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Be Still and Know that I Am God

Psalm 46

by Samuel E. Ward

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Isn’t it amazing how much of our ability to cope with life is tied to faith? In fact,

Hebrews 11:5-6 (NIV2011) 5 By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.” For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God. 6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

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Psalm 46:1-11 (NIV2011) 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. 2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, 3 though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. 4 There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. 5 God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

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6 Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. 7 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. 8 Come and see what the LORD has done, the desolations he has brought on the earth. 9 He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth. He breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the shields with fire.

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10 He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” 11 The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

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I. Who Is God? (Psa 46:1-3)A. Refuge – He Is the Shelter from

Trouble. (So, let us run to Him for shelter from troubles.)

B. Strength – He Is the Power Over Trouble (So, let us trust Him with our troubles.) He rules over troubles; troubles do not rule Him.)

C. Ever-present Help – He Is the Constant Caregiver. (So, sleep well, knowing He is watching over you.)

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D. The God of Jacob – He Has a Proven History of Care and Deliverance. (So, remember the history of His faithfulness to those He calls His own.)

E. Fortress – He is Impervious to the Attacks of All Our Enemies. (So, rest in the fact that when we are in God’s care, the Enemy cannot win.)

F. The LORD God Almighty – He Is the Absolute Ruler Over All and Sovereign in His Ways and Plans. (So, “If God be for us, who can be against us.”)

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The Believer’s Appropriate Response to Trouble:

1. Give God glory for His deliverance, Psa 40:1-3.

Psalm 40:1-3 (NIV2011) 1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. 2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him.

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2. Serve God until you are delivered, 2 Cor 4:6-9, 13-14.

2 Corinthians 4:6-9, 13-14 (NIV2011) 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

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9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. . . 13 It is written: “I believed; therefore I have spoken.” Since we have that same spirit of faith, we also believe and therefore speak, 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you to himself.

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A. He Is in His Dwelling Place In the Old Testament, He ruled from

His Temple in Jerusalem.1. Sustaining His people during the

siege of trouble.2. Protecting His people during the

terror of trouble.3. Waiting for the right time to take

the offensive against trouble.

II. Where Is God? (Psa 46:4-5)

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B. He Is in the Midst of Our Church.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 (NIV2011)

16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

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C. He Is in, and Therefore with Us, Individually.

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV2011) 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” 6 So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?”

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III. What Does He Do? (Psa 46:6-9)

All troubles have an “expiration date.” A. Because all nations will one day

turn to the LORD. See also Psa 86:8-10.

III. What Does He Do? (Psa 46:6-9)

All troubles have an “expiration date.” A. Because all nations will one day

turn to the LORD. See also Psa 22:27-31.

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Psalm 22:27-31 (NIV2011) 27 All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the LORD, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, 28 for dominion belongs to the LORD and he rules over the nations. 29 All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive. 30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord. 31 They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!

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B. Because the plans of the nations are subject to God’s plans.

Psalm 33:10-11 (NIV2011) 10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.

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C. Because God has His eyes on the nations. They would be foolish to rebel against Him.

Psalm 66:7 (NIV2011) He rules forever by his power, his eyes watch the nations— let not the rebellious rise up against him.

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D. Because God has a plan to end all troubles for all of His children. Revelation 21:3-4 (NIV2011) 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”

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IV. What Is the Ultimate Goal? (Psa 46:10b)

Psalm 46:10b (NIV2011) “I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

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V. What Is the Reasonable Response to Troubles Big and Small? (Psa 46:10a)

Psalm 46:10a (NIV2011) He says, “Be still, and know that I am God.”

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Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV2011) 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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The Ward Principle of Spiritual Buoyancy

where FB is the power God supplies to keep the weight of your trials from overwhelming you and wfl is the exact amount of support supplied by God underneath you to uphold you.

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Scriptural Statements of the Spiritual Buoyancy Principle

Deuteronomy 33:27 (NIV2011) The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemies before you, saying, ‘Destroy them!’ Isaiah 41:10 (NIV2011) So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

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Romans 8:31-38 (NIV2011) 31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34 Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.

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35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

Be Still and Know that

I AM GOD