Good morning, everyone. Again. I know I’ve already said that once today, but it is. It’s a great day for praise God. So glad to be here. Today we’re talking about the Lord, my shepherd who prepares.
This is from Psalm 23, verse 5, which says, you prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil, my cup runs over. So over the last few weeks, as you know, we’ve been exploring who the Lord our shepherd is in Psalm 23. And here’s what we see as we study this psalm. There are four key things that have come alive in me as I’ve studied this. And the first one is this. The Lord is my shepherd who provides. Next is the Lord is my shepherd who protects.
And this week, as I said, the Lord is my shepherd who prepares. And then next week we’re going to talk about, the Lord is my shepherd who passionately pursues me. Hallelujah. God is all for you. He’s all about you. And so, as we begin to explore today, the Lord, our shepherd who prepares, we see that all of these four things work together. Not only is he our provider, our protector, he’s our preparer and our pursuer. And we’re going to see how all that works together here.
And so a preparer is simply this one who provides or fits or makes ready. So it could be one who provides, one who fits things together, or one who makes things ready. What we see here is an extension of the Lord, our shepherd, as our provider and our protector. Because our preparer is providing and making things ready, making us ready. A part of provision, when you study provision and protection, is preparation. And we all know that we got to prepare, plan, prepare, and then we can expect to move forward and see the results we desire. And so that word prepare there in the Hebrew means this. It means to arrange.
The Lord, our shepherd who arranges things. It means to set or put or lay in order. And so to create order, it means to set an array on display. It means to prepare, to order, to ordain, to handle, to furnish, to esteem, to equal, to direct, to make ready. It also means to provide, to appoint, to make all things ready to be established for a particular purpose. And that’s what I want to focus there for a moment on, is this. God is providing. God is protecting.
God is preparing us and pursuing us because he has a purpose for us, for each one of us. He’s got a purpose for us. He had a purpose for King David, who was the psalmist who wrote this psalm. And God prepared David before he even knew he was going to be using the skills and things he was. He prepared David in the face of his enemies. We talked about the story last week about the lion and the bear. And then the very person who helped put David, help make him known eventually became his enemy. And so which we know is King Saul.
But beyond King Saul, there were many people in the nations around them who were jealous of David and his success and the way God was blessing him. But God, even in the midst of his enemies, prepared him. And we’re going to look more at that. Psalm 37:23 says this. The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way. Another translation says it this way. The steps of a righteous man. And to be righteous means that you’re walking in a right way, in God’s way.
And so God delights in your way when you’re walking in his way, his plan, his purpose for you. So David was doing that. His heart was after God. Scripture tells us. And so the steps of a good man, a righteous man, a good woman, a righteous woman, are ordered by the Lord. They’re prepared by the Lord. Remember that definition of prepared means to order, to sit in order. And so the steps of a good man, a good woman, are prepared by the Lord.
Hallelujah. And he delights in his way. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. His steps are put in order. Another way to say that God. The steps of a good person, God ordains them.
Or God establishes your step steps. You’re established, you’re on a firm foundation. Psalm 40, verse 2 says this. He also brought me up out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my steps. God sets our feet on a rock, on a firm foundation. The word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior. And our steps are established and sure. Hallelujah.
Praise God. Preparing is seeking God’s direction and his best. That’s a part of preparation. That’s a part of what he was telling Joshua in Joshua 1:8. Don’t let this word out of your mouth. Meditate on it, study it, proclaim it. And then you will see the way to make your life successful and prosperous. Make your way successful and prosperous.
So preparing is seeking God’s direction and his best in prayer, in worship, studying his word, meditating on his word, reading his word, declaring his word. It’s a part of having a heart for God. Hallelujah. Psalm 1,081 in the Amplified version, Amplified classic says this, O God, my heart is fixed, steadfast in the confidence of faith. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises even with my glory. All the faculties and powers of one created in your image. I will sing and give you praise. Hallelujah.
I’m going to take everything you’ve given me, Lord, and I’m going to return it to you and praise you with it. See, as we learn to trust God and seek him first, he will prepare us for his purpose and his plan. He will order our steps. He will make our way plain and straight. Psalm 51:10 in the Amplified classic says this. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right, persevering and steadfast spirit within me. Hallelujah. A right, persevering and steadfast or prepared spirit within me.
A spirit that I’ve yielded to you and surrendered to you, Lord, that I might be prepared and ready to go forth and to persevere in the name of the Lord. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Preparation is also ongoing throughout life, throughout life, in fact, it will never end. Throughout all eternity. We’re going to be prepared and preparing. God’s going to be working in us, through us, for us, with us, as I like to say. And so Ephesians 3:20, 21 of the amplified.
You’ve heard me share this many times, but this confirms this now to him who by and in consequence of the action of his power that is at work within us, he is able to carry out his purpose and do superabundantly far over and above all that we dare ask or think infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams. Wow. To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. So be it. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. When God prepares us for his purpose, he is able to do super abundantly far over and above anything we dare ask or think.
Infinitely beyond. I like to say that’s beyond beyond. It’s never ending. Infinitely means it goes on, it goes on, it goes on and then it goes on some more infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams. Think about that, guys. Can you imagine that all that you can imagine to the highest, to the furtherest, God can go infinitely beyond that and he can do it in you and through you and with you and for you. Hallelujah. Glory to God.
So there are four key things that we see in this Verse that we’re going to take a moment and look at here. The first one was this. David said, you prepare a table before me. This imagery of a table prepared before me portrays God as a generous and caring host, providing for our needs even in the presence of our enemies. It suggests a sense of security and abundance where the child of God can rest, be nourished. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Even in the midst of challenge, God says, hey, I got you covered.
I got your back. I’m prepared and you’re prepared. Hallelujah. God’s provision and blessing is shown here in the imagery of a prepared table. It signifies God’s abundant provision even in difficult circumstances. Despite the presence of enemies, God ensures that his people are well taken care of. I don’t care what’s going on around me, what the enemy’s trying to do. I know that God has me and I am well taken care of.
He has prepared a table before me. In a spiritual context, a table often symbolizes fellowship, provision, a covenant and sometimes judgment, representing a place where the divine and the human meet, offering both physical and spiritual sustenance. Wow, think about that. God comes to sustain us spiritually and physically. And so we see in this a few key things. Here, around the table he’s prepared for us comes fellowship and community. The table is a place where people gather to share food, stories and laughter, fostering a sense of connection and community. In the Old Testament, eating at a king’s table was a sign of honor and privilege.
I read this and it reminds me of my family growing up. We go to visit one another and I especially remember going to visit my grandmother, my dad’s mother, we called her Mamaw. And so we go to Mamaw’s. Well, my uncles and aunts and cousins, we’d all go to church together. And then after church on Sunday, we’d come back to mamas and they had a feast prepared at the table. It was one of those country dinners, lunches that were was prepared and spread out on the table and they just left it sitting there. And us kids, we ate all day. We’d eat lunch and come back around two for a snack, three or four.
We just ate on that all day long. And what a time of fellowship and community we had together. I still treasure those memories and treasure doing that with my family today. The second thing we see here in a table prepared before us is provision and sustenance. The table represents God’s provision, both physical and spiritual. Spiritual provision offering nourishment and strength to believers. The table in Heaven, which we read about in Revelation, is a promise of a table set for the wedding feast or the wedding supper of the Lamb, a future banquet in the kingdom of heaven, where we will fellowship, where we will celebrate all God has provided for us and how he has sustained us through the ages. Hallelujah.
I’m looking forward to that. You’re talking about a big family gathering. That’s going to be a big family gathering. Hallelujah. The third thing about a table prepared before us is it’s a sign, a symbol of covenant and remembrance. In religious traditions, the table can symbolize a covenant agreement, like Jesus did with the disciples. The Last Supper, the Last Supper in Christianity where Jesus shared bread and wine with his disciples, was done signifying his sacrifice and the covenant he made with them through this sacrifice. And we continue to practice this today in remembrance of our covenant through Jesus Christ.
We partake of the bread of the juice today and remember all that God has bought for us through Jesus. Death and burial and resurrection, his sacrifice for us. Hallelujah. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you Jesus for your covenant. Hallelujah. And then the fourth thing here that a table prepared before signifies, it can signify judgment and transformation. Sometimes the table represents judgment or transformation as seen in certain biblical passages.
In the Old Testament, the table of the Lord in the temple was a place where sacrifices were were offered, sins forgiven, and where God was honored. So we see there in that is that we brought a sacrifice before the Lord at the table of the Lord in the temple. And so our judgment was taken care of, our sins were forgiven and we were transformed and God was honored. Today you prepare a table before we means God’s divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. And we see this declared by the apostle Peter in second Peter 1:3. He said, as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who has called us by his glory and virtue. Yet it’s not only in this life that God meets our needs. God is our gracious and bountiful benefactor for both our bodies and souls for all time eternity.
Going back to Ephesians 3:20, infinitely beyond, never ending ongoing, he is there for us. He is there for us for all time and eternity. Hallelujah. John 14, verses 2 and 3 said this, in my Father’s house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you, I go to prepare a place for you. There we Go. He’s preparing for us right now. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself.
That where I am, there you may also be. Hallelujah. We have a promise of eternity with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, with our Father God, and with the Holy Spirit. Hallelujah. And all the family of God we will fellowship with, live together with for all eternity. The second thing that we see here from this verse is that victory and divine favor are ours. In ancient times, sharing a meal was a sign of peace and victory. The fact that the table is set in the presence of enemies suggests that God grants triumph and security to his people while their enemies look on unable to harm them.
In the presence of my enemies. This phrase also emphasizes that God’s provision and blessings are not diminished by the power or the presence of opposition or adversity. It highlights God’s power and sovereignty even in difficult circumstances. Jesus establishes this in a couple of instances in the book of John. Now I want you to listen to this, because no matter what you’re facing today, what the challenge is, these are a couple promises for you that God is there to bless you, to be with you, and his power is not held back or diminished no matter what you’re facing. In John 10:10, Jesus said this. And let me remind you of this. The thief, the enemy, Satan does not come except to steal, to kill, and to destroy.
I have come that they may have life and that they have it more abundantly. Jesus came to give you abundant life, even in the midst of the enemy trying to steal, kill, and destroy. John 16:33, he said this. Jesus said these things. I have spoken to you that in me you may have peace. Now listen to this. In the world you will have tribulation. But be of good cheer.
I have overcome the world. Hallelujah. Jesus is saying, in the midst of tribulation, rejoice. Be glad I have overcome the world. I have a way out for you. And because I’ve overcome the world, that makes you an overcomer. And you are more than a conqueror. Hallelujah.
Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Thank the Lord. If you’re going through something right now, let me share this. I heard this from Brother Hagin, but if you’re going through something right now, you can just start laughing at the devil. Ha. Devil, you’re defeated. Jesus is over.
I don’t care. Ha ha ha ha ha. I am a victor in Christ. I am. I am more than enough. Because Jesus is more than enough. And he is here with me and working through me. Praise God.
I am free, free, free. Thank you, Lord for the answer. Thank you, Lord for your blessing. Guys, we can go on and on with that, praising the Lord in the midst of the challenge, knowing God has made a way, God has made the way. Don’t let the enemy get you twisted up and worrying about things that God has already changed and dealt with and overcome. The third thing we see here is the anointing with oil. You anoint my head with oil? An anointing was a sign of blessing, of favor, of being set apart for a purpose. In a shepherding context, oil was used to soothe and protect sheep from pests and wounds.
And the shepherd would pour the oil on the head of the sheep and the lamb and rub it into the fur there, and it would drive away the pests, the bugs. But it also bring healing to any wounds that might be there. God is here to drive away those things that are coming against us. He’s here to bring healing to us. It’s our right as children of God. It’s our inheritance. Hallelujah. Spiritually, it represents God’s blessing.
You’re anointed with oil by the Holy Spirit coming on you. And so blessing, healing and empowerment comes, bringing comfort and strength to you. Second Corinthians 1, 21 and 22 says, now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. There it is. He’s established us. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing to us what is to come. Here’s what we can know for sure. All believers, that’s you, all believers are anointed by God with the Holy Spirit, which is a guarantee of all we have in Christ and all that is to come.
Hallelujah. Blessed be the name of the Lord. We are anointed. We are blessed. We are highly favored. Scripture says that favor surrounds us as with a shield. You’re walking in a shield, a bubble of favor. Hallelujah.
Which leads us to the fourth expression here of a table being set before us is, we have an overflowing cup. The scripture says there in verse five, my cup overflow. A cup that overflows symbolizes abundance. God’s abundance is yours. You can get up every day and declare, thank you, Lord, for your abundance. I’m walking in your abundance today. It’s abundance of blessings. Thank you for all your blessings, Lord.
It’s abundance of joy. Thank you for this day. This is the day the Lord has made I will rejoice and be glad in it. Hallelujah. It signifies that God not only meets our needs, but blesses us beyond measure always. Like Ephesians 3:20, the Amplified says infinitely beyond. It can’t be measured. God blesses you beyond, beyond, beyond, beyond, beyond.
You can’t measure his blessing because it keeps coming, it keeps going on, always going beyond what is necessary. He didn’t just meet the need, he meets the need and then some. God’s provision is not merely sufficient, it is always overflowing and abundant. Malachi 3:10 in the amplified and I like the way the Amplified classic translates this. It says, bring all the tithe, the whole 10th of your income into the storehouse that there may be food in my house. And prove me now by it says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour you out, he’s going to pour you out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. Hallelujah. Why? Because it’s an overflowing, more than enough blessing.
Praise God. Praise God. Luke 6:38 says this give and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you. Hallelujah. Now, I’ve already read John 10:10, but I want to read it right now in the Amplified Classic because it speaks to this overflow also. The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy.
I came that they may have and enjoy life and have an abundance to the full till it overflows. Jesus wants you to have abundant, full, overflowing life. And you can get up every morning and declare that to Jesus. I thank you for my abundant, full, overflowing life that I walk in today and every day. And I praise you for it. And here’s one we all know, Philippians 4:19. The Amplified says this and my God will liberally supply and fill to the full your every need. Now let me stop right there and say this.
God is not stingy. God is not holding back. God is saying, here, let me fill it to the full. In fact, I’m going to do it liberally. There may be some that spills over. That’s okay. I’m more than enough. My God will liberally supply, fill to the full your every need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
And here’s what we know about his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. They are infinite. They are limitless. They can’t be measured. They go beyond, beyond and beyond. There shall not be room enough to receive it. Now I’m summarizing these four verses I just read to you. There shall not be room enough to receive it.
Running over in abundance to the full, till it overflows, liberally supplied, filled to the full and then some. That’s God’s heart. That’s the Lord, your shepherd’s heart, for you. Hallelujah. This verse, Psalm 23:5, reminds us that believers of God have abundant grace even in the midst of adversity. It speaks of his protection, his provision and favor, reinforcing the theme of trust in him. Throughout Psalm 23, every verse in Psalm 23 points to trusting him completely. Thank you, Lord.
The Lord, my shepherd, prepares. Hallelujah. Preparation by the Holy Spirit is working in you, through you, for you, with you, right now, today. And I challenge you, receive what your father God has prepared. Let’s bow our heads in prayer. Father God, we thank you for your blessing, your favor, for preparing us and preparing before us your abundant provision, overflowing more than enough life, Jesus, that you came to give us. We thank you for it today. And we stand and proclaim that it is ours.
David [00:31:03 – 00:31:35]
As children of God, it is ours. It is our right, it is our inheritance, and we possess it. And Father, we take it by faith in Jesus name. And we declare we will not walk in lack and want. We walk in your blessing, your abundant flow. Hallelujah. Your favor and your prosperity today. Divine provision in every area, in every dimension of our life, spirit, soul and body.
And we thank you for it, Father, in Jesus name. So be it. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. He’s the Lord, our shepherd, who prepares Pastor Kanye’s coming right now with a closing word and a prayer. We want you to have a blessed, blessed week and walk in all that God has created you to be. Amen.
