Deliverance From Ourselves

“I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears” Psalm 34:4)

It is a spiritual fact that we storm heaven’s gates with much more passion and desperation in times of trouble.  When life is going smoothly we lift our prayers of thanksgiving to God with an ebb and flow spirit.  But when we discover ourselves in the doctor’s office waiting on our prognosis…when there seems to be little hope for pregnancy…when our boss calls us in to his office with bad news...these are the times that heaven really gets our attention.

I noticed in our verse this morning that David did not write ‘I sought the LORD and he delivered me from my circumstances.’  He wrote that he was delivered from his fear.  This is a scriptural gem that we cannot skim over.  James 1:2-4 explains that our faith must endure tests in order that we may learn to persevere in all trails.  Through the work of perseverance our faith is made more complete for future assignments.  We will all be blessed when we have stood firm in our tests.  So with the long-haul in sight we are encouraged to ask for deliverance from our emotions…fear…anxiety…hopelessness and sadness.  It will be through the daily seeking of the Lord’s settling of our emotions that will mark off the dark days which we are enduring.  Our confidence and endurance is in the Lord, being guaranteed of our deliverance from our emotions that contradict peace.

We must respond first in trust and obedience, making the appropriate adjustments in our life to God’s plan.  Through the crisis we will have a better understanding of who God is and how He operates in our lives.  While we cannot shorten the days of deliverance from our circumstances we can certainly shorten the days of deliverance from our emotions.  Deliverance is only a prayer away in every situation and every moment of each day.

‘When times of bewilderment overwhelm you, how you respond will affect your life deeply.  Some people withdraw or drop out; others worry or fret, even to the point of becoming sick; still others become angry or bitter.  But others turn quietly and persistently to God and wait before Him until He hears their cry and delivers them; they’re forever strengthened in their walk with God and they become more faithful servants of His’ Experiencing God, Henry Blackaby, p. 150.