Psalm 119: Focus On God's Word Pt. 122 God's Word Confirmed In Us.

Asking God to confirm His Word to us. 

Psalm 119:38  Stablish thy word unto thy servant, who is devoted to thy fear.

The Psalmist previously prayed that God would strengthen him according to His word (Psalm 119:28). 

Now, he prays that the word will be established in his own life. He is praying that God will confirm His Word by fulfilling it, making His promises come to pass. 

Why did the Psalmist pray for this? Because he wants to be a good man whose steps are ordered by the Lord. He longs to be an upright man, rightly reflecting his God to those around him.

The character of a good man is the work of God's grace in him. A good man becomes God's servant, subject to His law and employed in His kingdom work. 

God confirms His word for His glory.

2 Samuel 7:25  And now, O LORD God, the word that thou hast spoken concerning thy servant, and concerning his house, establish it for ever, and do as thou hast said. 

Here is King David's prayer for Jehovah's mighty help in his life as king of Israel. David is praying for God to perform all His promises so that a holy kingdom is established for His glory and honor. 

The prayer of the Psalmist is one of trust in the ability of God to do all that He said He will do. 

God wants us to ask for Him to confirm His promises to us. This is an important part of walking by faith. We believe, but there are times when we need even more resolute and fervent belief in God's Word.

Why? Our flesh fights against God's will. Our old man wants nothing to do with a life of humble faith and dependency upon Jehovah. Our great enemy will hurl accusations and create doubts in us regarding God and our standing with Him.

We need help to overcome unbelief. 

Mark 9:23,24  Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. 24)  And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief. 

Thus, we are prone to wander and prone to have faith that wavers. God knows this and His word contains encouragement for us.

There will be times when we must cry out like this distraught father cried out to Jesus, on behalf of his demon possessed son. We must call upon Jesus to help or override our unbelief, just as this father did.

We need to have our faith strengthened. 

Luke 17:5,6  And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith. 6)  And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto this sycamine tree, Be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea; and it should obey you.

Jesus' disciples were His companions in ministry for three and a half years. They heard all the teaching of Christ and saw all His miracles. Yet, they asked Jesus to increase their faith. 

Therefore, it is reasonable for us to call out to the Lord to make good on His promises and to increase our faith. God permits this so that we might believe more strongly in His word. 

When God does confirm His word by establishing it, our faith is buoyed and strengthened. 

When God confirms His word, we anticipate additional fulfillment. 

2 Timothy 4:17,18  Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18)  And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. 

When God establishes or accomplishes one of His promises, it confirms other promises to us. It instills hope and confidence into our soul, as we praise Him for His faithfulness to do what He promised to do. 

Paul was persecuted many times. Yet, Jesus the Lord stood by him and strengthened His apostle. Jesus delivered Paul, and the apostle became filled with gratitude and optimism. 

He confidently exclaimed that Christ would deliver him from any other evil works raised in opposition to the gospel. 

When God confirms His Word, we are more assured He will perform it all. 

2 Corinthians 1:20-22  For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. 21)  Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; 22)  Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. 

We have been given many promises in the scriptures. Many are being performed each and every day, though we often forget to think about them. 

God's promises are in Christ and they are all good. Each one will be completed and fulfilled by our faithful God. 

Proof of the efficacy of God's promises is the fact that He seals each believer in Christ and gives us the indwelling of His Spirit. No one can remove the seal of God upon His child. No one can pluck us out of our Father's hand (John 10).

Justification: the past action of our salvation. 

Titus 3:4-6  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5)  Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6)  Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 

Justification is the past tense of salvation (See Ephesians 2:8-9). There are no other beautiful words of lasting importance than remembering the very day that "according  to His mercy, He saved us!"

Justification which is a legal term. It is a forensic declaration of righteousness that means we are declared fully innocent of all charges against us. 

What actually makes us righteous is the righteousness of Christ being transferred to us the moment we trust Christ (Ephesians 1:12; Philippians 3:9). 

Sanctification: The present action of salvation. 

John 17:17  Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 

Second, there is practical sanctification. Unlike justification which is instantaneous, sanctification is a process. Sanctification is the present tense of salvation (See Philippians 2:12).

This process involves believers using the Word, relying on the Holy Spirit and being taught, shepherded and  guided by a solid church family.  

We gradually become more and more like Jesus Christ. We begin to live out the truth of God in our daily lives. 

Practical sanctification is a process that we experience until we die or Christ returns to take us home at the rapture of the church. 

We make progress but at times, we may lapse backward in practical sanctification. Full sanctification is not realized perfectly until we are home in heaven with Christ.

Glorification: The future action of our salvation. 

Romans 8:17,18  And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18)  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

Third, is glorification which takes place when we are finally liberated from our present bodies, which still have a capacity for sin.  Glorification is the future tense of salvation (Rom 5:10). 

At the moment of death or the rapture, whichever comes first, we are freed from our potential to sin and ushered into the very presence of God (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:21-23). 

Thoughts to Ponder...

The Psalmist prayed for God's word to be established in his life. For us as believers today, this causes us to reflect upon the great salvation we have in Christ. 

We are encouraged to keep walking by faith as we see God keep His promises to us. 

We are reminded that we need help to fight off unbelief or to have our faith increased.

The Psalmist is anchored to the promises and faithfulness of God. 

Thus, we think about the three actions of salvation, past, present and future. This is all glory and praise to God for the secure promises we have in Christ. 

Justification frees us from sin’s penalty. When we are born again, we are granted a new life in Christ and all things are made new. We become a new creation in Christ. 

We are freed from the penalty of sin, for the wages of sin is death.

Sanctification frees us from sin’s power. We are no longer a slave to sin. The regenerating work of the Holy Spirit and His indwelling presence, helps us live for the glory of God. 

We learn to become a peculiar people, set apart or sanctified for our Master's use. 

Glorification frees us from sin’s presence. Future glorification is our hope. We are promised a home in heaven (John 14) and full conformity to Christ. 

We are promised that our old man and sin nature will be done away with and we will have a new, glorified body unencumbered by the weakness of our flesh. 

May we meditate upon these things and pray earnestly to ask God to establish His word in each of our lives. 

Bob