Title: Surprised by God
Scripture Reading: Psalms 54:1-7
Save me, O God, by thy name, and judge me by thy strength.
2 Hear my prayer, O God; give ear to the words of my mouth.
3 For strangers are risen up against me, and oppressors seek after my soul: they have not set God before them. Selah.
4 Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them that uphold my soul.
5 He shall reward evil unto mine enemies: cut them off in thy truth.
6 I will freely sacrifice unto thee: I will praise thy name, O Lord; for it is good.
7 For he hath delivered me out of all trouble: and mine eye hath seen his desire upon mine enemies.
- Surprised by God’s help
Often, people come to God because they need help.
David says, ‘strangers are attacking me’. The Psalmist gives more insight into who these people are:
A. Strangers.
B. Violent men.
C. They have not set God before them.
David also talks about familiar friends who attacks him.
Psalms 55:12-13 says, ‘For it is not an enemy who taunts me. Then I could bear it. But it is you, a man my equal and my counsels, my companion and my familiar friend; we who had sweet fellowship together, who walked to the house of God in company.’
What is more surprising is how God intervene to help us
In verse 4 the message bible says, ‘Oh, Look! God’s right here helping!’
The Amplified Bible says, ‘God is my helper and ally; he sustains us and he brings deliverance from our troubles.’
What did David say?
- Save me.
- Vindicate me.
- Hear my prayer.
- Give ear.
Instead, be challenged by David’s response. He says, ‘I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you; I will praise your name, O LORD, for it is good.’
- Surprised by Jesus
The ministry of Jesus was full of surprises.
The Hebrew word for land can mean:
- Field
- District
- Country
- Area
- World
What surprises can we expect from Jesus?
- Surprising abundance.
- Surprising passion.
- Surprising Dwelling.
- Surprising Wisdom.
- Surprised by the Holy Spirit
It is very difficult and for the modern intellectual world to believe that the miraculous still exists today. But I can assure you that you will be surprised that the miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit are still being given today.
The arguments against the miraculous are based on prejudice and lack of personal experience. But as soon as you become a seeker of God, the miraculous will be part and parcel of your life.
This morning, I know that many of you are surprised by life. You are shocked that life can be so difficult, trials can be so long and suffering so painful. The reasons for mental depression, or mental breakdown are because you are a human, you are a sinner and you are a Christian. But there is another man, who knew the surprising difficulties of life came to earth to live that life. And his name is Jesus. But he did not allow the surprises of life to overwhelm him. He overcome all the surprises of life through the help of God. Men hated him, he was not rich and he does not have a pillow to lay his head on. His friends, family members and disciples misunderstood him and forsook him. Yet he went to the cross for all our failures, our pain of life, our sufferings. When he was resurrected, he turned to you and said I had conquered the surprises of life. Now is the time to be surprised by God, surprised by Jesus, surprised by the Holy Spirit. If you place your faith in Jesus today, you will experience surprising abundance of life, new surprising passion and the surprising indwelling of Jesus in you and even the surprising help of the Holy Spirit with you constantly
You only need to come to him like David, call upon him to save you, vindicated you, hear your prayer and help you. And he will willingly even this very morning surprising you with the fullness of life.
