195-The Lord is My Shepherd#
195-The Lord is My Shepherd
(JP Text Group - Ren Wei Compilation)
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You! To know You is the greatest blessing in our lives. With You, we are no longer afraid of the road ahead, no matter what risks we encounter, You are with us. You will especially guard our journey ahead; although the situation may not look good now, we believe You will lead us through the valley of the shadow of death. Our home is not in the valley of the shadow of death, but above the valley. We are under the protection of the Lord Jesus. Lead us during this time, so that each of us can experience the blessings that God has given us. Thank You and praise You! In the name of the Lord Jesus, we pray, Amen!
The topic of sharing is: The Lord is My Shepherd
Psalm 23:1-6
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, thank You and praise You! You are my shepherd; the Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. You ensure that every aspect of my life is not lacking because You are my Lord; You will lead me to where You want me to go. Lord, I completely surrender this time to You; please supply us personally! You know each person's needs; You know where each person's worries lie; please provide us with food in due time; lead us in the following time, let the Holy Spirit guide us, renew us, and enjoy Your rest! Thank You and praise the Lord, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!
Everyone is very familiar with Psalm 23. How many people truly understand “The Lord is my shepherd”? God is our shepherd; so what are we? Sheep, that's right. We are the sheep of His pasture, and He is our shepherd. This is a passage about meditation; there are many verses in the Bible about meditation. How do we meditate? Who is my shepherd? The Lord! The last time I shared, “Jehovah” means “the God who makes a covenant with me,” the God who is willing to make a covenant with me and establish a relationship. We are His sheep; the shepherd and the sheep have a relationship; He is our shepherd. When God is our shepherd, what is written later in the scripture is the blessing we will inherit: I shall not want. What shall we not lack? The Bible tells us, “The young lions suffer want and hunger, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” This is not an empty statement; believing that the Lord is our shepherd means we will not lack.
If you are in God, it is impossible to lack; there are no conditions here. The scripture does not say we will not lack joy, we will not lack peace, we will not lack wealth and relationships... it means all of these are included. When the Lord is our shepherd, there is no lack in our lives. However, many people still lack; what is the reason? They do not know that the Lord is their shepherd. The key is to know that the Lord is your shepherd. Once we see Him as our shepherd, we are His sheep, everything becomes effortless, and faith will naturally flow out.
When we believe that God is our shepherd, we can feel loved, cared for, and looked after by Him. Sometimes we say, “This God I cannot see; how can I believe in Him?” At this time, try to believe that He is our shepherd and see ourselves as sheep. Brothers and sisters, think about a question: Who is guarding whom? The shepherd guards the flock; the sheep do not need to worry.
Sheep have three characteristics.
The first characteristic of sheep: Sheep are nearsighted. They cannot see things far away; the visible distance for sheep is about one meter; beyond that, they cannot see. Compared to God, our vision is limited; we cannot see beyond the world. What about God's vision? The Bible says, “The eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth.” Why can’t sheep see far? The physical characteristics of sheep determine that they cannot see far, but the shepherd can see far. So, for a new believer, do not expect them to have too spiritual a performance. Their vision can only see this little bit.
The second characteristic of sheep: Sheep are social animals. Even in the hot summer, sheep like to gather together. The shepherd always tries to separate them, but the sheep still prefer to stay together. Why does the shepherd want to separate the sheep? Because they are prone to illness and can easily get heat rash. Christians should not be solitary; even though the internet is very developed now, we still need to gather together. Because once sheep leave the group, it becomes very dangerous.
Sheep are nearsighted and social animals; they like to crowd together. Why? Because when sheep walk, they do not look at anything else; they only look at the sheep right in front of them. The sheep at the front closely follow the shepherd, and the sheep behind follow the one in front of them. Someone conducted an experiment: they set up a tree stump, and when the leading sheep jumped over the stump, the people moved the stump away, and the following sheep still jumped over it. What does this indicate? The sheep have a problem with their vision, and they particularly trust their companions. So when they see the sheep in front of them doing this, they will do the same.
Those who believed in the past are our predecessors, and they are worth emulating. But what should we emulate? It is not that we do what they do; we need to have a standard of discernment. If it aligns with the Bible, we need to follow; if it does not align with the Bible, we should not follow. Sheep are social animals; since God can compare us to sheep, it proves that we need to share, comfort, and encourage each other together.
The Lord is our shepherd; there is no lack in our lives. Some people still lack because they do not know that the Lord is their shepherd. When they regard the Lord as their shepherd, they need not worry. We ask ourselves: every morning, does any sheep run to the shepherd and say, “What will I eat this morning? Is there water to drink? Are we going to the same place as yesterday?” Who should consider these matters? The shepherd.
So what should a sheep consider? Just believe in the shepherd. Wherever the shepherd goes, we just follow; this is the simplest and most blessed way. For example, when we take a taxi here, the driver knows the route; we do not need to direct him. It is his business which road he takes; we just need to trust him. The driver dislikes it when someone in the passenger seat tells him how to drive; the driver knows what he is doing.
Our relationship with the Heavenly Father should be like this. We do not know the future or the way out; it does not matter as long as we fully trust Him, believing that He is our shepherd. Once we regard the Lord as our shepherd, faith arises. We need not worry that the shepherd will lead us into a ditch or feed us poisonous grass.
The third characteristic of sheep: Sheep have no discernment. If the shepherd leads them to a patch of poisonous grass, they will eat it. Sheep have no discernment; their well-being and survival are determined by the shepherd. If we have a good shepherd, we are blessed. Who is our shepherd? Jesus Christ; Jesus Christ is our good shepherd. The first thing we need to learn is to believe that the Lord is our caretaker, our protector. We need not worry; we walk in His provision and live according to the biblical way. God does not want us to lack in any aspect; in other words, whatever we need, He will supply us. We shall not lack; God does not add conditions, saying that we will not lack when we obey; it is when we believe that the Lord is our shepherd that we shall not lack.
How do some people understand the phrase “I shall not want”? Some say, “I know that one day, when I enter heaven, I will not lack.” That is incorrect; God did not say that we will not lack after we go to heaven. God means that we will not lack while we are in this world.
So far, what do people lack the most? Salvation. Without salvation, having more is still lacking. Everything in this world will pass away; if we have the salvation of Jesus Christ, we have already obtained the greatest blessing. Believing that the Lord is our shepherd means we will no longer lack salvation, we will no longer lack provision... whatever we need, our Heavenly Father will supply. We not only accept Jesus as our Savior, but we also regard Jesus as our shepherd; He will guide our steps every day.
Verse 2: “He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters.”
Brothers and sisters, think about how we got to the green pastures. Did you find it yourself? Have you ever seen a shepherd say, “Sheep, from today on, go find food and water for yourselves”? That is not a shepherd; that is a wolf. It is very clear here, “He makes me lie down in green pastures,” proving that the sheep can lie down in green pastures because the shepherd brought them there. In other words, our Heavenly Father makes us lie down in green pastures. Why do sheep lie down in green pastures? To enjoy rest; God lets us lie down in green pastures to relax and enjoy His rest.
One meaning of the Hebrew word for “healing” also includes the meaning of relaxing. When we relax and enjoy rest, we receive healing. God wants us to enjoy rest, especially inner rest. Some people are always working hard, but they cannot enjoy rest; they become very busy and eventually become very anxious. This is not what God wants us to do. God wants us to lie down in green pastures.
In other words, why do sheep lie down in green pastures? It proves that at this moment, the sheep are already full. When we are satisfied in Christ, we can have rest, and Jesus is the greatest satisfaction in our lives. He makes us lie down in green pastures; this is what the Lord hopes for us. When we are truly at rest in the Lord, the Holy Spirit will naturally tell us what to do.
When sheep are full and satisfied, they lie down to rest. For us, knowing that God has prepared everything for us allows our hearts to enjoy rest and relax. The most lacking thing in the world is God's rest because they do not recognize that the Lord is their shepherd; they are always anxious and feel the need to do something, always busy. Many people, even when told to rest, cannot rest; they sit at home but cannot keep their minds still! They always find something to do; that is not true rest.
When we believe that the Lord is our shepherd, God allows us to enjoy His peace and stability in our hearts. When we understand that the Lord is our shepherd, God will tell us what to do, and we will easily know what God wants us to do.
For this person, perhaps God says, “Go preach in those countries in Palestine.” Why does he dare to go? Because God has given him rest within. In other words, if it were me, I would not dare to go; my faith has not reached that level. Some say, “We should go to Israel to preach the gospel.” Is that good? Yes, but right now, God has given me the burden to preach the gospel domestically. I clearly know this is what God has given me, so while I am doing this ministry here, I am enjoying rest.
Perhaps God tells another person, “You should become a housewife, cooking every day, and let this become your joy in life.” Is this something everyone can do? Not necessarily; not all sisters are willing to cook; this is also a burden. The burdens that God places in each of us are different.
But no matter what profession we are engaged in or how we serve, please remember to first believe that the Lord is our shepherd. We will have His faith and wisdom to joyfully do the work of service. Perhaps God tells another person, “You should become a businessman, making money for Jesus Christ and supporting gospel work.” So whatever we do, God will first give us the ability to do well in this area; these are all God's provisions. He makes us lie down in green pastures.
For sheep, green pastures are places where they can receive sustenance. When a sheep lies down in green pastures, it proves that its supply is completely sufficient. We cannot do the work of the Holy Spirit, but I can help you recognize God's provision. Whether or not we can rest is our own matter. If I am a shepherd, I can lead these sheep to green pastures, but I cannot make them enjoy rest. When I lead the sheep here, what must they do to rest? The sheep need to eat and drink; when they are full, they can rest. If the sheep are starving, and I lead them to green pastures, but they start to doubt:
“Is this grass poisonous?”
“Is this grass fresh?”
“Why does this grass look different from yesterday?”
“Is eating this good for my body?”
“Will it affect my digestive system?”
If the sheep think like this, can they enjoy rest? No, because they are “too smart.”
Many times, people are too clever, and as a result, they become stumbling blocks to receiving God's grace. Believe that God is leading us every day. No matter what problems we encounter, we must believe that the Lord is our shepherd. I can lead you to understand God's word and help you receive God's provision, but you need to eat it.
The sheep have arrived at the green pastures; what they need to do is eat the grass. I have given you God's word; only when we digest and absorb it can it benefit us. If you say, “No, I think more than half of what you said today is problematic,” then fine, just digest what you can.
When the sheep lie down in green pastures, they will tuck their feet in; no sheep that is full will run around. When we understand the grace and provision of Jesus Christ, we will no longer be busy people, nor will we be people who jump around. Those who do not know Jesus Christ have no hope; they do not know what will happen after today, what will happen tomorrow, or what this year will be like for their company. The reason these people are worried is that they do not know that the Lord is their shepherd. They do not know there is a shepherd who provides, but we are different; we are people who know God. The Lord is our shepherd; we are sheep.
Do not be a sheep that eats while walking. Many people wake up in the morning, do not have time to cook, and buy something to eat while walking, busy from morning till night, not knowing what they are busy with. Many people consume spiritual food in the same way; they wake up in the morning and do not have time to listen to the sermon, so they listen while walking to work. This is good, but the best way is to sit down in a quiet space where we can relax and read or listen to the sermon; this is when you have truly lain down. If there is really no time, listening while walking is also good, but a better way is to give yourself a quiet time, where your heart is not restless, and then quiet down to listen to God's word. This is the rest we should enjoy. Just like Mary, she sat at Jesus' feet to listen to His words.
God also especially hopes that we can lie down; lying down is a form of rest, a form of peace. Do not always rush to do things; God wants us to lie down in green pastures, which means we lie down in God's provision. If we are sheep, green pastures are absolutely good for sheep. God wants us to lie down in a place of abundant supply. The green grass, in Hebrew, means “lush and newly sprouted,” referring to fresh grass. God's provision for us today is fresh. Our Heavenly Father is different from other shepherds; He does not let us eat in one place today and still be there tomorrow, waiting until we finish eating before changing places. That is not how it works. Our Heavenly Father provides us with the freshest grass every day, new grace.
The world changes every day, and the kingdom of heaven is even more so. We must believe that what God gives us to eat is not bad grass or dried grass, but fresh grass. This also symbolizes that for those under the New Covenant, if they hear the wrong message and eat the wrong grass, their lives will be affected. We can eat hay, but if we are sheep, when hay and green grass are placed before us, which one will we choose? It is very simple. Some say, “We must obey the law of Moses; we must memorize the Ten Commandments.” Can we? Yes, if they are willing to do so, then let them do it!
I just want to tell you that you are under the New Covenant; you can choose to eat hay or green grass, so choose wisely. If someone says, “Today I am eating hay while eating green grass.” This is definitely not a normal sheep; you can try it; the sheep will choose which one. The Bible tells us: people think old wine is better, but in God's eyes, new wine is better. People's concepts say that this wine has been aged for many years; we take out Napoleon's wine from many years ago, and we think it is very valuable. But in Jesus Christ, new wine is better than old wine, so many of our concepts need to be transformed in Jesus Christ. Hallelujah, fresh grass symbolizes the New Covenant; God leads us to green pastures so that we can rest there and ensure that what we hear is the revelation about Jesus Christ.
Let’s look at a verse, Isaiah 30:15, “For thus said the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: ‘In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.’”
God leads you to green pastures and makes you lie there, leading you beside still waters. Our Lord, the Holy One of Israel, has said that salvation is in returning to rest, which proves that before we are saved, we are people without rest. After salvation, it proves that the Lord is our shepherd; we should return to rest. Why can we rest? Because we believe that the Lord is our shepherd, our provider, our caretaker, and our protector. Amen.
“How do you gain strength?” One way is through salvation, and the other is through victory. For those who are already saved, how do we gain victory and regain strength? It is through quietness and rest. When can we be quiet and at rest? Knowing that God is our provider; we know that the Lord is our shepherd. God makes us lie down in green pastures; He leads us beside still waters. If God tells us that although we are already saved, we must strive to live well, it is equivalent to the shepherd saying to the sheep, “Sheep, now that you are under my care, from today on, go find grass and water for yourselves!” Can the sheep have peace and stability in their hearts? No.
Those who believe in Jesus Christ should not live like the world, busy, aimless, and numb. We must believe that the Lord is our shepherd; He will lead us beside still waters. Lying down in green pastures is a form of rest, and God also leads us beside still waters. God saves us not hoping that we will work harder to please Him. He brings us back into the flock so that we can enjoy His rest and His provision.
Verse 3: “He restores my soul.”
How is our soul restored? God restores our souls. Many people will say: “You must do this, you must do that...” They always feel that we must do something to be effective, but Psalm 23 is all about God doing things. “He restores our souls” in the original language means He revives our lives; He breathes life into us once again.
“He leads us in paths of righteousness for His name's sake.” Who leads us? It is still our God who leads us. At this moment, what does the sheep need to do? Just believe and follow. Here, there are two instances of leading: one is leading us to still waters, and the other is leading us in paths of righteousness. When God leads us, we only need to follow Him; He will lead us to a place of abundance. Perhaps in the past, we relied on ourselves, but today, if we are willing to believe in God's guidance and follow Him, He will lead us to a place of abundance.
Verse 4: “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
If the sheep always follows the shepherd, why would the shepherd lead it to green pastures and still waters, yet the sheep encounters the valley of the shadow of death? This is somewhat similar to the Lord's Prayer, “Lead us not into temptation,” but then it says, “but deliver us from evil.” If God does not lead us into temptation, how can we fall into evil? Where is the problem? It is not the shepherd's fault; it is the sheep's fault. We will find that the previous verses say “He makes me...,” “He leads me...,” but here it changes to “I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,” which proves that the previous verses were all about God leading us, but suddenly we want to walk on our own.
When we want to walk on our own, we may inadvertently walk into the valley of the shadow of death. In life, there will always be some detours. When does this problem arise? When we rely on ourselves, when we do not have the Lord to guide us. Sheep are nearsighted; they cannot see the road ahead. As they walk, they may fall into a pit.
Many times, we think this method is good, and this road is good! But that is just “what we think.” Some sheep appear very clever and say, “I want to try this new road.” If you are not sure about this road, do not try it.
Indeed, there are sheep that like to do something, so the following scripture says, “Even though...,” “even though” indicates that they may not always listen to God's words; that is when we walk in on our own. Please remember: the valley of the shadow of death is not where the Lord leads us. You may be able to recite Psalm 23, but I want to tell you that the valley of the shadow of death is definitely not where God puts us; it is when we think, “This place is nice; this method is good,” and we go our own way. Your method is too old-fashioned; it is outdated; I want to do it the new way. As a result, we fall into the valley of the shadow of death, but the Lord loves us very much because He is our shepherd, so He seeks us out.
In Luke 15, it is recorded that there were 100 sheep, and one sheep got lost. Why did that sheep get lost? Imagine if this sheep closely followed the one in front of it, it would not fall behind. Perhaps this sheep, as it walked, saw a patch of grass and, feeling embarrassed to tell others, thought it had discovered a great treasure, so it began to eat. It found better grass ahead and continued to eat... When it turned around, it could no longer see the flock.
Many times, falling behind and losing God's guidance is because we have walked too far on our own. “Why have I not heard God's voice recently?” You may have fallen behind or been away from the flock for too long. This sheep is willing to return. Brothers and sisters, when we find that wandering sheep in the world, do not criticize them, saying, “Now you know, your illness and the brokenness in your family are because you left the Lord; this is the result you should have received.” Do not criticize them like that; if they do not want to return, they will not come to tell you. This sheep, realizing it has lost the flock, cannot find its way home. It cannot find it. So it becomes a lost sheep.
The Bible says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me.” This scripture tells us: even if we fall behind and may go our own way, who will come to find us? The Lord Jesus will personally come to find us. As a sheep, if you run to the wrong place, just wait there! Believe that the Heavenly Father will come back to find us and bring us back to the flock. Even if we have indeed taken the wrong path in life, do not worry; do not continue to dwell on that place. When God comes to find us, we should joyfully follow the shepherd back.
In Luke 15, it is recorded that the Lord left the 99 sheep in the wilderness to seek that one lost sheep. Although that one sheep may have brought this upon itself, the Lord will still go to find it. Our Lord Jesus never says, “Too bad for you because you were disobedient...” This is not the way of our Lord Jesus; He will never say, “When I find you, I will give you a good beating.”
I particularly enjoy meditating on Luke 15, which is very similar to our traditions, even opposite. Many children are particularly rebellious; they leave the comfortable life at home and venture out, almost ruining the family property before returning. When parents wait for their sons to return, usually the father does not give him a good face, saying, “Kneel there!” The scene in the drama shows that it starts to rain heavily, and the prodigal son kneels there, getting drenched and falling ill. His father softens and forgives him. Our Heavenly Father will never do that; even if we are really in a terrible state, our Heavenly Father will personally find us and let us return with Him.
“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death.” Please remember, brothers and sisters: this is the valley of the shadow of death, but it is not the valley of death. The valley of the shadow of death and the valley of death are two different concepts. If it were the valley of death, it would be certain death; it is the valley of the shadow of death, which means we may be harmed by some people or things. These become our valleys, our shadows, called the shadow of death, being condemned and hurt. Such shadows remain within us; how can we remove them? Believe that the Lord will come to find us; when He is with us, they will be removed. Despite the many hurts and grievances we have experienced in our lives, which are shadows in our hearts, when we accept Jesus, the Holy Spirit dwells in our hearts. When we know He is with us, these shadows disappear. God is within us; He will guide us along the path of light, not leave us in the shadows to continue suffering.
David was remarkable; he saw the scene about 1,000 years later. He saw Jesus conquer death and rise from the dead. He indeed has some problems now, but he believes that this shadow will be removed by Jesus Christ. Therefore, he says, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
Notice that there is a change here: The Lord is my shepherd; He leads me, He guides me, He restores me. When some shadows appear, he says, “You are with me.” This is different. God leads us every day. But when we are hurt and in some shadows, God no longer leads us in this way; instead, He is with us. He will not let you walk a difficult path alone; He will be with us.
When you think about it, even though our current environment is not good, even though we still have problems, let us think about another question: “The Lord is by our side.” When we walk again, we will not be afraid. Perhaps it is some trials and temptations; no matter what it is, we must believe: today, the Lord Jesus Christ is with us. When we encounter problems, do not say, “Lord! Help me! Lord! Where are You?” Do not declare this; it is wrong. Declare this instead: “Lord Jesus, You are with me; I will not fear evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.”
What are the rod and the staff used for? Many people say that the rod and the staff are used to strike the sheep. Is that correct? Absolutely not. If you do not believe it, you can ask a shepherd if the whip in his hand is used to hit the sheep every day. No, the rod the shepherd holds is now called a whip; the whip is used in the air, not to strike the sheep. The rod and the staff are used to comfort us. If a sheep accidentally falls into a crevice and gets stuck, and the shepherd's hand cannot reach it, what should be done? The rod and the staff come into play; the rod and the staff have a hook at the end, and the shepherd will use the rod and the staff to hook the sheep back, bringing it back into his embrace.
The staff is used to strike wolves, not to strike sheep. The staff and the rod represent the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is called the Comforter; why can He comfort us? The Holy Spirit can comfort us when we are uncomfortable in the crevice; He will personally come to comfort us. The Holy Spirit is our Helper and our Comforter; the Holy Spirit always leads us to Jesus Christ.
If we stray from the path and run into a dead end, sometimes our minds are too clever; we see a hole and want to drill into it. The more we drill, the smaller the road ahead becomes, and we cannot get through. I used to be that kind of person; people say, “You will not turn back until you hit the south wall.” I hit the south wall and still did not turn back; I had to break through the south wall. This actually describes us; when we move forward relying on ourselves, we walk into a dead end. At this time, the rod and the staff come into play; the rod and the staff will pull us back. This is the work of the Holy Spirit.
When we reach a dead end and there is no way to go, the Holy Spirit will tell us, “Do not go; turn back!” If we say, “No! I will stay here.” At this time, the Holy Spirit will repeatedly move us to turn back; this is the role of the rod and the staff. I cannot replace the work of the Holy Spirit; I can only tell you God's word. The Holy Spirit will personally guide us in each person's heart, personally comfort us, and let us walk the right path.
Verse 5: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
The scripture says, “In the presence of my enemies.” Why is it in the presence of enemies? Sometimes we say, “Lord, do not let us encounter enemies,” “In the name of Jesus Christ: let this devil leave and roll far away from me.” Many times, we pray like this, but Psalm 23 says, “In the presence of my enemies, You prepare a table for me.” Many times, we hope there are no enemies so we can enjoy food and a feast.
It is fine to enjoy God's word in peace and safety, but when we encounter circumstances and problems, or when we are in pain, it is difficult to enjoy God's word.
Many people will say, “What good does it do to tell me this? Solve my problem first!”
“I do not want to hear God's word right now; I want my marriage to be restored!”
“I want my family to be restored! I do not want to hear God's word!”
Do you find this contradictory? If we receive God's word into our hearts, the problems will naturally be solved. But they say, “I want to solve my problem; I do not want God.” This is contradictory.
Brothers and sisters, God does not want us to ignore problems; rather, in the face of our problems, God prepares a table for us. Hallelujah! We are not affected by these problems; the Lord allows us to enjoy His feast even in the midst of pain and problems. Our Lord allows us to receive God's provision even in the presence of enemies; although pressure surrounds us, we can take Jesus Christ as our joy.
This is a very wonderful scene. When David wrote this part, he referenced the war scenes of the Old Testament. In David's time, there was a custom: when a king defeated the enemy, he would chain them together and let them starve for many days. Then, in front of these enemies, the victorious king would prepare a lavish feast to show contempt for the enemies. The most satisfying scene is not to kill the enemies but to let them starve for a while and then eat in front of them. The enemies can only watch with gritted teeth; they are locked up and cannot approach. They can only glare at you, and the more they glare, the happier you become.
This tells us that our enemy is the devil; the devil is already a loser before Jesus. We can bind the devil in the name of Jesus and let it watch us enjoy the joy of Jesus Christ. Amen. Paul understood this; Paul could achieve peace and joy in any circumstance, and the devil could only gnash his teeth, unable to do anything to him.
The Bible says, “You anoint my head with oil.”
Oil refers to olive oil; the Israelites always used olive oil to anoint people. Oil also represents the Holy Spirit. When the Lord anoints our heads with oil, what are the benefits? Today's cosmetics come from this. Under the scorching sun, the skin can be damaged; if you anoint your face with oil, the scorching sun cannot harm you, thus providing sun protection. Cosmetics contain oil, which prevents skin damage. Here it tells us that He anoints my head; although there is a scorching sun, it cannot harm you.
Another benefit is that when sheep are eating grass, flies may come and lay eggs in the sheep's ears, and a bunch of little flies may hatch. Just thinking about it is disgusting. Sheep cannot scratch their ears with their feet, so once flies lay eggs in the sheep's ears, the sheep will feel very uncomfortable and become restless. The shepherd will anoint the sheep's head with olive oil, as flies hate the smell of olive oil.
The anointing oil represents the Holy Spirit. The devil hates the power of the Holy Spirit the most. If the Holy Spirit anoints us every day, the devil will not come too close. In the Bible, flies represent evil spirits. Once, Jesus was called “Beelzebub” by some people; “Beel” means king, and “zebub” refers to flies, translating to “lord of the flies,” which is also a name for the devil.
When the work of evil spirits surrounds us, the shepherd will anoint us with oil, and this oil will drive away the flies because flies do not like oil. When God anoints us with His oil, our cup can overflow. God's provision is definitely not stingy; God generously gives to us.
Verse 6: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
Surely, throughout our lives, we will have God's goodness and mercy accompanying us; it is not perhaps, it is not possibly, it is surely that God's goodness and mercy will follow us. The meaning of “follow” is that God's grace and mercy relentlessly pursue us until they catch up with us, forever and ever. This is our attitude towards life. We must believe that surely, throughout our lives, goodness and mercy will accompany us.
Many people, after waking up every morning, mistakenly declare, “Today I have to go to work again.” Just declaring this leads to unfavorable outcomes; why not change it? Believe that goodness and mercy will surely follow me throughout my life. Every day when you wake up, make the correct declaration to yourself:
In the name of the Lord Jesus: Today is a beautiful day!
In the name of the Lord Jesus: Today is a victorious day!
In the name of the Lord Jesus: Today is a blessed day!
In the name of the Lord Jesus: Today is a smooth-working day!
We must speak positive declarations. In the name of the Lord Jesus: The Holy Spirit anoints me every day; the power of the Holy Spirit is upon me; He is with me. I do not fear any problems or difficulties ahead because God is with us; God is our helper.
Do not fear the work of the devil; many people overly publicize the work of the devil. We know that the Lord has anointed our heads with oil; the devil runs away when it sees the oil. The devil hates this smell; the devil cannot overcome the Holy Spirit. This is us; we have God's goodness and grace accompanying us throughout our lives, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. In the house of God means we have God's eternal provision and protection; we are victorious.
What I can do is break down God's word for you, making you realize that the Lord is our shepherd. Since we are sheep, what we need to do is believe in our shepherd and follow our shepherd. When we realize that the Lord is our shepherd, we shall not lack; it is not possibly, it is not maybe; God will absolutely provide us with abundant supply. Do not look at the current problems; we must believe that the problems are temporary, that this shadow is temporary, and that our Lord will lead us to a place of abundance. Thank You and praise the Lord.
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank You! Thank You for making me Your sheep, and You are my shepherd. We believe that every day, You will lead us and supply us; You will lead me beside still waters; You will make me lie down in green pastures because You are my provider; You are my protector. I do not fear the road ahead because I believe that no matter what environment I encounter, You are the Lord who leads me. You are my shepherd.
You will lead me into a place of abundance; You will prepare a lavish feast for me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with the Holy Spirit, and I enjoy the supply of the Holy Spirit every day. I carry the authority of Jesus Christ; I do not fear any problems because Jesus Christ has already overcome the world. You are my leader; You are my shepherd; You are my ever-present help in trouble. Thank You, Jesus!
Heavenly Father, thank You for giving me Jesus, making me the one You love. In Jesus Christ, I am righteous, I am holy, I am loved by God. I believe that in the new week, I will live with Your power. Thank You and praise You; all glory belongs to You! In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen!