'Preventing' Love
God's love is demonstrated through his anticipation and fulfillment of our needs, often before we even ask.
David Wilkerson explores the profound meaning of the word 'prevent' in Psalms 21:3, revealing that it signifies God's anticipation and fulfillment of our needs before we even ask. He emphasizes that God's blessings and lovingkindness are bestowed upon us in advance, showcasing His eagerness to bless and provide for us. Wilkerson illustrates this with Isaiah 65:24, highlighting God's readiness to answer our prayers even before we voice them. The sermon conveys that God's love is so abundant that He grants us victory and joy before we even approach Him with our requests. Ultimately, it reassures believers of God's proactive grace and mercy in their lives.
Text
"Thou preventest him with the blessings of goodness: thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head" (Psalm 21:3). At first glance, this verse by David is a bit puzzling. The word "prevent" is usually associated with hindrance, not with blessing. A modern translation here would be, "The Lord hindered David with the blessings of goodness."
Yet the biblical word for "prevent" signifies a completely different meaning. It means "to anticipate, to precede, to foresee and fulfill in advance, to pay a debt before it is due." Furthermore, in almost every instance, it implies something of pleasure.
Isaiah gives us a glimpse of this kind of pleasure. It comes from God anticipating a need and fulfilling it ahead of time. "It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear" (Isaiah 65:24).
This verse provides us with an incredible picture of our Lord's love for us. Evidently, he is so anxious to bless us, so ready to fulfill his lovingkindness in our lives, that he can't even wait for us to tell him our needs. So he jumps in and performs acts of mercy, grace and love toward us. And that is a supreme pleasure to him.
That is just what David was saying in Psalm 21: "Lord, you pour out blessings and lovingkindness on me before I can even ask. And you offer more than I could even conceive of asking."
David was referring to some awesome work that God performed for him in the spiritual realm. It was something that gave David victory over his enemies, answers to prayer, overcoming power and unspeakable joy. And God did it all before David could even go to prayer, to unburden his heart or present his request. Once David finally did pour out his heart, he discovered that God had already made provision to defeat his enemies. David's victory was assured before he could even get near the battlefield.
Sermon Outline
- I. Understanding the Meaning of 'Prevent'
- A. The biblical word for 'prevent' signifies anticipation and fulfillment
- B. It implies something of pleasure
- II. God's Anticipation and Fulfillment
- A. Isaiah 65:24 - God answers before we call
- B. God's lovingkindness is poured out before we ask
- III. David's Experience of God's Love
- A. God performed an awesome work in David's life
- B. Victory over enemies, answers to prayer, and joy
- IV. The Pleasure of God's Love
- A. God is anxious to bless us
- B. He jumps in to perform acts of mercy and love
Key Quotes
“The Lord hindered David with the blessings of goodness.” — David Wilkerson
“It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” — David Wilkerson
“You pour out blessings and lovingkindness on me before I can even ask.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Recognize God's love as a proactive and anticipatory force in our lives.
- Trust in God's ability to fulfill his lovingkindness in our lives, even before we ask.
- Seek to understand and experience God's love as a source of victory, joy, and fulfillment.