A GREAT DELIVERANCE

Psa. 18:16-20

Morning Meditation 10/4/14

"He sent from above, he took me, he drew me out of many waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. He brought me forth also into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me. The LORD rewarded me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me.."

This is one of David's victory songs written after a battle had been won. He credits God as the Deliverer in verse 2. I want to look at the points he made concerning this deliverance.

THE DELIVERANCE WAS DIVINE

David could have gloried in his skill and the skill of those who fought with him. But he didn't do that. He gave glory to God. David knew that there were invisible armies who fought with him and gave the victory.

David said, "He sent from above." God was involved in the battle with the armies of Israel. He identified with His people.

The believer can sing this song and apply it to himself. The Lord is with us. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He is invisible but faith can make His invisible presence known. Too many ack like God is a million miles away. They depend solely on their skills to accomplish God's work. They miss the opportunity of "laboring together with God." When we do not operate in the Spirit by faith, what we do, we do without His help. Next--

THE DELIVERANCE WAS PERSONAL

David said, "He took me." He knew that God's invisible hand had delivered him. That is also true of us. The Lord Jesus must become one's personal Saviour. You can't go to heaven on the coat tail of another. Salvation is a personal matter. Repentance is personal. It is true that man inherits his sin nature from his father. It is traced all the way back to Adam. But it is not just what we are by nature, it is what we do personally. Paul says in Romans 3:10-12, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one." So deliverance is personal. Next--

DELIVERANCE IS COMPLETE

David said, "He drew me out." There was no part of him left in hands of the enemy.. Our salvation is complete. Ephesians 1:13-14, "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."

The believer is sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise. You will notice it is not BY the Holy Spirit of promise, it is WITH the Holy Spirit of promise. The Holy Spirit Himself becomes the Seal. The Seal is the identification of the product. God owns the one sealed.

The Seal is the Lord's way of saying that He is committed to finishing the deliverance. This is brought out in the words, "Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory."

DELIVERANCE IS NEEDED

David said in Psalms 18:17, "He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them which hated me: for they were too strong for me."

David's enemies were vicious and strong. He said they are too strong for me. The world, the flesh and the Devil are too strong for us. We are dominated by Satan and sin. Man is trapped in a world that will not turn him loose.

The good news is that Jesus became a man in the virgin birth that He might deliver us. He came to where we are to execute deliverance. He was not born with an old sin nature because Joseph had nothing to do with His birth. He lived a perfect life and then paid the price that God required of the sinner. What Jesus did on the cross can only deliver when a sinner comes in repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE DELIVERED ON IS BLESSED

David said, "He brought me into a large place." The idea is that David was brought by the Lord into a place of abundance and safety.

This happens to the sinner when he believes in Christ as a personal Saviour. Ephesians 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:"

May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.

In Christ

Bro. White