Sermon Notes

Jason Bilbro, October 3rd, 2021

Shifting Mindsets: Psalm 27

Who was David?

-Born in Bethlehem in 1010-970 BCE; youngest of 8 brothers

-Killed Goliath, Anointed/prophesied to be King, anointed King of Judah, Conquered Jerusalem, anointed King of Israel, thus uniting Northern and Southern kingdoms

Reigned 40 years over Israel

-Typically remembered for two things

But he is more than “just a king”

David is part of an exclusive group in the OT: 

• 1 Samuel 16:13 – So Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the presence of his brothers, and from that day on the Spirit of the Lord came upon David in power.

Othniel, Joshua, Saul, Gideon, and Samson are named specifically as having the Spirit of the Lord on them at various points. 

• David’s Life full of conflict and struggle – much of it self-imposed, but being filled with the Spirit, he has the power to overcome

Psalmist, Musician, Priestly, Warrior/Leader/General

Why cover this - it’s because David was a real person. He actually walked this earth, and he had real problems. David has legitimate things to fear in the natural realm - his territory is literally surrounded by pantheistic idol worshippers who would like to see him killed and his country taken over and enslaved. So the things we talk about this morning, David gets it. 

 

Psalm 27

• 14 Verses divided into two sections
• Verses 1-6: Declaration of God’s power and hope for rescue and protection
• Verses 7-14: Deeply personal concerns and heart cry

Verse 1 ESV

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

of whom shall I be afraid?

V2  When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall.

V3 Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear though war arise against me, yet I will be confident.

So right out of the gate, David is doing a few things. The first thing I see him doing is making declarations over a false mindset of fear. So Fear is our first false mindset.

It’s important, I think, to remind ourselves, that Mind, Body, Soul are all connected. Some of these issues we’ll talk about today arise from physical problems or abnormalities, chemical or neuro-chemical imbalance issues, some are spiritual, and some mental. So I want to be sensitive to again, real, actual issues, and offer some ways to shift all of these. But we’re all here, ultimately, because we serve a God who can heal all of these things and sustain us through our trials, amen?

False Mindset #1: Fear

-Examples: Anxiety/Phobia, Stress (circumstances - finances, work/relationships, health), Deeper/Hidden Fears

            -Effects: Reclusion, Impairment of Calling, Physical Ailments (panic attacks, ulcers), Identity Retention

-Shift/Counters: V1 Declarations (Luca - silenzio Bruno!), The Word (truth;speak truth to lies), counseling/counsel (war)/fellowship, V2 Trust in God to deal with “people problems (Matt 5:44 love your enemies/pray for those who persecute you; God is not a fixer for the maffia),”  V3 Faith in God for protection  V3 If you’re old enough, you remember where you were on 9/11. I was in my workshop onboard the USS Philippine Sea, a guided missile cruiser, escorting the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise and we had just left the North Arabian Sea a few days earlier - that’s east of the Persian Gulf on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz.

V4 One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after:that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple.

V5 For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

V6 And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me, and I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord.

So remember from V3, there is an army encamped against David, and war has risen against him. This is his continued response - watch what he does, he’s going to adjust or change his focus and perspective and press into worship.

In the OT, the house of the Lord never refers to heaven. He’s speaking of the temple. So the house of the Lord, his temple and His Tent are all synonyms. 

-Psalm 122:1 I was glad when they said to me, let us go to the house of the Lord.

-Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell or remain in the house of the LORD forever.

-Forever in Hebrew translates, “for length of days.”

But the Lord’s House, Temple, Tent, all provide “shelter” for David when he is troubled.

- Why would he desire to be in God’s house? Short answer: That’s where the presence of God is. At this time, the presence of God was in His temple. David personally saw the Ark of the Covenant brought up to Jerusalem. Because he understood the value and importance of the presence of God. He knew that when people are in the presence of God, they are changed. So he goes there - when he can’t go physically, he goes there spiritually and experiences the Lord’s protection and in that, he is changed - his perspective shifts, he says in V6 “now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me” The enemies are still there. They’re still encamped around him, but his focus changes to the One who is able to save and protect Him.

Last way to shift this mindset of fear, is through the Perfect Love

- Pray over the false mindset of fear

We’re going to take a break from Psalm 27 and go into our time of communion. If you need the strength to battle fear, you will find it in one place and one place alone, that is in the person of Jesus Christ. Through his blood he purchased men for God. And that fear of man in this present age is defeated - in the very real hope of a resurrected life in this age, as well as a very real and resurrected body in the age to come. If you do not have that hope inside of you, if you are like I once was - just going to church because it’s what your parents taught you, and your significant other or spouse wants to go so you can go...stop it. This new life can be yours. Do you want it? Do you want to get well? Do you want that emptiness that void you’ve tried to fill for so long...do you want that gone? If so, this is your moment. My moment was October 21st, 2012 alone in my bed in Monterey, CA at 11:55 pm. I haven’t been the same since. If you want that this morning, bring your mustard seed of faith - I don’t think mine was even that big. And plant it at the foot of the cross, where the dirt is soaked with the only innocent blood to ever walk this earth. Die to yourself, and live with him. 

V7,8  Hear, O Lord, when I cry aloud; be gracious to me and answer me! 8 You have said, “Seek my face.”My heart says to you,“Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

V9 Hide not your face from me. Turn not your servant away in anger, O you who have been my help.Cast me not off; forsake me not, O God of my salvation!

V10 For my father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord will take me in.

False Mindset: I am Abandoned/Alone

Examples: Orphans, Foster Care, Break-Up, Separation, Divorce, Family Rift, Sin (backsliding)

Effects: Trauma, Withdrawing/Isolation, False Shame/Guilt

Counters: Truth (the Word)

I want to be careful here - there is a difference between being abandoned, and having a mindset of abandonment. I want to look at vs. 10 first, because I want to show you how David understands what it is to feel this way. Historically, there are at least two possibilities for David’s lineage - some scholars believe that David’s sisters, according to 2 Samuel 17:25 are actually half-sisters, and that their father is not Jesse but Nahash an Ammonite King, and David’s mother was still married to  Nahash when she conceived David. This would explain why Jesse left David in the field when Samuel asked him to bring his sons on the occasion he was going to anoint the next king. In Jewish tradition, the story according to the Talmud is more complicated, but still results in Jesse viewing David as illegitimate. Again both are speculation, but could explain why David lamented this, as well as Psalm 69:8 where he says, “I am a foreigner to my own family, a stranger to my own mother’s children, and Psalm 51:5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity and in sin did my mother conceive me.”

So like his descendant, Jesus, David was a “stone the builders rejected” of sorts, and like the Son of God, was chosen to do great things. My point is, again, David gets it. He has a similar story, of abandonment, but he is choosing a different path. Similarly, Jesus, during his time on earth, was abandoned by every one of his friends, and even denied by them. On a very human level, He can empathize with you. Like them, YOU have been chosen to do great things. And for some of you, this false mindset of continued abandonment or isolation, is a major stumbling block. 

V8 - face can often be synonymous w/ presence, but I think it’s different for David here - If you’re with someone in the same room, but you never speak to them, can you still feel alone? I think I did that to my wife at the beginning of our marriage. Because I was not seeking her face, in other words, I wasn’t seeking to know her. If you feel alone and abandoned - this is a verse for you. The creator God, our father, desires for us to seek to know him. Not just be in his presence, but know him intimately. When you’re present with him, and you get to know him, you know what he wants and doesn’t want. And in that place, you’re able to change

Identity - DSSM

Counseling - through council, and again, fellowship.  talking about it, we take power over shame by bringing things into the light.

Pray over False mindset of abandonment/alone/isolation

V11-12 Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. 12 Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence.

Godly knowledge in the OT is often equated to smoothing out a path, and I believe that’s what David is petitioning for here. Keeping with his military focus, he’s asking  Proverbs 3:6; 11:5; Isaiah 26:7

(NASB) I would have despaired, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living.

(HEB) Oh! Had I not believed that I would look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

If I had not had the proper mindset in this season

V 14 Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

Church, this is an active waiting. It is a trust-filled waiting. It is a waiting characterized by fellowship with others who can edify you in truth, who can speak against the false mindsets that have taken root in your life. And in this waiting, you have to be strong and allow, or let yourself have courage. It’s ok to be courageous. As you wait for Him to move on your behalf - whatever that looks like in His timing, be strong and courageous, sons and daughters of the El Elyon, God Most High.

This was a heavy topic, but we have a heavy-lifting God. I’d like to ask our ministry team to come down front. 

These mindsets are effectively preventing some of you in this building and some watching online, from being who He has called you to be. Today we stand with you and say, no more. We say you are strong, and it’s ok for you to be courageous. In fact, we’re calling you to be just that. But some of you have been passively waiting. Do you want to get well?