Marvelous Kindness in a Strong City — Carter Conlon

Letting God Provide a Simple Way Out

Now I want to ask you a question this morning if the Lord Shows you a way out of your dilemma. Are you willing to walk out? Now I know I have a word for somebody now probably for a lot of people it's going to apply and It's an answer to a cry that's in your heart.

This morning the Lord's going to show you it's a way out. Now the second part of the question if the way out is really simple Will you still get up and walk out of it? Are you looking for a complicated answer to your problem or a simple answer?

That's the way God always is. Remember in the midst of the storm when they said do you not care that we're going to perish? What did he do? He just stood up. What did he say peace? Be still and that was the that was the answer to the whole problem all the effort all the fear.

All the sense that we're not going to make it all that seemed to be against them and overwhelming their journey. It all came to an end When you see but they had to be willing to let him speak and Many people don't get to the end of their struggle because they're simply not willing to let him speak.

Feeling that we have to infuse Something of the impossibility into this of the situation into the equation in other words. We have to tell God how hard it is. Lord, I know you've never faced anything like this before.

You've never seen a life like mine. You've never and and perhaps there is an end to your power. Perhaps perhaps you've never Figured you're ever going to encounter somebody like me and all of creation.

We have to be willing to just simply let him speak now father. I thank you God Almighty Lord. There's such simplicity in Christ that Paul himself said to the Corinthians. Fear lest you be turned from the simplicity that is in Jesus Christ God Almighty.

Would you open our hearts? Would you open our minds? Would you would you just unlock heaven this morning? Would you give freedom? Lord, would you let a multitude of people walk out of the captivity that the enemy has prepared for them?

Would you give freedom and father? Would you give us the grace to know? That you are God and to have the courage to get up and walk out of whatever trap the devil has set for us. And father we thank you for it.

We bless you. We praise you in Jesus mighty name. Psalm 31, please in the Old Testament. I feel there's people here today that All hell has come against you to keep you from church this morning. You had to fight to get here.

You had to fight in your mind. You had to fight last night. You had to fight when you found out you were early and you forgot to set your clock ahead. You've had to fight. To get here, but you're here.

Thank God you here and Then the Lord is not going to disappoint you. My message is entitled marvelous kindness in a strong city. Psalm 31 beginning at verse 21 Blessed be the Lord. For he has showed me his marvelous kindness in New York City.

For I said in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes. Nevertheless thou heardest the voice of my supplications when I cried unto thee. Now, let me speak that in plain English. I Said without really clearly thinking it through.

There's no hope for me. God has turned his face away from me. But in spite of what I had said and felt you heard my cry when I cried to you. Oh Love the Lord all his saints for the Lord preserves the faithful and plentifully rewards the proud doer.

Be of good courage and he will strengthen your heart all ye that hope in the Lord be of good courage. Now this is a psalm of David. This is a psalm of a man who's anointed to be a king. He is in one sense a co-regent with Christ.

He's ruling and reigning and he has in his. He has in him in the DNA of David is Jesus Christ and ultimately the church of Jesus Christ. But at a season in his life David found himself in a strong city.

By definition, it means a place where he was hemmed in where there seemed to be a mountain of besieges against him. It was a place of distress. Well defended in a sense that not only could the end of not only was it defended from without it was defended from within.

In other words, nobody could get in and nobody could get out. David said I'm in this place and I'm I'm feeling around and the walls are so thick and the defenses are so strong. I don't know how to get out of this city.

I'm overwhelmed. I'm hemmed in by my circumstances and People in situations that so seem to have the upper hand that I feel like I'm in danger of losing everything That I once felt God had promised me.

Have you ever been there? Have you ever been in a place where you feel like God gave you a promise of something even if it was a whisper in your heart as a child. But now you're in a place where you feel like I'm in danger of losing it all.

I'm so weak. I'm so frail. Verse 9 of Psalm 31. Have mercy upon me O Lord for I'm in trouble. My eye is consumed with grief. My soul and my belly. In other words, all I can see is hopelessness before me.

Don't see a way out. I don't see how I'm ever gonna change. I Don't see how I'm ever I were gonna get through this. How I can't fight this anymore. I don't have any strength to get through it. Verse 10.

He says my life is spent with grief my years with sighing. My strength fails because of my iniquity and my bones are consumed. In other words, I'm so filled with regret for what my life has not been or is not becoming.

That I walked the streets constantly sighing for grief. I Thought I was I thought I was going to be. I thought there was hope before me. I thought my life was going to take a different course than it's taken and It's not becoming that and this sense of inner sense of grief is starting to overwhelm me.

Now I do come to church. I do raise my hands. I do sing the songs, but this grief is gaining strength and my praise is losing strength. My strength is failing. He says in verse 10. I seem to have no power to change.

My weaknesses are stronger than my strengths and my bones are consumed. That means I'm overwhelmed. I don't have the power to stand anymore. I Don't know how to do this. I Don't know how to change. I don't know how to live the Christian life.

I don't know how to make a difference. Verse 11 he said I'm a reproach among all mine enemies. In other words, my enemies mocked me. There are these voices all around. Ha ha look at you. Look what you've become you who are what are you again, you're going to rule and reign with who and Look at you is the kingdom of God in that despicable condition that he needs you to rule and reign with him.

Who are you anyway and all you can you can now. David is is describing in Psalm 31 Something that's going on in his heart. He can feel this mockery around him. You ever have you ever been in a place where you can just feel hell laughing?

You can feel demonic powers around you just. There's no it seems like there's no rest from it laughing and mocking. Look what's happened to your life. Look where you're headed. Look where you're going, but especially says I was approaching when all my enemies verse 11.

But especially among my neighbors. In other words the people around me. They don't see anything in me or my testimony that they would they would find desirable. That's not a very good place. Have you ever been in a place where?

You know Peter says always be ready to give an answer to people who ask for the hope that is in you. You ever been in a place where nobody has asked you for like a year. Because they don't see any hope and he says my neighbors.

They don't see anything in me that they'd find now that may not be true. But that's an issue that's in his heart. You can see this man going home every day and wherever it is that he lives and he's let's say he lived where you did and going down the corridor of your apartment building and.

It seems like you've had so little effect on your neighbors. They know you you say hi to them every day and there's this inner thought that they don't see anything in me. I'm supposed to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ.

I'm supposed to bring the sweet savor of God everywhere I go, but I don't. I don't think my neighbors see anything in me that they would want and he says him I Was a reproach among mine enemies, especially among my neighbors and a fear to mine acquaintance.

In other words, my my friends are afraid of what's happening to me. People are telling me to lighten up and enjoy the city just like they do. Lighten up enjoy the city. There's lots to do here. Find your solace in it but David knew his life was destined for something higher than just lightening up and enjoying the city and he says and They that did see me without fled from me and my life is supposed to be an influence.

Yet at least in my perception people find so little of God. That's attractive in me that they seem to be not only ignoring me. Avoiding me now a lot of this can be paranoia in your life. It can have no basis in reality.

You can be walking through the city and you can actually have the strength of God in its full measure in your life and just simply Not be aware of it. You've given in to interfere. You've given in to the voices of the enemy like the men in the boat.

You're you're traveling across and suddenly the boat seems full of water and the waves seem to be overpowering you. Your human effort is Seemingly not making a lot of headway because of the violence of the opposition that's against you.

But have you forgotten that Jesus Christ has never left you? He's seems to be asleep, but he's not asleep because God never sleeps. He's just at rest inside of you. He's carrying you. He's never he's never left you.

He's never forsaken you. Verse 12. He says I'm forgotten as a dead man out of mind. I'm like a broken vessel. In other words I'm supposed to represent life, but I I don't feel that I have anything left and what I did have the life I once knew seems to have escaped me now.

I Don't know how many are living in that place today. But I do know from time to time it can become the struggle of most everybody and then inside. He said I've heard the slander in verse 13 of many fear was on every side while they took counsel together.

Against me they devised to take away my life. Now. Here's here's what the devil is really after. Get you to despair get you to see no way out. Get you to believe that your life is somehow a gross Disappointment to the living God.

Get you to feel that there's no point or purpose to your life. And then the thought comes why bother living? Don't think that Christians are immune to this. As a matter of fact you become the greater target once you know Christ.

He hates Christ and he hates everyone who has Christ within them. Why bother living? What's the point of your life? Go to church pray some prayers come home to your apartment sit here lonely. Why bother living?

And folks, I know there are people here. You're fighting these thoughts at this very moment. You're actually fighting the thought of suicide. Something you never entertained you never believed you'd ever entertain it you never thought you'd ever go there.

And if you don't deal with this inner question that my life has no value. It's not a long step to that point. It's not a far step to get to the place of thinking I'm better off dead than alive because there's no purpose to my life.

Anyway. You and I have a tendency to think that the people of the Bible were supermen and superwomen. Who didn't have to go through the struggles that you and I go through but that's not the case. And that's why God allowed people like King David to write these words to have you and I.

God’s Faithfulness in Temptation and Despair

Understand as Paul says in 1st Corinthians 10 13, there's no tests or temptation Taken you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted above that you're able but will with the trial or temptation.

Make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it. You're not going through something unique. You're going through the very same thing that others. Hundreds of thousands and millions of people before you have had to go through it and they've made it through and they're now Part of that great balcony of witnesses in heaven that are looking down and saying don't give in.

Don't give in to the lies of the devil. Don't give in to the discouragement of the enemy. He'll try to convince you that you're the only one that somehow God's turned his face from you that your temptation is so Different your trial your situation is so unique That somehow it is even taken God by surprise.

But the Word of the Lord says there's no test common that has come your way. That's any different than anybody else has ever had to go through. Peter himself says in 1st Peter 4 12 beloved thinking not strange concerning the fiery trial.

Which is to try you as though some strange thing happened to you. You have to understand when you came to Christ. There's a hell has a cannon and you came right into the sights of that thing. Your enemies you're not fighting flesh and blood anymore according to the scriptures.

You're fighting spiritual wickedness in high places. You're fighting Principalities of the air you're not fighting flesh and blood anymore. You're fighting in a whole different arena than you used to fight in before you came to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.

And it makes me thankful for the writer of Hebrews says in chapter 4 verse 15 That we have a high priest in Jesus Christ who understands and has felt our struggles. The scripture says he was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin.

Jesus Christ went through what you're going through. If he didn't then the scripture is not true. The scripture says he was tested in all points like you are. That means he was tested to be discouraged.

Tested to believe his life had no meaning. Tested to believe he was of no value. Even to his heavenly father tested moved upon by the enemy tempted constantly badgered by powers of darkness. All to stop him from going to that cross all to stop him from the redemption Redemptive purpose of God that had been set apart for his life.

You think maybe for a moment that he might have been Tempted to give up now. It seems almost blasphemous except it's in the Bible, right? Father if it'd be possible. Take this cup from me. If there is any other way if it could be done if your redemptive purpose for humanity could be accomplished another way.

Oh father, would you consider doing it that way? Listen to what Isaiah says about him. He'll grow up as a tender plant and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness and when we see him, there's no beauty that we should desire him.

He's despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. But surely he's borne our griefs and carried our sorrows yet.

We did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted. Do not think that at some point when Society seemed to be rejecting him when he had 12 people left at a table. One of them was a devil the other 11 were going to abandon him in his hour of need.

When society itself his own that he had created that he came to who received him not looked at him and said listen. There's no there's nothing kingly about him. Nothing royal about him. Nothing noble about him.

There's nothing in him that any of us Desire our religion has not brought us to the point where this is the kind of a Messiah that we would want to embrace. We esteemed him not the scripture says. Do not think at some point walking through the midst of that strong city that discouragement may not have come into his heart.

That thought To that part of him that was man fully man. There's no point to this is no purpose to this even Satan himself and the temptation in the wilderness. Tried to virtually short-circuit the whole procedure trying to appeal to that.

What's the point the people don't appreciate in any way if all you want to do is rule and reign over them. Why not just bow down to me and do it my way. Why not just agree with my logic? Why not just bite into the same lie that Adam and Eve embraced?

In the Garden of Eden, why not just be God without having to go to all this trouble of rejection all this difficulty. He was tested Tempted in all points like as we are. I Don't think that's even debatable.

Christ’s Trust in the Father’s Purpose

How did he get through then? You know, I love the fact that it was really Psalm 31 that he was quoting on the cross. It's incredible because start in the beginning of Psalm 31 verse 1 in thee O Lord do I put my trust.

Let me never be ashamed. Deliver me in thy righteousness. Bow down thine ear to me deliver me speedily for thou be thou my strong rock for a house of defense to save me. For thou art my rock and my fortress therefore for thy namesake lead me and guide me.

Pull me out of the net that they have laid privilege for me. For thou art my strength into thine hand. I commit my spirit. Thou hast redeemed me O Lord God of truth. This is the very verse that Christ Spoke in the last moments of his life on the cross father into thy hand.

I commit my spirit. It was not a random statement. He was actually quoting Psalm 31 and verse 5 as we've come to know it. Into your hand Oh God. Into your hand. I have to believe that there's a reason.

I have to believe there's a divine purpose. I have to believe that God you're going to be faithful to me father. You're not gonna leave me in the grave. You're not gonna let my enemies walk over the place of my death.

You're not gonna let hell itself sneer at my life. That's got to come into your heart saint of God. There's there's gotta come something into your heart. This is Oh God. This is about your honor. This is about everything you've ever promised.

This is about your life within my life. Lord, you're not going to let me be triumphed over. You're not going to let this city ruin the testimony of God. You're not going to let my enemies Triumph over the testimony of Christ.

My life is not going to be irrelevant. You're going to do something through me God, even if I feel like I'm going down to the grave. You're going to raise me up. That's why Paul says in the book of Romans.

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwells in you. He will quicken your mortal body.

The Lord says it never has been about you. It's not about your honor. It's about my honor. It's not about your ability to make it through to the other side. It's about my ability to take you through to the other side if anybody's name suffers reproach in this.

It's not my name. It's not your name. It's the name of Jesus Christ and Christ will not allow his name to be triumphed over. Hallelujah. Hallelujah, I love the story of my little. Well, not my little girl anymore, but Kate when she was just a little girl the overseer of the denomination that I Was pastoring at that time and came to stay at my house one weekend he and his wife and Kate was about four I guess or five at that time and so the Overseer's wife said you mind if we if I talk your little girl and then Pastor Teresa and I said fine go ahead.

So she went and sat beside her bed and she said Kate. She said does the devil ever come to you at night and try to lie to you and try to make you afraid in Cases. Oh, yes, he does and she said well when the devil comes, what do you do?

And Kate looked her in the eye said I'd tell him to go right back to hell where he belongs. Do you not think there might be a bit of wisdom in that? Do you not think? There might be a time just to get up and just tell Satan to just go right where he belongs.

Just get back where he belongs. Just get out of my life get out of my mind get away from my spirit. The one who raised Christ from the dead is going to quicken my mortal body. The one who raised Christ from the dead is going to put light in my eyes.

He's gonna put faith in my mind. He's gonna put vision again in my heart. He's going to make me understand that this whole walk and testimony is not about me. It's all about him that I don't have to bring him To people he is well able to bring himself to people through my life if I will rest in him and let him do his work on this side of eternity.

Hallelujah, how sometimes it's a good thing to die because that's where Jesus Christ comes alive in us again. Sometimes it's a good thing to know our weakness. It's a good thing to know our frailty. It's a good thing to know that you and I can't get through this walk without God.

We can't do it in our own strength. We've never would be able to we can't do it in our own power. Listen to what the Prophet Isaiah says in Isaiah chapter 40. Now that chapter begins. Where God tells Isaiah to comfort the people of God he says speak comfortably to Jerusalem and cry to her that her warfare is accomplished her iniquity is pardoned and She has received of the Lord's hand double for all her sins.

Now the Lord told Isaiah now you go to my people and You comfort my people and you tell them that I have won the victory. Her warfare is accomplished that victory is not hers. It's mine. I've pardoned her sin and I've given her life where all she had was sin and failure.

In the verse 27 The Lord asks a question. He says why sayest thou Jacob? Now Jacob is you can insert yourself into there and Speakest O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my judgment is passed over from my God.

Why do you say? That the Lord does not see me. Why do you say? That God has forgotten me. That he's not fighting for me. That somehow he has judged me. Turn from me. Why do you say this the Prophet said to the people of God?

Have you not known? Have you not heard? In other words, are you? Stranger here in Jerusalem. Have you not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the creator of the ends of the earth is not faint neither is weary.

That there's no end to his understanding. Have you not heard. Do you not know who it is that you're serving? Do you not understand who Jesus Christ is? Do you not know what it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit of Almighty God?

Verse 29 says he gives power to the faint and to them that hope have no mighty increases strength. Even youth shall faint and be weary and young men shall utterly fall. There's seasons and times and difficulties that the strongest of us can't get through in our own natural strength.

But they that wait upon the Lord Shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. They that wait upon the Lord they that allow God to be God within them.

They that turn away from the natural strength that we all have and say God. I'm not going to get through this in my own strength. You've got to come and quicken me and give me life. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.

They'll mount up with wings as eagles. They'll run and not be weary. They'll walk and not faint. Hallelujah then chapter 41 verse 1 Starts remember David said I'm in a city. I'm in a place Where these voices are roaring against me and the inward fear of my heart is overcoming me.

I have these incredible promises of God, but I don't know how it's ever going to become a reality In my life, and he starts. God says something God speaks. Sometimes. It's just as simple as God speaking.

Folks, we're looking we look for some Incredible revelation. You say pastor if you'll just if you'll just unlock some new truth. If you'll just present some new key my question is what's wrong with the old key.

It still works in the lock. Why do you need a new key. The old one is just as good as it's always been. Still opens every prison door. Still releases every captive. Still unlocks every place. Still opens the treasure house.

It's one key. One key does all in the kingdom of heaven folks opens a treasure house to the full supply of God. Why do you need another key? Why do you need another revelation? Chapter 41 verse 1 here.

The Authority of Christ to Silence Fear

It is keep silent. This is the voice of God keep silence before me Oh islands and let the people renew their strength. It's that simple remember in the boat Jesus Stood up and the disciples said do you not care?

We're about to go down. We're perishing our our efforts have run out our seamanship is not going to get us through. We know what you said, but we don't know how we're going to get there. I'm so thankful.

They stopped talking. You imagine if the scripture recorded then Jesus stood in the boat and the disciples kept on saying well. We'll roll a little harder. Well. We'll do a little more imagine if they didn't have the sense to just be quiet and Jesus stood up and said peace be still and The scripture says immediately the waves stopped and the wind stopped and the disciples said what kind of a man is this?

That even the wind and the seas obey him. He says in Isaiah 41 keep silence before me. There's a point where God just says quiet to every voice every devil every lie. Everything that's coming against your life.

It's that simple. He just says be quiet. You get up out of your seat you come and stand before God you're in the midst of a storm. You don't know how you're gonna get through and suddenly God does what God has always done.

He just he deep in the recesses of your heart. He says peace. Be still after he rose from the grave and came into the upper room where all those fearful disciples were gathered. They'd all failed them.

They all felt like abject failures. Peter had even brought an oath of a curse upon himself saying I don't even know who this man is. John for all his dedication of love had run away and left him Alone in the garden and all the people were failures and Jesus walked right through the door right into that room.

And the first thing out of his mouth is peace. Peace, I know your hearts are troubled. I know your hearts are afraid. But in my father's house the scripture says there are many mansions and I go to prepare a place for you.

Where I am you're coming also. Until that day I will never leave you or forsake you until that day. No weapon formed against you is going to prosper. Until that day every tongue every tongue that rises against you in judgment.

You shall condemn it. You have the right to tell it to be quiet. You have the right to stand against these things. You have the right. It's a God-given right. You have a righteousness. That's not your own.

It is given to you by Almighty God Himself. You have a strength that is not your own. You have a cleanness. You have a power that is not your own. You have a life that is not your own. It's all given to you by Jesus Christ.

You have the right to stand held to the face. You say be quiet. Be quiet Satan. Be quiet and get behind me. You have no taste for the things that be of God. Keep silence, he said Oh islands and let the people renew their strength.

Keep silence. Keep silence, New York City. Keep silence airwaves. Keep silence every devil of hell keep silent. Keep silent and let the people renew their strength folks. I think this is a miraculous moment.

I don't say that lightly. When I was given this Word I felt in my heart. That it's that simple God speaks and says keep silence. I'm never going to let my people go down. Wind waves airwaves. Everything that comes against you the Lord just says be quiet and let my people renew their strength.

Prayer Against Despair and for Renewed Strength

Hallelujah, oh hallelujah. Thank you Lord. Thank you God. Thank you Lord. Thank you father. Thank you God. That we don't have to fight this in our own strength. Thank you Lord that we don't have to get through these days with our own reasoning.

Thank you Lord. That there is a power greater than anything that will ever come against us as your people. Lord, there's provision greater than our want. There's safety greater than our fear. God, there's there's life that's greater than our failings.

You will be glorified in us Jesus you will be glorified Lord. We thank you father. Lord, I stand today against the hopelessness and despair that Satan himself is trying to plant in many of the people of God.

We take the authority given to us by Jesus Christ. Satan we step upon your head. We step upon your mind. We step upon your thoughts. Jesus Christ has triumphed over you. The blood of Christ has cleansed us from all sin.

The glory of God will carry us. Father we thank you God. I'm asking you Lord to break the spirit of despondency and despair and Suicide and the feelings of worthlessness my God break it. Break it Lord break it to the uttermost destroy it.

Oh God cause it to lose its voice cause it to lose its strength. Lord let your people go free. Father, I thank you for this Lord God. Let this be a day of freedom. Let it be a moment of freedom. There is a moment Lord.

There's a moment where fear is broken. There's a moment God where captivity is taken captive. I Ask you father in Jesus mighty name Lord God Almighty to open every prison door. Give sight to every blinded eye.

Give healing to every wounded heart. Lord as we go into the Christmas season, I pray God there be clapping of hands in our streets. There'll be a song in our hearts. Oh Jesus you just do what you do Lord you raise us from the dead.

God Almighty you just do what you do. Lord you give power to the faint and to the weary. You lift us up God and cause us to walk and run in a difficult time. Lord Jesus Christ. I'm asking you to do the miraculous in our hearts.

God in this hour that we're living in. This is an incredible time for you to declare your life through your church and father. We thank you for this in Jesus mighty name. Now we're going to stand and I want to give it an altar call which is an invitation to come to the front of the sanctuary.

For everybody in this place that this message has spoken to you. And you just simply come to the front and we're going to pray together. Let's stand together and the annex you could step between the screens if you don't mind.

And we're gonna pray together. Just step out. Everybody who's despairing you say pastor you've just you've just read my mailbox today. Who told you about my life? God did. Just step out. We're gonna believe God for the breaking of despair.

Discouragement a sense of worthlessness. You're gonna touch the hem of his garment today and be healed. He promises a new mind a new spirit a new life and that's what he's going to give you. Hallelujah, the Church of Jesus Christ is never going down.

We're going over folks never down always over. Hallelujah, you mighty God. Thank you for freedom Lord. Thank you for peace in our hearts. Thank you mighty God. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you Lord. The only thing I have on my heart to say to those that have come to this altar is peace.

Assurance of God’s Presence and Divine Purpose

Peace peace. Lord says I'm not angry with you. I've loved you with an everlasting love. I engraved you on the palms of my hands. You're not a failure. The Lord would say to you my life is inside of you.

You're not a failure. My blood has covered you. You're not a failure. You're going to rule and reign with me. You're not a failure. I'm going to carry you through life. You're not a failure. You're not a failure.

You're not a failure. You have you have a divine purpose. You're not a failure. I'm going to walk with you. You're not a failure. My presence is going to flow through your life. You're not a failure. I'm going to answer your prayers.