PRE-428-428. The Lord Has Promised to Deliver You

428. The Lord Has Promised to Deliver You

The Lord Has Promised to Deliver You

by David Wilkerson

April 10, 2006

[May 19, 1931 '96 April 27, 2011]

In a secret ceremony designed by the Lord, the prophet Samuel anointed David to be king of Israel. Samuel told this godly young man, '93You are now appointed by God to be ruler over his people.'94 Yet it would be a long trip to the throne for David. Before the promise of his anointing was fulfilled, this devoted servant of the Lord would face many trials and testings.

Just five chapters later, we see David scurrying over hillsides and along dusty roads, running from King Saul, who had vowed to kill him. What a humble beginning for such a God-fearing, God-loving man as David. Here was a servant after the Lord'92s own heart, recently anointed, now running for his life, hunted, helpless, homeless and alone. David'92s only thought was, '93I have to get out of this country right now. If I don'92t get away from Saul'92s jurisdiction, I'92m dead.'94

He fled for the closest border community, which was the Philistine city of Gath, ruled by King Achish. As David approached this enemy stronghold, he tried to pass himself off as a normal traveler, hoping he wouldn'92t be recognized. But he must have overheard the whispers of the border guards: '93Isn'92t that David, the man who killed our Goliath? The Israelites sang his praises for '91slaying ten thousands'92 of our people! It looks like we have a prize possession in our midst. Let'92s take him to the palace and present him to the king.'94

David knew his life was in danger, because the enemy Philistines would most likely accuse him of terrorism. He would probably be beaten shamefully and made a spectacle, being displayed from city to city. Scripture reveals, '93David '85 was sore afraid of Achish the king'94 (1Sa_21:12).

As he was being led to the palace, David grew so desperate that he decided to fake insanity. He began to contort his face, roll his eyes back and foam at the mouth. The Philistine on-lookers must have been shocked as this once-mighty warrior now babbled senseless words and screamed like an idiot. I picture those hostile crowds suddenly parting as David made wild gestures, scratching at doors and striking at those around him.

In those days, there was a great fear about insane people, because they supposedly had demons that could attack. Try to picture the chaotic scene that must have followed in the palace when David was brought in. As he played the madman before Achish, babbling and drooling, the Philistine king cried out, '93Get this man out of here. He'92s a lunatic. Why did you bring this fool into my house?'94

And so David was taken back to the border, where he was warned to leave and never come back. Suddenly set free, he escaped to the cave of Adullam, where he penned Psa_34:1-22 in gratitude for his deliverance. In this moving Psalm, David recalls the whole episode of his capture and how God brought him out of his frightening trial.

I have to say, of all 150 Psalms, this one is my absolute favorite. It is all about our Lord'92s faithfulness to deliver his children from great trials and crises. David declares, '93I sought the Lord, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears'85. The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them'85. The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles'85. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all'94 (Psa_34:4; Psa_34:7; Psa_34:17; Psa_34:19).

Note David'92s claim in this Psalm: '93I sought the Lord '85 This poor man cried'85'94 (34:4, 6). I ask you: when, exactly, did David do this crying out? It had to have happened while he was feigning madness in Gath. Yet he certainly couldn'92t have prayed audibly in the Philistines'92 presence.

This brings us to another truth concerning God'92s deliverance.

Sometimes the loudest cry is made without an audible voice.

I know what this kind of '93inner crying out'94 is like. Many of the loudest prayers of my life '97 my most important, heart-wrenching, deepest cries '97 have been made in total silence.

At times I'92ve been so benumbed by circumstances that I couldn'92t speak, overwhelmed by situations so beyond me that I couldn'92t think clearly enough to pray. On occasion, I'92ve sat alone in my study so baffled that I was unable to say anything to the Lord at all, but the whole time my heart was crying out: '93God, help me! I don'92t know how to pray just now, so hear the cry of my heart. Deliver me from this situation.'94

Have you ever been there? Have you ever thought, '93I don'92t know what this is all about. I'92m so overwhelmed by my circumstance, so flooded by deep pain, I can'92t explain it. Lord, I don'92t even know what to say to you. What is going on?'94

I believe this is exactly what David went through when he was captured by the Philistines. When he wrote Psa_34:1-22, he was making an admission: '93I was in a situation so overwhelming that I played the part of a fool. Yet, inside I wondered, '91What is going on with me? How has this happened? Lord, help!'92'94

And so it seems David was saying, '93This poor man cried out from within, not knowing what or how to pray. And the Lord heard me and delivered me.'94 It was a deep cry from the heart, and the Lord is faithful to hear every whimper, no matter how faint.

At times we can only stand still and know that the Lord is our Deliverer.

In 1958, I was brokenhearted over a news story about seven teenage boys who stood trial for murdering a crippled boy. The Holy Spirit stirred in me so strongly that I felt led to go to the New York courthouse where the trial was taking place, and I entered the courtroom convinced the Spirit had prompted me to try to talk to those youngsters.

As the day'92s session came to a close, however, a realization began to dawn on me. I thought, '93Those boys are going to be led out that side door in chains, and I'92ll never see them again.'94 So I got up and made my way down the aisle toward the judge'92s bench, where I asked to be allowed to talk with the boys before they returned to their cell.

In an instant, policemen pounced on me, and I was unceremoniously escorted from the courtroom. Flash bulbs popped all around me, and I was besieged with questions from reporters who were covering the trial. I could only stand there speechless, utterly dumbfounded, in a humiliating, embarrassing situation. I thought, '93What will my church back home think? People are going to see me as crazy. I'92ve been so naive.'94

In the midst of all this chaos, I prayed inside, '93Lord, I thought you told me to come here. What went wrong?'94 I couldn'92t pray out loud, of course, because the media would have thought I was even crazier than I appeared. (And I looked pretty silly already, as I was wearing a bow tie!)

Yet God heard the cry of this poor man that day, and he has honored my silent cry ever since. You see, from that very pitiful scene in the courthouse, the Teen Challenge ministry was birthed, with a reach today that extends worldwide. And I happily share in David'92s humble testimony from Psa_34:1-22 : '93My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad'94 (Psa_34:2).

David is saying here, in essence, '93I have something to tell all of God'92s humble people on earth, now and in ages to come. As long as this world exists, the Lord will deliver everyone who calls out to him and trusts in him. In his incredible mercy and love, he delivered me, even though I made a very foolish move.'94

Here is what I have learned from Psa_34:1-22 : When the enemy, Satan, comes at you like a flood '85 when you find yourself in deep waters of affliction '85 when troubles stagger your mind '85 when chaos swirls around you, and you can'92t even think straight '85 you don'92t need a prayer book or a doctrine to lean on. And you don'92t have to condemn yourself for playing the fool.

All you need is to know that our blessed Lord hears every sincere cry, loud or unspoken, and he responds. He will send an angel if he chooses, or even a host of them, to surround you and keep you from danger. Even if you have acted foolishly or had a terrible failure of faith, you only need to get back to calling on your Deliverer. He is faithful to hear your cry and to act.

Peter provides another insight concerning the Lord'92s deliverance.

The apostle Peter writes about two cataclysmic events from Genesis: Noah and the flood, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. When you think of these two events, how do you picture them?

The first involves the awful cries of masses of drowning people, as God avenged the violence of Noah'92s generation. As the terrible floodwaters rose above houses, trees and the highest points of land, people clung desperately to floating branches, broken furniture, wood of any kind, yet all in vain.

In the next scene, we can only imagine how giant sulfuric flames consumed two entire cities. As God'92s fiery judgment fell, people screamed in agony as they began to suffocate and perish by the tens of thousands.

The Bible states clearly that both of these events were the judgment of the Lord. Yet the fact is that neither event had to do with God'92s people. So, does this mean these awful scenes were solely about the Lord'92s vengeance upon sinners? It'92s true these scenes were meant to serve as signs, examples to all of humankind in every generation, with God'92s warning: '93I want you to know I deal severely with violence and rampant sin.'94

It is here that Peter gets to his point. He tells us, '93If God '85 spared not the old world, but saved Noah '85 bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; and turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah into ashes '85 making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; and delivered just Lot '85 (then) the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations'94 (2Pe_2:4-7; 2Pe_2:9, my italics).

Despite the severity of these examples, God is sending a clear message of comfort to his people, as if to say: '93I have just given you two of the greatest examples of my compassion. If, in the midst of a world-engulfing flood, I can deliver one righteous man and his family out of the havoc '85 then can I not deliver you also? Can I not provide a miraculous way of escape?

'93If I can send down fire-and-brimstone judgment that consumes entire cities at a time, yet I manage to send angels into the chaos to deliver Lot and his daughters '85 then can I not also manage to send angels to deliver you out of your trials?'94

The lesson here for the righteous is this: God will do whatever it takes to deliver his people out of fiery trials and temptations. Think about it: it took the opening of the Red Sea to deliver Israel out of the clutches of its enemy. It took water out of a rock to save those same Israelites from their wilderness trial. It took miracle bread, angels'92 food literally sent from heaven, to spare them from hunger. And it took an ark to save Noah from the flood, and '93angel escorts'94 to deliver Lot from fiery destruction. The clear point is that God knows how to deliver his people, and he will go to any extreme to accomplish it, no matter what their circumstance.

Peter'92s phrase '93God knoweth how to deliver'94 means simply, '93He has already laid plans.'94

The wonderful truth is that God has laid his plans for our deliverance even before we cry out to him. And he doesn'92t sit on those plans; he only awaits our cry for help. We may be entangled in the struggle of a lifetime, wondering how God will deliver us, yet he is ready at all times to put his plan into action.

We see this illustrated in Jer_29:1-32, when Israel was in captivity to Babylon. Here was perhaps the greatest trial God'92s people had ever experienced, yet the Lord promised them: '93After seventy years, I will visit you and perform my Word to you.'94

'93For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end'94 (Jer_29:11). This last phrase means, literally, '93to give you what you long for.'94 God was saying, in other words, '93I'92m telling you that I'92m not mad at you, that my thoughts toward you are good ones. And furthermore, I am making you a promise.'94

The promise appears in the next verse: '93Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you'94 (29:12). Note the first word of this verse: '93Then'85'94 I believe God is saying simply, '93If you pray, I will hearken to you. You see, I have a specific plan of deliverance for you, and you are always to trust me to execute that plan and bring it to pass.'94

The reason God wants us to keep praying is so we'92ll be ready for his deliverance. In short, we need to be prepared to believe those incredible thoughts he has toward us. His Word tells us, in essence, '93You have my promise to deliver you out of all trouble and temptations. I have given you powerful examples of how I delivered my servants in past crises. Now, go and pray with expectancy, hope and faith that I will visit you also. I only have good thoughts concerning you, thoughts of healing and restoration.'94

As I studied the word '93deliverance'94 in Scripture, I read of God'92s plan for King Hezekiah.

It is written of this godly king, '93Hezekiah '85 wrought that which was good and right and truth before the Lord his God. And in every work that he began in the service of the house of God, and in the law, and in the commandments, to seek his God, he did it with all his heart, and prospered'94 (2Ch_31:20-21).

In so many words, Scripture is saying that this man was the greatest king Israel ever had. We'92re told Hezekiah'92s heart was so set on the Lord that there was no king before or after him who was like him. Then consider the very next verse: '93After these things, and the establishment thereof, Sennacherib king of Assyria came, and entered into Judah, and encamped against the fenced cities, and thought to win them for himself'94 (2Ch_32:1).

Note the opening phase here: '93After these things'85'94 This refers to all the good that Hezekiah had done: his walk of truth and holiness, his seeking of God, his cleaving to the Lord, his fight against sin and compromise, his deep prayer and trust, the national revival he led. In the wake of these blessed things, Scripture says, then the devil came in. Principalities and powers of darkness surrounded the righteous king and God'92s people, waging an all-out war to bring them down and destroy their faith.

Yes, this all came about after the establishment of Hezekiah'92s many ministries. The word '93establishment'94 in this passage means '93stable, mature, well-grounded.'94 In short, we'92re seeing a declaration of war on a man of God who was stable in spirit and mature in faith. Satan wasn'92t wasting his powers on a weak, inexperienced, wavering child of God; he was aiming his most intense weapons at a spiritual giant.

Virtually overnight, Hezekiah found himself in an impossible situation. The question was, '93Why?'94 This godly man wasn'92t living in sin or rebellion; he was one of God'92s most faithful servants. Yet the Lord didn'92t explain to Hezekiah why this terrible siege had befallen him.

Soon the air inside Jerusalem'92s walls was filled with devilish lies and blaspheming voices, with accusations from Satan swirling in Hezekiah'92s mind: '93God is no longer with you, Hezekiah. He is clearly chastening you. If the Lord is with you, how could you possibly be in such trouble?'94

Here is a clear illustration of the devil'92s plan against every devoted servant of God.

In our own times of trial and temptation, Satan comes to us bringing similar lies: '93You'92re surrounded now and there is no way out. Greater servants than you have quit in circumstances no worse than this. Now it'92s your turn to go down. You'92re a failure, otherwise you wouldn'92t be going through this. There'92s something wrong with you and God is sorely displeased.'94

In the midst of his trial, Hezekiah acknowledged his helplessness. The king realized he had no strength to stop the voices raging at him, voices of discouragement, threats and lies. He knew he couldn'92t deliver himself from the battle, so he sought the Lord for help. And God answered by sending the prophet Isaiah to Hezekiah with this message: '93The Lord has heard your cry. Now, tell the Satan at your gate, '92You'92re the one who is going down. By the way you came here, you will also go out.'92'94

Hezekiah had very nearly fallen for the enemy'92s trick. The fact is, if we don'92t stand up to Satan'92s lies '97 if, in our hour of crisis, we don'92t turn to faith and prayer, if we don'92t draw strength from God'92s promise of deliverance '97 the devil will zero in on our wavering faith and intensify his attacks.

Hezekiah gained courage from the word he received, and he was able to say to Sennacherib in no uncertain terms: '93Devil king, you did not blaspheme me. You lied to God himself. My Lord is going to deliver me. And because you blasphemed him, you will face his wrath!'94

The Bible tells us that God supernaturally delivered Hezekiah and Judah on that very night: '93It came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses'94 (2Ki_19:35).

Ever since the cross of Christ, God'92s people have had even better promises than Hezekiah had.

In just the first few books of the Bible, God miraculously delivered Noah, Lot, David, Hezekiah, Daniel and the three Hebrew children, Moses, Joshua, Israel, Joseph and multitudes more. As for God'92s people today, Christ'92s blood has delivered us from sin, destruction and much more also: '93(He) gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father'94 (Gal_1:4).

Believers today stand not just on a promise but also on the shed blood of Jesus Christ. And in that blood we have victory over every sin, temptation and battle we will ever face. Maybe you'92ve received a letter from the devil lately. I ask you: do you believe God has the foreknowledge to anticipate your every trial? Your every foolish move? Your every doubt and fear? If so, you have the example of David before you, who prayed, '93This poor man cried, and the Lord delivered him.'94 Will you do the same?

Remember: if you will pray, even in silence '85 if you will refuse to fear Satan'92s attacks and rest in faith '85 then you too will wake up one day to a great victory. God himself will deal with your enemy, and he will work his plan to deliver you. ■

By: David Wilkerson