptivity to the Lord from day to day and moment to moment is influenced by factors that can never affect Him.
- Regardless of our signal, we have God’s assurance that He is always with us, will never leave us and none of our calls to Him are ever “dropped.”
- We need fear no evil, whether it is done to us or said about us. Because He is with us and for us!
I had a conversation with God yesterday on the difference between saying the words..” Yea though I walk through the valley….” and actually doing it. Today you teach us on how to do it.
To top it off, our scriptural reference is Psalms 91, my favorite faith building passage.
Great message pastor. Thank you.
Very timely message. Christians do not get a free pass from the evils in this world. And our present-day reality is very scary indeed but we have the comfort of knowing the Holy Spirit is helping us bear up under our difficulties. Honestly, I do not know how I could endure this constant barrage of assaults, health challenges, tribulations, and fiery trials without His constant and persistent interventions. The attacks are coming from all sides and our meager resources (mental, physical, emotional, financial, et cetera) are stretched to the limit. Yet, through it all, I have this utterly ridiculous sense of peace, joy, and contentment. In every way that defies human description, our Lord and Savior manifests His presence to me on a daily basis, especially when I am focused on praying for the needs of my Church family and others. I know it does not make *sense* but His truth never does.