WHAT CAN MAN DO TO ME?

ARE YOU OVERCOME WITH FEAR?

Read Psalm 56

Psalm 56:1-2

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;

all day long an attacker oppresses me;

2 my enemies trample on me all day long,

for many attack me proudly. 

David, again in this psalm, describes the difficulty of being oppressed by his enemies. They do it with arrogance and with relentlessness. I love what he says next.

Psalm 56:3-4

3 When I am afraid,

I put my trust in you.

4 In God, whose word I praise,

in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.

What can flesh do to me? 

When David is afraid, he turns to God, trusting in His word and he is not afraid anymore. Yes, he did have reasons to be afraid, but as he stopped to reflect on his God, he also had reason to have courage. What could man do, when God was on his side?

He knew not only that God was powerful, but that God was caring and aware of his enemies and his needs. He knew that God would not allow anything that was not best for him.

Philippians 4:19-20

And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. 

EVERY need will be supplied according to the inexhaustible riches of Jesus Christ. There are no needs that God will not supply, and there are no needs that are beyond God’s capability to provide for. Do you understand what this means? It means that if He is not providing what you are asserting to be a need, then God is not considering it to be a necessity at this point.

There are times where we need to be without a job more than being employed. There are times when we need to be abased more than we need to be recognized. There are times when we need to be hungry or thirsty more than we need to be fed. There are times we need to be ill more than we need to be healthy. There are times we need to live in the midst of enemies more than we need peace. There are times we need to have human fear more than to rely on our own strength. Our times are in God’s hands; He defines our needs and He provides.

When Paul exclaims, ‘to our God… be the glory forever and ever’, the implication is that there is never a time when God does not deserve to be praised personally by each one of us. The implication is also that if we are finding ourselves becoming bitter or angry, we are looking to people for our satisfaction instead of God.

This psalm does not imply that it is easy! It does imply that we have a Person we can turn to!

Psalm 56:5-7

5 All day long they injure my cause;

all their thoughts are against me for evil.

6 They stir up strife, they lurk;

they watch my steps,

as they have waited for my life.

7 For their crime will they escape?

In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

David wonders if his enemies will get away with their evil actions. Does God really care that they are so intentional in hurting him?

Oh, my friend, if you are going through this kind of situation, look to the word of God. Surround yourself with mature believers. Immerse your mind in the truths of the Word. Find rest in the promises of God. Rehearse His goodness and remember the times He has brought comfort to your life.

There is an end to all things. Christ has defeated death and He is our stronghold. What can flesh do to me?

Nothing can overcome my heavenly Father Who sent His Son to die for me so that I could become His child, and be cared for from now to eternity. Gratefulness should be driving our praise. May we, as His children, never be driven by what drives the world, and may our reactions never be like those who have no hope.

There are people today that need to know our God, may our lives and our reactions drive people to His arms. May this message be our sure hope and our proclamation to others, even those that are hurting us and are our enemies!