PSALM 13

PSALM CHAPTER 13

MAINTAINING HAPPINESS:
GROWING THROUGH FAITH

Turning Pity-Parties Into Victory Celebrations !

1. THE HUMAN CRY OF WOE. 13:1
*WOES MAY BE TRUE OR IMAGINED, DEPENDING ON YOUR
RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
A. GOD FORGOT ABOUT ME, AND THE DEVIL ATTACKED ME.
IS. 49:15, OR, THE JONAH EXPERIENCE, JONAH 2:4.
B. AM I EVEN SAVED YET ? FORGOTTEN FOREVER ?
AMOS 8:7, IS. 51:13,
C. HOW LONG WILL YOU HIDE FROM ME ? PAIN, PHYSICAL
CONDITIONS SOMETIMES DISTRACT US FROM RECOGNIZING HIS
PRESENCE. JOB 23:8-9, PS. 46:1. **HEB. 4:16.
D. HOW LONG WILL I HAVE TO DEPEND ON MY OWN SOUL ?
PS. 84:2, PS. 119:81—OUR SOUL WILL SURELY FAINT. WHY WE DO
NOT FAINT AS BELIEVERS—2 COR. 4:1, 16.
E. HOW LONG WILL I HAVE TO DEAL WITH SORROW ?  SOMETIMES
THINK IT IS DIRECTED AT US. *HOSPITALS PACKED, NOT JUST
FROM US !   HAB. 1:2, REV. 6:10.
F. HOW LONG WILL THE DEVIL KEEP ON WINNING ?
—REPRIEVE FROM TEMPTATIONS IS ONLY FOR A SEASON.
THE DEVIL DOES NOT TEMPT JUST FOR A SEASON. LUKE 4:13
—THOUGH TEMPTATIONS ARE MORE FREQUENT THAN REPRIEVE,
WE DO NOT HAVE TO BE WEIGHTED BY HEAVINESS. I PET. 1:6

2. THE ALTERNATIVES TO GOD’S HELP ARE ALWAYS BAD.
A. TAKING COUNSEL OF YOUR OWN SOUL. 13:2
B. ALLOWING THE ENEMY TO WIN. 13:2,4. *(TIRED OF FIGHTING
SPIRITUAL BATTLES ? THEN, THE ENEMY WILL WIN !)
—WHO IS THE ENEMY ? OUR OLD NATURE. ROM 8:12,13, GAL. 6:8
—WHO IS THE ENEMY ? THE DEVIL. EPH. 4:27, 6:11, JAMES 4:7.
C. SLEEPING THE SLEEP OF DEATH.
D. BEING MOVED AWAY FROM TRUTH. SATAN LIES, AND SAYS THAT
PRESSURES WILL BE GONE IF WE JUST GIVE IN. MATT. 4:1-4
—CONTRA. PS. 62:6.
—DEPENDS ON OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. PS. 16:8

3. THE TURN-AROUND TO JOY.
*ALL DEPENDS UPON BEING ABLE TO SEE CLEARLY. SO, DAVID ASKS
FOR BETTER SIGHT—13:3—LIGHTEN MINE EYES.
A. REQUIRES RENEWAL WITH GOD. PS. 51:10, IS. 40:31.
—TURNING TO HIM INSTEAD OF SELF FOR HELP. GAL. 2:20.
*OUR ‘OLD MAN’ IS SUPPOSED TO BE CRUCIFIED.
B. REQUIRES A RENEWAL OF COMMITMENT. PROV. 16:3
C. REQUIRES ABSOLUTE TRUST IN GOD. TRUSTING IN HIS MERCY—
OR GRACE—ACCORDING TO THE SITUATION. 13:5.
D. RESULTS IN GOD BEING GLORIFIED AND PRAISED. 13:5,6,
JAMES 1:2-4