“He Knew I Needed It”

Part IV of the Covered series

Delivered by Bishop Joseph W. Walker, III, D.Min.

Sermon Synopsis 11/23/19

Psalm 119:71 It is good for me that I have been afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes.”

I.          Introduction

Sometimes it is unclear what we need. In times of trouble, we often we find ourselves defaulting back to what is comfortable. Going back to what’s comfortable winds up leading us to be frustrated, because it is unable to provide what we need to solve our problem. We then find out that it is God that has what we need.

We must let God be our source and our answer. This Psalm is powerful. It is known also to be the longest Psalm in the Bible. In this Psalm, we find that all the things that may challenge the believer is countered by the authority of the Word of God which is hid in our hearts.

The Word of God allows you to live out your life. It strengthens you and elevates your mind. It provides revelation of truth.

Sometimes God reveals things that we don’t comprehend until later. For example, God will allow you and someone to break up. God knew you needed it ahead of time. You go through counseling trying to get over this break up. 5 yrs later you see the person you broke up with and you begin to thank God for His intervention between you two!

We must learn to stop crying and start calling upon the Name of the God, because He knows what he is doing.!

God is providently moving in everyone’s life, however, there has to be evidence of acceptance.

II.          The Evidence of Acceptance

This is accepting that God governs my life.

A.    This was a necessary season

1. This season was trial by season to see if we were ready for the next level.
2. Peter 1:6-7 (NKJV) ⁶ In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been ^[a]grieved by various trials, ⁷ that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, – You had to go through fire to refine you for promotion.
3. The heat is designed to remove impurities out of your life. Normally they will heat the gold up with fire until it turns to a liquid. Once it has turned to liquid all the impurities will float to the top and they are then able to skim all the impurities off the surface and then let the gold cool back down to a solid state. The good thing is, now the gold is better and more valuable than it was before it was put to the fire.
   1. There are things you have a problem letting go of, so God made it let us go!
   2. God wants us to start looking like gold. Not fake gold, but real valuable gold. The kind of gold that has been through the fire.
4. You got to get good letting stuff go. If you allow yourself to stay in despair, you will never get to a place where it blesses you. When God has you to let stuff go, it humbles you, it does not hinder you.

B.     It worked out for me when I became good with it

1.      Romans 8:28 (NKJV) ²⁸ And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. – You’ve got to trust God when you can’t trace God. Trust that God has things under control, even if you don’t see him working.

2. Can God trust you to make him look good? When you exhibit the strength to move on, you will know that there were benefits from your affliction.

III.          The Effects of Affliction

A.    What I went through didn’t make me bitter, it made me better

1. You are better off that you didn’t’ get that job, because God had a better one for you. You are better off that you didn’t close on that house, because God had a bigger house in mind for you.
2. “Extraordinary afflictions are not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, but sometimes the trial of extraordinary graces.” ― Matthew Henry – God allows you to go through those seasons not smelling like smoke and not looking like you’ve been through the fire.
3. Paul had a thorn in his flesh. He asked God to remove it. Corinthians 12:8-9(NKJV) ⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. – It might not be for you, but God gave them a level of grace to be able to walk through their circumstances. God is the grace that makes us able to withstand it.

B.     The affliction was connected to my assignment

1. Your affliction ushers you into your assignment. It was never designed to destroy you.

2 Corinthians 4:17 (NKJV) ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, – There is a weight to God’s glory. People see your glory, but they don’t understand the weight that comes with it.

2. They don’t understand the weight of your glory was an indication of the weight of your story (your affliction).
3. When the student is ready, the teacher will come. God will show up when you are ready for him to take you to the next level.

IV.          The Education of the Acts

A.    The Lord didn’t block it so He could let it develop me

1. God will deliver you when he is ready. Stop asking people to ask God to take you off your cross before its time.

2.      Psalm 34:19 (NKJV) 19 Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the Lord delivers him out of them all. – You have to look back to see the revelation in your life.

3. There was a time you had to develop film in a dark room. In order for the picture to develop, you had to place the film in a dark room, absent from the light. Like this, God has to take you thru a fearful season, a season where you have to experience some dark times.
4. Remember that we can’t get to the picture, unless we first experience some darkness.

B.     I had to learn it in order to live it

1. If you let it teach you, deliverance can reach you.
2. Revelation is a powerful thing. Lots of people say they don’t have to go to church, because they can read the word out of the bible for themselves. This is true, but just reading the word only gives you knowledge. God anoints somebody to deliver the same word you read, but he enables them to provide you with revelation.

a.      Jeremiah 3:15 (NKJV) 15 And I will give you shepherds according to My heart, who will feed you with knowledge and understanding.– You come in the house or the church, because there is an anointing that brings forth revelation there.

3. God says you ain’t done, until God gives you an experience to match the revelation you are about to get. The experience brings about your testimony.

“The school of suffering never graduates any students, so ask God to teach to you the lessons He wants you to learn.” ― Warren W. Wiersbe

4. Out of our affliction, we learned:
5. How to have Prayer over Worry
6. How to have the Posture of a Winner
7. That Praise is your Weapon
8. The Power of Worship