Delighting in God
Delighting in God is an expression of our personal relationship with Him, and it brings glory to His name.
Warren Wiersbe emphasizes the importance of having a personal relationship with God, highlighting how God delights in us when we walk with integrity and obey His Word. The passage from Psalms 18:20-27 reveals that God treats us according to how we treat Him, blessing those who are wholly devoted to Him. By believing that God wants us to be happy, submitting to His will joyfully, and walking in obedience, we can increase our delight in God and experience a delightful life that brings glory to Him.
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Read Psalm 18:20-27
God wants to have a personal relationship with each of us. He is the God of the individual believer through Jesus Christ, and He delights in us just as we delight in those we love. The highest and holiest experience we can have is the worshipful delight of the Lord.
This passage gives us insight into how we can delight in God and how He delights in us. First, how does one delight God? By one's character. David had integrity (v. 20). He was not free from sin, but his heart was devoted to God. Righteous means "obedient." David was obedient (vv. 21,22). He had the Word of God in his heart. God delights in us when we do what He wants us to do the way He wants us to do it (Matt. 3:17). What counts is that He delights in what we do, not what our neighbors think about us.
Second, how does God deal with those in whom He delights? He treats us the way we treat Him (vv. 25-27). We are as close to God as we want to be. David was wholly devoted to Him, so God was able to bless him. David was merciful to those who wronged him; God was merciful to him (v. 25). David was loyal; God was loyal to him (v. 25). David was pure, submissive and humble.
In contrast, Saul was devious. Shrewd means "to wrestle." God wrestles with us (as He did with Jacob) when we are perverse and devious. Parents often wrestle with their children when it comes to discipline. God wrestles with us to bring us where He wants us to be; then He can delight in us.
Third, how can we increase our delight in God and His delight in us? Believe that He wants you to be happy; happiness and holiness go together. Submit to and enjoy God's will, but not grudgingly. He will give us the best. When we delight in Him and He delights in us, life becomes delightful, and we bring glory to our Father's name.
Delighting in God is an expression of your personal relationship with Him. His delight in you is an expression of His love for you. Be the kind of person who delights God. Walk with integrity and obey His Word. He will bless you and use you to bring glory to Himself.
Sermon Outline
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Delighting in God
- Character: Integrity and Obedience
- David's heart was devoted to God
- Righteous means obedient
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God's Treatment of Those He Delights In
- Treats us the way we treat Him
- We are as close to God as we want to be
- David's devotion led to God's blessing
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Increasing Delight in God
- Believe God wants you to be happy
- Submit to and enjoy God's will
- Delighting in God brings glory to His name
Key Quotes
“The highest and holiest experience we can have is the worshipful delight of the Lord.” — Warren Wiersbe
“God delights in us when we do what He wants us to do the way He wants us to do it.” — Warren Wiersbe
“We are as close to God as we want to be.” — Warren Wiersbe
Application Points
- Be the kind of person who delights God by walking with integrity and obeying His Word.
- Believe that God wants you to be happy and submit to and enjoy His will.
- Delighting in God brings glory to His name and leads to a deeper personal relationship with Him.