Calvary Assembly of God
Every year, Jews from around the world made four pilgrimages to Jerusalem for various feasts and sacrifices. These journeys reminded them of God’s goodness as they went to the Temple to worship, and they helped refocus on God’s ways as they returned to their regular routines. These Psalms of Ascent are still instructive for Christians today.
There are 500+ phobias listed on one particular phobia list, which means a lot of people are attacked by a lot of fears. The song of ascent we are going to look at today instructs us how to escape from the fears that have been dogging us on our journey!
Psalms 124:1-8 NIV
phobialist.com list 543 different phobias! Psychologists tell us that usually accompanying phobias are depression and substance abuse, as the person suffering from this fear feels helpless or is just trying to escape the fear.
Notice the “if” statements (in verses 1-2), and the “would have” statements (in verses 3-5). David is saying, “IF there wasn't a God, then here's what WOULD HAVE happened to us.” But David doesn't stop there ... verse 6 says “Praise God that He is alive and well!”
“A man assured of the call of God is invincible.” —Alan Redpath
“If God has work for me to do, I cannot die.” —Henry Martyn
Revelation 2:11 AMPC
Romans 8:31-39 NIV
Romans 8:1 NIV
2 Corinthians 5:7-8 AMPC
We seem to think that satan and Jesus are still duking it out, that the outcome of the struggle is still up for grabs. I’ve got fantastic news: Jesus already won! He is already the Champion!!
Psalms 124:7 MSG
“Do you find yourself asking, ‘But am I to step out onto nothing?’ That is exactly what the bird is seemingly asked to do, yet we know that the air is there and that the air is not nearly as insubstantial as it seems. And you know that the promises of God are there, and they certainly are not insubstantial at all.” —J.B. Figgis
Just like we discussed last week from Psalm 123, when fear raises its ugly head, it wants us to focus on the fear. But we must redirect our eyes UP.
Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth (v. 8)!!
No one or no thing can trump that! All fears have been defeated by the Maker of heaven and earth.
What fears plague you? Get God’s Word—God’s promise—in your heart. Then stop looking at your fear, and look UP to the Maker of heaven and earth.