The dreaded phone call, the disappointing letter, the worrying news report on the television; at some point we will receive bad news. How should we respond? How can we take courage when we face difficult circumstances?
Psalm 112:7-8 says:
He will not be afraid of evil tidings;
His heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD.
His heart is established;
He will not be afraid,
Until he sees his desire upon his enemies.
Who Is He Who Won’t Be Afraid When Bad News Comes?
Who is this person who will not be afraid of evil tidings? Let's go back to the beginning of Psalm 112 to find out more.
(Verse 1)
Blessed is the man who fears the LORD,
Who delights greatly in His commandments.
The courageous person is the one who worships the Lord, who appreciates how awesome God is. They are the one who delights in the traditions, the instructions, the obligations, the
‘things’ of God. They are someone who respects the Lord for His superiority and
authority and headship, and is willing to obey and do things His way because
he knows it is the right way.
So first, let’s make sure we are those people, because it is on that basis that we
have no fear. We will not be afraid of evil tidings. Evil is the work of the devil.
God has no part in evil. He is HOLY. And He is GOOD. It is the devil who is
bringing the evil report.
Why?
To destroy your faith. He wants to make you afraid. He wants to take your eyes
off Jesus, and on to yourself, your circumstances. He wants to push you into
taking matters into your own hands, to speaking blasphemous things, to make
you unstable in all your ways. This is his delight.
But your delight is in the things of God. No, your GREAT delight is in the things
of God.
Your heart, your mind, your will, the seat of your courage, is steadfast,
unshakeable, established in trusting in the Lord. You will not be afraid for the
duration of the attack, ending with seeing the enemy defeated.
What Might an Evil Report Look Like for You?
What might an evil report look like for you?
Thoughts of a bad thing happening
A doctor’s report
The news on TV
And what kinds of things might you fear?
Your children getting into trouble, getting sick or not have the resources
to be successful
Not being able to afford food or heating this winter
Darkness – wickedness, terror, mourning
Unsuccessful in business
Losing faith in God
This psalm gives great encouragement in each one of these areas. It has
promises here for the one who worships the Lord.
Promises For the One Who Worships the Lord
Your Children Will Be Blessed
(Verse 2)
Your offspring will be MIGHTY on the earth. They will be blessed.
Why?
Because you are upright. You are righteous, by faith in Jesus Christ. Your
righteousness through Christ opens up a door to heaven which means you
have access to every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. And the first one
here is for your children. God has said that because of YOUR righteousness,
your children will be blessed and mighty on the earth.
You Will Be Provided For
(Verse 3)
You do not need to worry about your finances. Wealth and riches will
be in your house. As food prices and energy prices soar, they Lord’s economy is
not affected by these things. He will ensure you have wealth AND riches
available to you. More than enough. And His gift of your righteousness will not
expire, and so this promise is to you forever.
God's Glory is Upon You
(Verse 4)
Gross darkness will cover the earth and the people but in these times
God says that His light has come and His glory has risen upon you. As people
become more oppressed, you become more free. As people become more
depressed, you become more radiant. As people become more stressed, you
become more patient, generous and hopeful. When hatred and revenge are
rising in the people, love and grace abounds in you because you are righteous.
You Will Be Successful
(Verse 5)
You will be successful in work, in business. God has promised it for the
righteous. It is a spiritual blessing stored up for you. You will be successful in
work because you stoop down and show kindness to those who are inferior to
you (deals graciously). You will lend money or other things fairly. You will
conduct your business affairs honestly.
You Will Not Be Shaken
(Verses 6,7,8)
You will not lose faith. Surely, you will never be shaken. You will
not be afraid of bad news, because you trust what the Lord is saying here.
You know your God. You know He doesn’t lie. You know He has promised you these
things, and they are stored up for you in heaven. You have nothing to fear,
because God is with you. And you will see this bad news come to nothing.
The Fruit of Your Righteousness is Evident to All
(Verse 9)
The worse the news gets the more generous you become. The fruit of
your righteousness is evident to all, but particularly to the demons and angels
in the spiritual realm. Do not forget that the battle happens in the spiritual
realm and it is there that the evidence of God’s glory upon you is so obvious.
Your horn is exalted with honour – your strength in leadership and authority is
held up as an example. God will make sure you are honoured in the heavens.
And as a result:
(Verse 10) The wicked will see it and become extremely angry. And they, the
demons, might shout louder and make the evil tidings more gruesome and
terrifying, but they are just death throes – their death throes. They will gnash
their teeth – that’s all they can do! And they will melt away. Their plans, their
tactics have failed and they will pester you no more for a while.
You will see that the bad news has come to nothing, and the Lord has done
something gloriously good in the midst of it all.
Stand Firm in the Face of Bad News
So when you hear bad news, turn your eyes to Jesus, worship Him, give thanks and remember that He works all things together for good for those who love Him.