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When Opposition Arises: Unlocking Psalm 2's Promise · Verse and Voice Podcast

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  You're listening to verse and voice with charlie where god's word meets your everyday walk,
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  Welcome to Unlocking the Psalms, where we discover the purpose of each psalm,
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  try to understand when to pray it, and learn how to turn God's Word into personal prayers.
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  I am your host, Charlie, and today we are looking at Unlocking Psalms chapter
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  2. And our focus is going to be on the psalm of victory over conspiracies and opposition.
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  And anytime I think about Psalms 2, those questions come to me.
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  Have you ever worked hard towards something only to encounter unexpected resistance?
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  Have you ever felt that just when things were beginning to work in your favor,
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  obstacles began to arise?
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  Perhaps you are pursuing a business opportunity, or you're building a ministry,
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  working towards a promotion, or trusting God for a breakthrough.
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  And it seems as though resistance keeps appearing along the way.
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  And so Psalm 2 gives us a powerful perspective when it comes to opposition.
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  And it reminds us that even when people gather, plans are made and resistance
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  rises against God's purposes.
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  But the Lord remains sovereign. And that is one thing we need to keep in mind,
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  that the Lord remains sovereign.
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  Today we will discover how to pray the psalm when you face opposition,
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  how to entrust your battles to God, and how to stand confidently in His authority.
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  So let's unlock Psalms chapter 2.
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  So in the first verse and second verse, and I will read the King James Version,
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  it says, Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing?
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  The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together
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  against the Lord and against his anointed, saying,
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  Over here, the psalm describes rulers that are gathering together and setting
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  themselves against the Lord and His anointed.
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  So take note of the language that is being used here, that they take counsel together.
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  So this is a picture of an organized opposition.
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  And we have to understand that people are not merely disagreeing.
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  They are actually joining forces against what God has established.
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  But this is the revelation concerning this, that the existence of opposition
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  does not mean that God has lost his control.
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  Sometimes we become so focused on the resistance in front of us that we forget
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  the greatness of the God who stands with us.
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  We can see the obstacle, but we forget the one who can actually give us wisdom to overcome it.
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  Sometimes we hear the negative reports and we forget the promises of God.
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  We become anxious about what others might be planning instead of actually remaining
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  focused on what God has called us to do.
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  So Psalm 2 here redirects our attention. In the verse 4, it says that he that
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  seated in the heavens shall laugh.
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  The Lord shall have them in duration.
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  What a powerful picture.
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  So while earthly rulers imagine that their plans can actually prevail against
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  God, the Lord remains enthroned in heaven.
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  So God is not intimidated by human power.
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  He's not confused by the opposition of people. And he's not a God who is scrambling
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  to find a position to a problem he did not anticipate.
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  One thing we know, one thing I know, is that he remains sovereign.
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  Now, this does not mean that every disagreement is a conspiracy or that every
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  obstacle is evidence of a spiritual attack.
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  We must exercise wisdom and discernment.
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  But when you genuinely encounter opposition, Psalm 2 reminds you that you do
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  not have to respond with panic or hatred or revenge.
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  You can take your concerns to God. Ask Him for wisdom. Trust Him to establish what is right.
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  Your confidence must not be in your ability to outsmart every opponent,
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  but rather your confidence must be in the sovereignty of God.
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  Post and to protect you from any wrongdoing and also help you to respond wisely.
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  You do not need to know every hidden conversation to trust God with your future, all right?
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  So thirdly, pray it when you need courage to keep moving forward.
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  Sometimes the greatest danger is not the opposition itself, but the fear that
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  causes you to abandon your assignment.
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  I have experienced that a lot of times.
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  You'll face certain oppositions and you'll feel like giving up.
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  You'll feel like abandoning this assignment, but ensure that no,
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  it doesn't take you there. Rather, ask God to strengthen your heart so that
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  you do not give up simply because the journey has become difficult.
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  Finally, pray it when you need to remember who has the final authority.
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  Okay, Psalm 2 definitely or ultimately points out as beyond earthly power to
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  god's sovereign rule and his,
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  uh his appointed king right so for christians the psalm finds its fulfillment
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  in jesus christ who is our king,
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  and you you can see that even in acts chapter 4 um from verse 25 to 28 you you
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  see a glimpse of that so therefore our prayer is not simply that god should
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  defeat the people we consider our enemies, rather,
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  it is that his will should prevail, his truth should stand, and we should remain
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  faithful to Christ, right?
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  So Psalms 2 is very, very powerful, and we must understand the power that is
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  behind it, right? So, as I mentioned earlier on Psalms 2, the first two verses
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  is giving you a reality of opposition.
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  Showing you that resistance against God, God's purposes is not a new,
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  it's not something new, it's not a new phenomenon, right?
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  The psalm is actually acknowledging that people may gather and devise plans,
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  but we can pray these verses when we need God to help us discern opposition
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  without actually being consumed by fear or suspicion, right?
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  And then we see the sovereignty of God when it's highlighted on the fact that
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  he that's seated in heaven shall love. So human authority can never come close
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  to God's authority, right?
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  God is greater. God is really greater, right? If you're listening to me,
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  just say to yourself that God is greater, right?
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  So it doesn't matter how overwhelming your position will make you feel,
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  but remember that God is really on his throne, right? And then the next verses,
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  which is from verse 10 to 12, is a call to wisdom.
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  It's a call to submission to God, right?
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  So there are times we need to respond properly and wisely.
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  Keep that in mind, right? And so the prayer on this is the fact that the Lord
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  should establish His purpose in your life.
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  So wherever you are listening from, take a moment to settle your heart.
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  If you are able, you can just close your eyes and join me in prayer.
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  Father, thank you.
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  Because you are the sovereign Lord over all the earth. You are seated on your
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  throne and your authority is above every earthly power.
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  Today, we bring before you every area of our lives where we are experiencing opposition.
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  We bring you our plans, our responsibilities, our families, our work,
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  our ministry, and every good purpose.
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  And we are trusting you to establish in our lives. Where there's opposition,
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  just give us wisdom, Lord. Where there's confusion, give us clarity.
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  Where we feel intimidated. Give us the boldness. And if we are experiencing
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  any injustice, let your truth and righteousness prevail.
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  Deliver us from fear, bitterness, and the desire for revenge and establish your
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  purposes in our lives. We thank you.
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  We give you all the glory in Jesus' mighty name.
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  So this is your practical assignment. Take your scriptures or your Bible,
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  read some too aloud, And as you
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  read, pay attention to the reality of opposition, the sovereignty of God,
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  and Him calling us to submit to Him and to trust His appointed King, which is Jesus Christ.
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  Do not spend your entire prayer time worrying about what others might be doing,
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  but just reminding yourself of who God is and asking Him to direct your steps.
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  Thank you for joining me on Unlocking the Psalms.
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  If this episode has encouraged you share it with someone who needs strength,
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  and wisdom in a difficult season until next time keep trusting God's word keep
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  seeking his wisdom and remain devoted to prayer God richly bless you.