“Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.” (Psalm 62:2 NIV)

No matter what may happen around you, or to you, if God is your rock and your salvation, you will never be shaken! That’s a great promise to stand solidly on!

God is your rock, fortress, deliverer, shield, refuge, salvation, and stronghold!

“The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:2 ESV)

“And they remembered that God was their rock, And the Most High God their Redeemer.” (Psalm 38:35)

 God is your Rock!

“Do not tremble and do not be afraid; Have I not long since announced it to you and declared it? And you are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me, Or is there any other Rock? I know of none.” (Isa. 44:8)

“For who is God, but the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?” (Psalm 18:31 ESV)

“The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.” (Deut. 32:4 ESV)

 Christ is the Rock

“And all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.” (1 Cor. 10:4 ESV)

Therefore…

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” (Matt. 7:24 ESV)

“Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come; You have given commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress.” (Psalm 71:3)

“Trust in the Lord forever,

For in God the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock.” (Isa. 26:4)

“Then Joshua said to the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you.” (Josh. 3:5 ESV)

Many signs and wonders through Jesus

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know—“ (Acts 2:22 ESV)

Many signs and wonders through the apostles 

“And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.” Acts 2:43 ESV)

Signs and wonders through believers

“Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;” (Mark 16:16-17 ESV)

“To another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.” (1 Cor. 12:10 ESV)

“And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?” (1 Cor. 12:28-29 ESV)

Don’t depend on signs and wonders to believe

“So Jesus said to him, “Unless you see signs and wonders you will not believe.” (John 4:48 ESV)

“Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.” But he answered them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.” (Matt. 12:38-39 ESV) 

Beware of lying signs and wonders

“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.” (1 John 4:1 ESV)

“For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if [it were] possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matt. 24:24 KJV)

“[Even him], whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders.” (2 Thess. 2:9 KJV)

True signs and wonders from God fulfills the ministry of the Gospel of Christ

“For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me to bring the Gentiles to obedience—by word and deed, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God—so that from Jerusalem and all the way around to Illyricum I have fulfilled the ministry of the gospel of Christ;” (Rom. 15:18-19 ESV)

True signs and wonders from God causes people to come to the Lord

“And Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; rise and make your bed.” And immediately he rose. And all the residents of Lydda and Sharon saw him, and they turned to the Lord.” (Acts 9:34-35 ESV)

“And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Heb. 11:6 ESV) 

Faith pleases God

If you want to please God, the above passage says you must, with faith, believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. 

Faith gives substance to what is hoped for

“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Heb. 11:1 NKJV)

Faith comes through hearing the Word of Christ

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Rom. 10:17 ESV)

We walk by faith not by sight

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” ( 2 Cor. 5:7 ESV)

Our faith is the victory 

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.” (1 John 5:4 ESV)

Therefore…

“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.” ( 1 Cor. 16:13 ESV)

“I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Gal. 2:20 ESV)

“That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” (1 Cor. 2:5 ESV)

“So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Cor. 13:13 ESV)

Quotes:

“Faith is not the belief that God will do what you want. It is the belief that God will do what is right.” - Max Lucado

“To have Faith in Christ means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice. Thus if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him. But trying in a new way, a less worried way. Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already. Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven is already inside you.” - C.S. Lewis

“For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong…” (Isa. 61.8 ESV)

 Types of robbery: petit theft, burglary, piracy, armed, larceny, and fraud.

 Don’t look to robbery as an answer

“Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them.” (Psalm 62:10 ESV)

Thieves are on the list 

“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Cor. 6:9-11 ESV)

Christ is the answer

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10 ESV)

Therefore…

“You shall not steal.” (Exo. 20:15 ESV)

“You shall not oppress your neighbor or rob him…” (Lev. 19:13 ESV)

“Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.” (Luke 3:14 ESV)

“Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” (Eph. 4:28 ESV)

Quote:

A man once stole Matthew Henry’s wallet. In reflecting on the incident, Henry said, “I am thankful that he never robbed me before. I am thankful that although he took my wallet, he did not take my life. Although he took all I had, it was not much. And, I am glad that it was I who was robbed, not I who did the robbing.” 

“Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things.” (Heb. 13:18 ESV)

Honor God

 “To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Tim. 1:17 ESV)

 Honor the Lord with your wealth

 “Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the firstfruits of all your produce;” (Prov. 3:9 ESV)

Have honor in marriage

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” (Heb. 13:4 ESV)

Honor those who rule well

“Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching.” (1 Tim. 5:17 ESV)

Honor everyone

“Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.” (1 Peter 2:17 ESV)

Honor your mother and father

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Eph. 6:1-4 ESV)

Outdo one another in showing  honor

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Rom. 12:10 ESV)

Therefore…

“Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,’ but now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me, for those who honor me I will honor, and those who despise me shall be lightly esteemed.” (1 Sam. 2:30 ESV)

“Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work.” (2 Tim. 2:21 ESV)

“Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.” (Prov. 21:21 ESV)

“You do not have, because you do not ask.” (James 4:2 ESV)

You must ask to receive

Someone asked a bank robber why he robbed banks and he said, “That’s where the money is!” He was certainly right about that, although his way of getting it was definitely wrong. Just as the bank is “where the money is”, God is where the provision is. When you look at God and who He is as our creator and provider, you can clearly see that that’s where the blessings and provision are. Therefore, it should be obvious that that’s where you must go to get what you need, directly to God. But, in reality, and according to the passage at top, “You do not have, because you do not ask.” We fail to receive by not going to God and asking for what we need! In fact, Jesus said that should be our first response. The following are some verses which tell us what we should do when we have a need. 

WHEN YOU HAVE A NEED: 

• Seek God first about it - “
  "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matt. 6:33 NKJV)

• Boldly approach God about it – “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Heb. 4:16 NKJV)

• Don’t worry about it - “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.” (Phil. 4:6 ESV)

• Ask for it in the Name of Jesus - “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:13-14 ESV)

• Ask with correct motives – “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:3 ESV)

• Find and claim promises in God’s Word to support your request – “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.” (2 Cor. 1:20 ESV); “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” (John 15:7 ESV)

• Ask with confidence and expectancy - “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (Matt. 7:7-11 ESV)

• Believe with faith that you have received it -“Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24 ESV); “And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” (Matt. 21:22 ESV)

• Thank God for it – “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Eph. 5:20 ESV)

Therefore…
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matt. 7:7 ESV)

“When justice is done, it is a joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.” (Prov. 21:15 ESV)

 Evil men do not understand justice but the righteous do

“Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely.” (Prov. 28:5 ESV)

 The Lord loves justice 

“For I the Lord love justice; I hate robbery and wrong; I will faithfully give them their recompense, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.” (Isa. 61:8 ESV)

“He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.” (Psalm 33:5 ESV)

“Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever.” (Psalm 37:27-29 ESV)

 God requires you to do justice

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8 ESV)

 Therefore…

“Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him.” (Isa. 30:18 ESV)

“Justice, and only justice, you shall follow, that you may live and inherit the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” (Deut. 16:20 ESV)

“But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24 ESV)

“Learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow's cause.” (Isa. 1:17 ESV)

“Blessed are they who observe justice, who do righteousness at all times!” (Psalm 196:3 ESV)

“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24 ESV)

Praying in the Holy Spirit builds your faith

“But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,” (Jude 1:20 ESV) 

Pray both with your Spirit and with your mind

“Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,” (Eph. 6:18 ESV)

“What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.” (1 Cor. 14:15 ESV)

Therefore…

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16 ESV)

“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do” (Gal. 5:16,17 ESV)

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.” (Rom. 8:26-27 ESV)

“For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Rom. 8:14 ESV)

 Quote:

“Praying in the Spirit is vital to our sanctification (growth in grace and knowledge of Christ and in our ethical response to God in every area of life). Moreover, praying in the Holy Spirit is God’s glorious means of advancing His will on earth as it is in heaven.” -  J. Oswald Sanders

“And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” (Matt. 24:31 ESV)

 At the sound of God’s trumpet the dead shall be raised

“In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.

 (1 Cor. 15:52 ESV)

 At the sound of God’s trumpet Christ shall reign forever and ever

“Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God…” (Rev. 9:13 ESV)

“Then the seventh angel blew his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever.” (Rev. 11:15 ESV)

 Therefore…

 “But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.  For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.  For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.” (1 Thess. 4:13-18 ESV)