Trust: in the presence of Fear
“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.”
Nahum 1:7
“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Isaiah 26:3
• Trust is the next step up from faith.
• Trust makes us search inward.
• Isaiah 55:8 – God thinks higher than we do. Trust bridges the gap between His way and understanding versus our lack of understanding.
• Trust brings anticipation and expectation.
• Confidence, according to Webster’s Dictionary 1828, is defined as: A trusting, or reliance; an assurance of mind or firm belief in the integrity, stability or veracity of another, or in the truth and reality of a fact.
• “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.” Hebrews 10:35-36
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Proverbs 3:5
“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Two things have I required of thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the Lord ? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain.”
Proverbs 30:5-9
• God knows how much we could handle before we would deny Him or before we would steal. This scripture is asking God to give us what is right for us, not too much and not too little.
• God will not ruin us or give us something that would destroy us.
“The God of my rock; in him will I trust: he is my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the Lord , who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.”
2 Samuel 22:3-4,31
– Jeremiah 17:7
– Psalms 5:11
“What time I am afraid, 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 unto me.”
Psalms 56:3-4
• Trust – you don’t have it until you have relationship such as worship, the word, and prayer.
• How can you trust God when you don’t know Him, haven’t spent time with Him?
• Transparency breeds trust. God is very transparent with us through His word. He tells us that we will have trials.
“My soul, wait thou only upon God; for my expectation is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation: he is my defence; I shall not be moved. Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah. In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.”
Psalms 62:5-8
“In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust: let me never be put to confusion.”
Psalms 71:1
• God does not author confusion. Sometimes we can become investigators trying to make sense of what God is up to or figure out how He will work something out.
• He has called us to trust, even when we don’t see the answer and know the outcome.
• Trust eliminates confusion, God has an expected end for me (Jeremiah 29:11).
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord , He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.”
Psalms 91:1-3,5-8,10-11,15-16
• There are many benefits and promises tied to this passage. As a believer, you can profess these promises over your life.
• We are wired not to trust.
• You have to trust God, you can’t read His text messages!
• There may be times when we are looking for a feeling or some sign that we should trust Him. We go into worship expecting a certain posture or the words to a certain song to ignite a feeling. Sometimes you feel nothing because He won’t let you have that physical touch because you need to trust Him even when you can’t feel Him.
“Surely he shall not be moved for ever: the righteous shall be in everlasting remembrance. He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord . His heart is established, he shall not be afraid, until he see his desire upon his enemies.”
Psalms 112:6-8