This sermon emphasizes finding strength and encouragement in difficult times by trusting in God's word, even when surrounded by fear, oppression, and negativity. Drawing from Psalm 56, the speaker highlights the importance of trusting God when feeling overwhelmed by enemies and challenges. The message encourages listeners to rely on God's promises, even if they feel ill-equipped or inexperienced, using the example of Peter walking on water to illustrate the power of belief in God's words.

Good afternoon, everybody. We want to thank you today for just taking the time to come in and be with us and be part of these devotionals, which is a preparatory for a season where perhaps we may not be able to get together as a church, but we can still get together online and by the various technological means that God has made available to us in our time. Great privilege for me today just to be able to share with you a couple of minutes and to encourage you and I do hope you are encouraged. I do hope you're finding the strength that you and I both need to find. This is a difficult day to be living in. I want to read to you from one of the Psalms. It's Psalm 656, the Psalm of David. Listen to the words he says. He says, Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up. He fighting daily oppresses me. My enemies would daily swallow me up, for they'd be many that fight against me, O thou most high. What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee. There's so many reasons today to be afraid. The Psalmist says it this way. Daily man would swallow me up. There's an oppression all around me. People are fighting in my office for those that are sitting in their workstation or workplace right now listening to this. And you know how difficult it can be with people fighting all around you, people in your home. Maybe you've come into the workplace today or maybe you are at home today and so discouraged because it seems that everything is against you. Children are being captivated by things that you really don't want them to be involved in and seemingly with so little strength in yourself to fight against all of these things. And then of course we have society in general today, which is really heading in a very negative trajectory. We see it all around us. The harsh words being spoken by people who should be leading us, leaders in various parts of the world getting a hold of weaponry that is terrifying to say the least. And the bad news, you turn on the news today and it's just a never ending deluge of negativity. And that's what David was saying. He said, these things are threatening to swallow me up. My enemies, he said, would swallow me for there'd be many that fight against me. Oh, thou most high. David was afraid of being overwhelmed. And even as Christians, you and I can get to that place where there's just so much against us, so much fighting in our minds, so many things that want to just take away our peace and our trust and our confidence. But David did the right thing. And the thing that you and I should do as well in a day like today, he said, what time I'm afraid, he said, I will trust in thee. In God, I will praise his word. In God, I have put my trust. I will not fear what flesh can do to me. David came to a conclusion that you and I would be wise to come to in our seasons of life that we're facing. He said, God, you have spoken to me and your words are sufficient for me. I trust you. I believe you. I've settled it in my heart. You cannot, you will not leave me. You will not forsake me. You will not fail me. Now, some are saying today, but pastor, I don't know the word the way you do and some others that speak to us. I'm a new Christian or I've not had an education. I don't know a lot of the Bible. I want to remind you of a story in the gospel of Matthew chapter 14. There was an incredible storm and in the midst of the storm, it looked like the boat was filling and the disciples were in danger as they started being overwhelmed. And suddenly Jesus came walking to them on the water, obviously in a place where that was threatened, them was not threatening him. And Peter said these incredible words to him. He said, Lord Jesus, if it's you, he said, bid me come. And Jesus spoke one word to him. He just said come. And in the strength of that one word that God spoke to him, he got out of a boat and began to walk on the water. He began to walk in places that ordinary people can't walk. You don't have to know all of the word of God. You and I have to simply believe what God has spoken. If he's given you a promise in your heart that he's going to save your family, then stand on that promise, even if it looks like you have to walk on water to do it. If he's told you that he's going to keep your mind in perfect peace because your thoughts are stayed on him, then stand on that promise. He has promised you and I that he will never leave us and he will never forsake us. So you have no reason today to be afraid. When I'm afraid, David said, when my enemies are threatening to swallow me up, he says, I will trust in your word, oh God. He had settled it in his heart and that's where peace is found. When you and I say, Lord, I'm making a conscious decision to believe you. I'm trusting that your God and the words you've spoken to me in the text of scripture and those whisperings that you've whispered into my heart will not fail me. I don't have to know the whole Bible to stand in this generation. I just have to believe what you've whispered into my heart. I do come, Lord Jesus, I do come for the strength and Father, I pray God for all those that are listening today, whether it's at home, in the subway, in the workplace, Lord Jesus Christ, give the strength that only you can give to those who place their confidence in you. David also said, even if the seas roar and the mountains shake, my heart is fixed. I'm not going to be moved by these things for I know, as Paul said, whom I have given my life to and he's well able to keep me until the day he brings me home. God bless you. God keep you. I trust that these devotional times will be a source of strength to you. Be of good cheer. Christ is with you.