“For the Joy of the Lord is your Strength” Nehemiah 8:10

Our Sovereign Lord Psalm 103:17-22 Sunday Morning January 14, 2016 by Pastor Fee Soliven Psalm 103:17-22 Sunday Morning January 14, 2016 

Psalm 103:17-22 17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children, 18 To such as keep His covenant, And to those who remember His commandments to do them. 19 The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the LORD, you His angels, Who excel in strength, who do His word, Heeding the voice of His word. 21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You ministers of His, who do His pleasure. 22 Bless the LORD, all His works, In all places of His dominion. Bless the LORD, O my soul!

 Obedience can be defined as doing what God says, how He says, and when He says to do it.

1. Recognize that God is the Sovereign ruler of this Universe.

Psalm 103:19 “The LORD has established His throne in heaven, And His kingdom rules overall”

 Isaiah 46:10 “Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, “My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure”  

2. Have Faith

Hebrews 11:6 “He who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”  

Proverbs 17:11 “An evil man seeks only rebellion; Therefore a cruel messenger will be sent against him”

(New Living Translation) Psalm 68:6 (New Living Translation) “God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.”

3. Be Courageous

Joshua 1:9 “Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go” .

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 13 Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done with love.  

4. Wait upon the Lord

Isaiah 64:4 “For since the beginning of the world Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear, Nor has the eye seen any God besides You, Who acts for the one who waits for Him.”

Isaiah 40:29-31 29 He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength. 30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, 31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

 5. Meditate on God’s Word

Joshua 1:8 “This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it”.  

6. Learn to listen to the Lord

Mark 4:22-25 22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear." 24 Then He said to them, "Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given.

1 Corinthians 2:16 “For "who has known the mind of the LORD that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

7. Suffer a head-on collision with the world, if necessary.

 Acts 5:17-29 17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him (which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with indignation, 18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in the common prison. 19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said,

 20 Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life." 21 And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and called the council together, with all the elders of the children of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

22 But when the officers came and did not find them in the prison, they returned and reported, 23 saying, "Indeed we found the prison shut securely, and the guards standing outside before the doors; but when we opened them, we found no one inside!"

24 Now when the high priest, the captain of the temple, and the chief priests heard these things, they wondered what the outcome would be. 25 So one came and told them, saying, "Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!"

26 Then the captain went with the officers and brought them without violence, for they feared the people, lest they should be stoned. 27 And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them,

28 saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name 28 saying, "Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man's blood on us!" 29 But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: "We ought to obey God rather than men.

8. Forsake any and all Sin

Ephesians 4:25-32 25 Therefore, putting away lying, "Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor," for we are members of one another. 26 Be angry, and do not sin": do not let the sun go down on your wrath, 27 nor give place to the devil.

28 Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you.  

1. How is your obedience affected by your level of trust in the Lord?

2. What circumstances or outcomes cause you to doubt that His way is the best way?

3. What can you do to increase your trust in Him?

“For the Joy of the Lord is your Strength” Nehemiah 8:10