A Theology of Prayer - Struggles in Prayer

Study 67

Text: Psalm 18

REASONS FOR REJOICING

Does a person who is engaged in spiritual warfare have to wear a frown and possess a grim outlook of life all the time? Can a person involved in spiritual warfare adopt and maintain a spirit of joy and strength in the Lord? Many belong to the former category. David belonged to the latter category. There may be times when circumstances are tough, but there will always be reasons for rejoicing in the Lord.

"Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD,
among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your Name.
Great deliverance He gives to His king,
And shows mercy to His anointed,
To David and his descendants forevermore."
Psalm 18:49-50

1. "Therefore, I will give thanks to You, O LORD…"

The giving of thanks will always be prompted by good reasons. The inferential particle "therefore" suggests that there must have been sufficient reasons for the giving of thanks to the Lord. (Take time to review Psalm 18 to note just why David was impelled to "give thanks" to the Lord).

2. Dwelling on the things that bring constant joy to the heart

Two special reasons are highlighted as to why the heart may continue to sing praises to God.

a) "Great Deliverance"
David was conscious of how the Lord had delivered him from his enemies time and again. How wonderful to experience the great deliverance that God grants to His beleaguered servants.

b) "Mercy to His anointed"
How glorious to be called "His anointed!" The term suggests a special relationship with God. That thought alone should bring much joy to the heart! God will grant great mercies to His chosen ones!

A thought that should bring added joy must be found in this phrase, "To David and his descendants." The mercy of the Lord would extend to future generations and not be restricted to David alone!

THE CULTIVATING OF A JOYFUL SPIRIT

We have every reason to be joyful in the Lord. The sad fact however is that few know how to sustain a spirit of joy. How does one sustain a joyful spirit? The answer lies in the word "cultivation." A spirit of joy does not come easily. It must be cultivated. The spirit of joy is best cultivated when the heart first learns to dwells on the Lord and all that He has done and all that He has promised us! Meditating on the Lord should cause the heart to be filled with joy. A good second step is to engage in actively offering songs of praise to the Lord. These two steps would positively help us cultivate a spirit of joy.

~ Pastor Charlie Tan ~