Are You Feeling Low and Troubled?
David Wilkerson encourages those feeling low and troubled to seek God for comfort and deliverance, drawing on the experiences of Asaph and David in the Psalms.
David Wilkerson addresses the feelings of despair and trouble through the lens of Psalms 77, written by Asaph, who experienced deep anguish yet remained a faithful prayer warrior. Asaph's struggle with comfort and his cry to God exemplifies the human experience of feeling low, yet he ultimately finds hope in God's deliverance. Wilkerson emphasizes that even in our darkest moments, like Asaph, we can seek the Lord and trust in His ability to restore our joy and peace. The sermon encourages believers to remember that God hears our cries and is present in our struggles, leading us to freedom from fear and despair.
Text
If you have ever had times of feeling low and troubled, then Psalm 77 was written for you. The writer of the psalm, a man named Asaph, was a Levite from the priestly line in Israel. He was also a singer and served as David's appointed choir director. Altogether, Asaph wrote eleven psalms and they were filled with righteous instruction for God's people.
Asaph wrote Psalm 77 after he fell into a horrible pit of despair and his condition grew so bad that he was beyond comfort: "My soul refused to be comforted" (77:2). Yet Asaph was a praying man. We see this in the same psalm as he testified: "I cried out to God with my voice ... and He gave ear to me" (77:1). I am sure Asaph had heard David's very similar testimony in Psalm 34: "The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry" (34:15).
Asaph knew David's compelling story of how he had to flee Gath to escape Saul's wrath. He had felt like such a failure that he had cried out to God in agony and was totally delivered. In fact, God put a song in David's heart. In Psalm 40 David wrote a new song of faith which surely made it into the hands of Asaph as a testimony: "[He] heard my cry. He also brought me up out a horrible pit ... and set my feet upon a rock" (40:1-2).
Does Asaph's story describe your own spiritual battle? This godly, praying, faithful man was facing depression and there seemed to be no way out. But he concluded, "God's ways are not known. I don't know why he allowed me to go through such discouragement, but I can only rejoice that he has made me free."
David said, "I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears" (Psalm 34:4). Truly, the Holy Spirit will comfort you in your dark times and help you recover your joy, peace and rest as you seek him.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Introduction to Psalm 77 and its relevance
- Background on Asaph and his struggles
- The importance of prayer in times of despair
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II
- Asaph's cry to God and His response
- Comparison with David's experiences
- The power of testimony in overcoming despair
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III
- Understanding God's ways in our struggles
- The role of faith in finding freedom
- Encouragement to seek the Lord for comfort
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IV
- The promise of deliverance from fears
- The Holy Spirit's role in recovery
- Rejoicing in God's faithfulness
Key Quotes
“My soul refused to be comforted.” — David Wilkerson
“I cried out to God with my voice ... and He gave ear to me.” — David Wilkerson
“I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Pray earnestly when you feel overwhelmed, trusting that God hears you.
- Reflect on the testimonies of others to strengthen your faith during difficult times.
- Rejoice in the knowledge that God can bring you out of despair and restore your joy.