PSALM CHAPTER 13
MAINTAINING HAPPINESS:
GROWING THROUGH FAITH

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Turning Pity-Parties Into Victory Celebrations !

1. THE HUMAN CRY OF WOE. 13:1
             *WOES MAY BE TRUE OR IMAGINED, DEPENDING ON YOUR
                                           RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
   A. GOD FORGOT ABOUT ME, AND THE DEVIL ATTACKED ME.
         IS. 49:15, OR, THE JONAH EXPERIENCE, JONAH 2:4.
   B. AM I EVEN SAVED YET ? FORGOTTEN FOREVER ?
         AMOS 8:7, IS. 51:13,
   C. HOW LONG WILL YOU HIDE FROM ME ? PAIN, PHYSICAL
         CONDITIONS SOMETIMES DISTRACT US FROM RECOGNIZING HIS
         PRESENCE. JOB 23:8-9, PS. 46:1. **HEB. 4:16.
   D. HOW LONG WILL I HAVE TO DEPEND ON MY OWN SOUL ?
         PS. 84:2, PS. 119:81—OUR SOUL WILL SURELY FAINT. WHY WE DO
         NOT FAINT AS BELIEVERS—2 COR. 4:1, 16.
   E. HOW LONG WILL I HAVE TO DEAL WITH SORROW ?  SOMETIMES
         THINK IT IS DIRECTED AT US. *HOSPITALS PACKED, NOT JUST
         FROM US !   HAB. 1:2, REV. 6:10.
   F. HOW LONG WILL THE DEVIL KEEP ON WINNING ?
         —REPRIEVE FROM TEMPTATIONS IS ONLY FOR A SEASON.
              THE DEVIL DOES NOT TEMPT JUST FOR A SEASON. LUKE 4:13
         —THOUGH TEMPTATIONS ARE MORE FREQUENT THAN REPRIEVE,
               WE DO NOT HAVE TO BE WEIGHTED BY HEAVINESS. I PET. 1:6

        1 John 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: be-
               cause greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

2. THE ALTERNATIVES TO GOD’S HELP ARE ALWAYS BAD.
   A. TAKING COUNSEL OF YOUR OWN SOUL. 13:2
   B. ALLOWING THE ENEMY TO WIN. 13:2,4. *(TIRED OF FIGHTING
        SPIRITUAL BATTLES ? THEN, THE ENEMY WILL WIN !)
        —WHO IS THE ENEMY ? OUR OLD NATURE. ROM 8:12,13, GAL. 6:8
        —WHO IS THE ENEMY ? THE DEVIL. EPH. 4:27, 6:11, JAMES 4:7.
   C. SLEEPING THE SLEEP OF DEATH.
   D. BEING MOVED AWAY FROM TRUTH. SATAN LIES, AND SAYS THAT
        PRESSURES WILL BE GONE IF WE JUST GIVE IN. MATT. 4:1-4
        —CONTRA. PS. 62:6.
        —DEPENDS ON OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. PS. 16:8

3. THE TURN-AROUND TO JOY.
*ALL DEPENDS UPON BEING ABLE TO SEE CLEARLY. SO, DAVID ASKS
FOR BETTER SIGHT—13:3—LIGHTEN MINE EYES.
   A. REQUIRES RENEWAL WITH GOD. PS. 51:10, IS. 40:31.
        —TURNING TO HIM INSTEAD OF SELF FOR HELP. GAL. 2:20.
            *OUR ‘OLD MAN’ IS SUPPOSED TO BE CRUCIFIED.
   B. REQUIRES A RENEWAL OF COMMITMENT. PROV. 16:3
   C. REQUIRES ABSOLUTE TRUST IN GOD. TRUSTING IN HIS MERCY—
        OR GRACE—ACCORDING TO THE SITUATION. 13:5.
   D. RESULTS IN GOD BEING GLORIFIED AND PRAISED. 13:5,6,
        JAMES 1:2-4