Psalms 66: 10-12 KJV
10 For thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. 11 Thou broughtest us into the net; thou laidst affliction upon our loins. 12 Thou hast caused men to ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water: but thou broughtest us out into a wealthy place.
I don’t know about you, but 2010 was an extraordinary year. I can think of so many adjectives to describe how I felt and even how I feel right now. What I can say is that after all I’ve been through, I still have joy. After all I’ve been through I’m still standing. I realize that when God formed me in my mother’s womb He had a plan in mind for me. I realize that everything I’ve been through, all the “IT’S” in my life had to come so I could get to “THIS”.
What is it? It can be anything. It can be a loss, it could be an illness, it could be a separation. But what is This? This is the other side of It. This is my wealthy place. This is the fruit of my labor. This is what happens after I have endured it. It tried to kill me. It thought I was going to lose my mind. You thought I was going to lose my mind. But don’t look now, I’m still here. It had to come to this. It had to come so I could get to this– my wealthy place.
Psalm 66 is a thanksgiving-psalm. All people are here called upon to praise God.
If you focus on verses 10-12 of this psalm we find the psalmist is calling upon God’s people to praise Him in a special manner. Let all the lands praise Him, but Israel in particular–those who call on his name. There are three things I want to briefly bring out as we deal with our topic; It had to come to This.
The psalmist says for thou oh Lord has proved us.
1. We must be proved. For thou, O God, hast proved us. He proved His Israel with sore trials. David had his share of temptations. All the saints must go to the proving house; God had one Son without sin, but He never had a son without trial. I don’t understand why we complain. The Bible says in Romans 8:17 and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. The Lord Himself proves us. If He allowed us to go through it, it will work out for our good. Romans 8:28 says And we know that all things work together for the good of them who love God and who are the called according to his purpose.
Thou hast tried us, as silver is tried. Searching and repeated, severe and thorough, has been the test; the same result has followed us as in the case of precious metal, for the dross and tin have been consumed, and the pure ore has been discovered. God is proving you so He can bring out the pure you. You had to go through the proving. The proving had to come to you so you could get to your wealthy place.
2. Sometimes it feels like you’re the tail and not the head. Sometimes it seems like everything the Word of God says will happen is just the opposite for you. The Bible says you’re the head and not the tail (Deut. 28:13), yet you feel like you’re the tail and not the head. The Bible says many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all (Psalm 34:19). Yet you’re wondering how long I will be afflicted? When will this all be over? It seems like God doesn’t hear you. The Children of Israel were in bondage for over 400 years and I’m sure they felt sometimes like God had forgotten them. But God had not forgotten them. The thing we need to remember is that the scripture says Thou has proved us, thou tested us, thou trapped us into the net; thou laid burdens on our backs, thou allowed people to ride over our heads. We must remember as we are going through it that God is in control. Nothing happens in our lives that God does not allow. God is the author and the finisher of our faith. The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein. God knows what He is doing when He allows you to go through it. What you must do is endure.
3. God always provides a BUT. We went through fire and through water, but. Anytime you see but that means on the contrary, yet, except, save, unless, if not, or except that. But thou again- thou meaning God brought us out into a wealthy place. But you brought us out into refreshing, but you brought us out into abundance. Yes it looked like everybody else was doing better than me. Yes, everybody had a job while I was unemployed, yes everybody was prospering and it seemed like I was going down deeper, it seemed like I was drowning. It seemed like the more I praised the worse things got, BUT you brought me out into my wealthy place!
I don’t know what your wealthy place is, but my wealthy place is the fact that I’m still standing. The fact that the devil thought he had me but I got away. Why? Because, it came, BUT then this came. It had to come to this! Why? So God will get the glory. It came in the form of loss, it came in the form of lack, it came in the form of gossip, it came in the form of bondage, it came in the form of death, it came in the form of fear, but it had to come so I could experience this.
This is my wealthy place, this is my peace, this is my anointing, this is my joy, this is my faith; this is my destiny. This is my place in the kingdom. This is my prayer life, this is my ministry, this is my strength, this is my family being saved, this is my friends being saved, this is my enemies being saved! This, is the day when I hear Him say well done thou good and faithful servant, you’ve been faithful over a few things I will make you ruler over many enter into the joy of the Lord!
The psalmist praised God for bringing him out into his wealthy place. Whenever God allows you to go through something, He always makes it worth your while. You have to know that God has a plan for you. He is not just haphazardly doing stuff. He is allowing you to go through it for a reason. After it you will be stronger, after it, you will be wiser, after it you will be better. It had to come to this!
