Psalm 119: Part 8 - Need a Light to Point the Way?

Hi, Victorious Living family, I am Christi Overton Johnson, the host, or your host, of more Victorious Living broadcasts. What a privilege it is to come into your space, whether you are incarcerated and you're watching us on a prison tablet or a closed circuit television, or perhaps you're in the free world and you are watching us on our YouTube channel or our Facebook platforms, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for joining me, I consider it the highest privilege and honor to teach God's Word and to share with you what God has been showing me, and it is my heart that this be straight from God's heart, because God forbid that it be Christi's words. My words have no power, but God's Word is all-powerful, because He's all-powerful, and He is the Living Word. And we've been studying Psalms 119, it's the longest chapter in the whole Bible, there's 176, I should know that because I've said it about 20 times, 176 chapters in Psalms 119. We're not sure who the author is, but we do know that whoever it is, they know the value of God's Word, and it's life to them, it is protection to them, it is what is reviving their spirit, giving them joy as they go through the trials of life. And I don't know about you, but I need some joy and stability and protection as I walk through this world, that has been the case since the beginning of time, because right from the beginning, the enemy has been trying to kill, steal, and destroy, and deceive us. And in our last session together, we talked about how Satan wants us to go a false way of life, but the Word of God offers us the true way of life. And so I want to encourage you today to continue to dive in the Word. We're not going to cover every single verse in Psalms 119 as we come to the end of our study. We'll see how far we get today and kind of combine some things. We'll see if I can close it up today or if we got to come back one more time, but hey, that won't be the end of the world with it, will it? We just get to learn more from God's Word. So today we're going to focus in on section 105 to 112, and this is where there's one

of my favorite verses, I have a lot of favorite verses, but one that you might actually recognize. It says, your Word, talking to God, your Word, God, is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. And then I know in some other places in Scripture, there's that same passage and it says, I will hide God's Word in my heart that I might not sin against you. And so your Word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. Now over here, in another section, is verse 130, it says, the teaching of your Word gives light. So even the simple can understand. Now last time in our last session, we talked about how God's Word will make you the smartest, the wisest person in the whole room, to make you wiser than your enemies, smarter than your teachers and your elders, because that's what God's Word does. It gives you the special insight. But it also, it lights the way for you to go. It shows you what to say. It's not always a walking, going, it's how to respond, how to say, how to set boundaries, which direction to go, which relationships to let go of. It leads you, God's way always leads you down the right path, the true path. And remember, we learned last time that God's commands lead to that true path, but there's a false way. And that's what the world is coming to tempt us, the enemy wants to tempt us, that God's holding back for us on this true way. That if we follow God, it's not going to be any fun. That's what I, that was my, that's what he convinced me of. When I was a little girl, I was in a Christian school, I grew up in the church, but I remember missionaries coming, and there I was probably fourth, fifth, sixth grade, sitting out in the assemblies, we called them, where we would assemble together and we would listen to a preacher come, or we'd have a special guest and it would be some missionary over in some foreign third world country. And I, the thought that came in my life that is, if I surrender to God, he's going to strip

me down, he's going to send me and make me live in a hut. and I'm gonna be miserable and I didn't want to be miserable. I didn't understand that God was it would invite me on a journey with him to bring me purpose, contentment, joy, that is completely like you could have joy in a tent in a third world country and people do it all the time because they're walking with God and their joy and their contentment is is based on the true way not the false way it's the false way the things the world that says come this way you'll be happy that we grasp for and that's what I did and I believe the lie we talked about that last times in Romans one how if we trade the truth for a lie it's gonna lead us down some dark paths so if you stay in the word it says that your word God your truth and we know that Jesus is the Living Word his Holy Spirit lives in you and the Holy Spirit's role is to guide you into all truth it is to comfort you it is to convict you it is to warn you and so the word in conjunction with the Holy Spirit the power that lives in you through prayer all of that you will be shown the way to go now listen this your word is a lamp is what it says first now a lamp back then they had a little oil lamps now if you had a lamp it wouldn't it would not you need several lamps to light up this space at night let's say and let's see that little lamp right there okay that's not what theirs would have looked like but if I lit that that would be called like a lamp and it would provide just enough space for me if it was dark and I was holding it I wouldn't be able to see miles and miles ahead I would be able to see right in front of me and I could hold that lamp and I could walk with that lamp and I could take one step one step one step at a time and when you are walking with God his word will not always illuminate everything way far ahead and show you the ending as far as like you know sometimes the Holy Spirit will reveal like what it's going to look like I've got some situations like that in my life where right now in the natural it looks like things are falling apart but God's already shown me no you can believe that this is how it's going to end so now your job my job is to hold tight to what the word show me what God's Spirit has shown me so God's Word is a lamp first and foremost it'll give you

enough courage enough direction enough peace to take those first steps and as you do your feet are guided in the direction your mouth is guided your hands are guided your heart is guided and you look back one day and you can see that your whole path has been lit now if I was to turn on a light a light for my path a light it's going to give a little it's a little bit more maybe than a little lamp but the idea is you got a lamp you take those those steps and he's lighting up your path he's lighting it up one step at a time if you've gotten I think it was in our most recent magazine if it's not it's gonna be in the next one y'all you probably may have realized we did not do a January 2025 issue we had to pull back we had some financial things but we also had some internal things we just need to breathe for a minute and we need to regroup and and look at all the opportunities God was given us and focus in on all right what is it you want us to do and so we worked ahead though and we've had a little break so I don't know what's out I we've already got some finished that haven't been released yet so forgive me if I'm giving a spoiler alert right now because I talked about in one of my articles that God's Word is a lamp and I was at a hotel and this hotel I was staying at when I woke up in the middle of night to go to the bathroom I put my feet on the floor and when I did this light this light came out from under the bed about scared me half to death but it was a soft light but I'd never seen it all I've traveled a lot I have stayed in some raunchy hotels and I have stayed in in some magnificent hotels and this one was the first time I'd ever seen a light come on to light the way to the bathroom and it was soon as I put my feet down and when I feel like the Lord's showing me something soon as I put my feet down it the sensor and I was able to go to the bathroom and not crack my toes, which I have done. I have broken my toes like twice in a hotel because I couldn't see the way. And a lot of us are walking around with some broken toes in the physical world, you know, in the spiritual world because we haven't allowed God's soft light. It was a soft light. It wasn't this, hey, arrows and all that. Just lit it up and it showed me the way to go. But here's the thing, I first of all had to

put my feet on the floor and then I had to get out of the bed and I had to walk in it. And so God's Word is gonna be like that soft lamp when you put your feet to the ground with God and you say, God, I want to walk with you. I'm gonna dive in your Word. You're putting your feet on the ground by getting in His Word. Then God's Word will be a lamp to your feet. It'll show you how to have that conversation with that person. It'll show you what to do. It'll say, keep your mouth shut, turn the other cheek, forgive. It'll tell you what to do. And then as it tells you what to do, you're gonna have the courage. You're gonna have to get up out of that bed and you're gonna have to walk. You're gonna have to walk in it. And that's what God's Word will do for you. It'll protect you, keep you from cracking those toes as you're walking through this often painful world, this world with traps and snares that are set by our enemies, that are set by the enemy Satan, and also those in this world that just don't want to see you succeed. But the ultimate force behind that is the enemy Satan because the Bible tells us our war is not against flesh and blood. Our war is against the powers of darkness. So that's another study for another day. So that's what Psalms 105 says. It says, your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path. It says over in 130, the teaching of your word gives light. So even the simple can understand. Maybe all your life you're like, I just keep making the wrong choices. I've been, maybe you've even been called stupid or an idiot or whatever. God's Word will be a light to your path and it'll make it, in a way, God's not gonna make it so hard to understand. Listen, even the simple can understand. Even the most uneducated person, even the one who maybe can't understand like deep concepts and things like that in the world, it says right here, the simple man, the things, the one the world would throw away, God's Word will give you light and God's Word will give you understanding. God's Word will make you, simple man or woman, the smartest person in the room and it will not be so complicated that you're like, I don't get it. We complicate it. We complicate God's Word. We get so deep in our thoughts and then we're going in circles where God's like, it's not that difficult. I love you with an everlasting love. I gave my son for you.

For God, the Father, so loves you and me that He gave His one and only Son, Jesus, that if we would believe in Him, believe in Him, what does that mean? Believe that He died for us. Believe that He was the perfect sacrifice of God, that He was God in the flesh, that came and lived on this earth. He faced every temptation we did and do, yet He's without sin and then He laid His perfect self on the cross and He died, took God's punishment for our sin, which would have been the wages of sin is death. He took that upon Himself for us. That's the simple truth of the gospel and you believe that Christ died for you and took all of your sins and that your righteousness, you're being right with God, being right in His eyes, is not based on all your good works. It's based on what Jesus did on the cross. That's the simple truth of the gospel and we make it hard. God says even the simple can understand my plan of salvation. It's when we we try to mess it up with our own thoughts and trying to add stuff to the gospel. The Word of God, yes, it's very deep and it's very complex, but when you get in there, there were years ago when I would have read this and I don't understand that. Now it's like every page is highlighted because as I read it with God, this simple girl who's never been to a theology class understands God's Word because He brings it alive. He helps the simple. the one that's not trained, understand it. And that's what he will do. Our part is to come to the word with expectation. So look at verse 131, we're gonna skip over a little bit. The author's saying, I pant with expectation, I'm longing for your commands. So the writer here has a longing. Above all the things that this world offers, the author here is saying, I've tried it all. And here's what I know, the word of God will satisfy, the word of God will protect, the word of God will make me wise,

the word of God will revive me, the word of God will help me, the word of God will guide me. It'll be a lamp into my feet and a light into my path. It'll give me, it'll illuminate the way I should go, the thing I should do, the words I should speak, the people I should turn away from, not because you're mean, but because you've got to put protection and boundaries, protective boundaries in your life to be able to walk in the way. We've seen how the writer says, I'm gonna refuse and I'm gonna choose, we talked about last time. And he makes promises throughout here, God, I promise, I'm gonna chase after you. He says, I promise, 106, Psalms 119, 106, New Living Translation. I promised it once and I'll promise it again. I will obey your righteous regulations. He says, I've suffered a lot. Is that you today? Have you suffered a lot? Restore my life, God, again, as you promised. He's going to God and he, this is what the word, the word is filled with promises. So when you're armed with the word and you go and you pray to God, you can say, God, you promised. You've promised to protect me. You've promised to supply all my needs

according to your riches in Christ Jesus. You've promised me that I'm never alone, but God, I feel alone right now. You promised that your Holy Spirit's gonna guide me, so thank you for the wisdom. That's why it says in Philippians 4, 6 through 8, be anxious over nothing, but talk to God, tell him what you need. Thank him in advance. Take your promises, take his promises back to him and remind him what he said. Not that he's forgotten, but he likes to know you know him. And God is a God that cannot lie, and his character is faithfulness and love. He says, accept my offering of praise, and we'll see this a lot if you read on your own the rest of 119, you'll see that he's making an offering, a sacrifice of praise. You won't always feel like praising God. Last night, my flesh was like, go watch another TV show. But my spirit was saying, no, go praise God. So I just turned some music on. I had a house to myself last night, me and four dogs, and my husband was on a trip, so I was able to just blast that music, singing to the top of my lungs, praising God, and as I did, it was a sacrifice of praise, but as I did, joy and peace and contentment. I wasn't thinking about all the things going on in the world. My heart was lifted to God, it was like it was a way from this place.

My life constantly hangs in the balance, but I will not stop obeying your instructions. So he's saying, I'm hurting, we've talked about this, I'm hurting, my life is hanging in the balance, but I promise I'm gonna hold fast. I'm gonna refuse to let go, and I'm gonna choose to hold fast. The wicked have traps set for me, but I will not turn, I refuse to turn. Your laws are my treasure, they are my heart's delight, I am determined to keep your decrees to the very, very end. So, let's make that determination today. We said it last time, refuse and choose. Determine in your spirit today that no matter what's going on, if your life is hanging in the balance, that you are gonna determine to follow God. You're gonna determine to keep going back to the word. You're gonna continue, even if you don't understand it, because you can't see the whole end to the path, that you're gonna trust as you continually go back to his word, that his word will be a lamp unto your feet. Keep putting your feet down in the word. Keep putting your feet and your heart steadfast, trusting in God, and it will be a lamp unto you. He will light the way. He is the way, he is the truth, he is the life. Says that Jesus is the light of the world, and he came. to light up your darkness. And it says that when the light of the world comes and then it came, it says in John that the world, all the things of this world cannot overcome the light. So walk in the light today. And how can you walk in the

light? You walk in the light by walking in the Word. And don't say you ain't got time. We all got 24 hours a day. How we choose to use it is up to us. And this is the best investment you can make in your life. If you're incarcerated right now, you might have some extra time on your hands. Get in the Word. I meet so many people and it's the Word that you're putting in you now is going to help you walk in the free world. It's gonna be your sustenance. It's gonna be your guide. It's what you need now is to fill up. It's your armor. It's your sword. It's your shield. It's everything that you need. It's your belt. It's gonna hold you together. It's gonna protect your mind. And it's gonna be your victory. Use the time now to get it in and keep putting it in and keep walking in it. Don't just be, remember James says, don't just be a hearer, one who just hears it and it goes in one ear and out the other. Be a listener. That you lean in and you intently listen and then you're a doer. You put your feet to the mat and you start walking in it even if it's hard. And God will meet you there. God will meet you there. So, oh my leg is asleep. Oh, sorry. I have a hip disorder and it was kind of locked. Okay, let's let's end with prayer. Father, thank you for this beautiful man and woman that are watching right now. Thank you, Lord, that you're with them whether they're in a jail cell right now, whether they're in a prison, whether they're in some special housing unit. Maybe they're in free world. They're watching on YouTube or they're watching on Facebook. And Lord, maybe they're in a hospital. Maybe they're in a dead-end marriage. Maybe they're in a life sentence. God, only you know where we are. Only you know what we're facing. And that's all that needs to know is because if you know it, we're okay. Because you are the answer. And Father, your Word has the answer. I pray that you would infuse us with your strength today. That you would help us to know you and to know the hope of your glory. Father, we thank you for all that you've done, all that you are, and all that you have for us. In the precious name of Jesus, amen. God is good. God is good. I feel like someone right now is saying God's not good. I can be talking about a good God. If God is good, how come this is happening? I want to encourage you to read Judges 6 because Gideon said the same thing. And

Gideon at the end, even though he couldn't feel God, he hadn't seen God's miracles. He saw nothing but bad things around him. God showed up in that place and chose that man to do great things. And I feel like there's someone right now that you're doubting God's goodness and you're doubting your worth. And God is calling you out. He's saying, trust me my son. Trust me my daughter. I know the way. And I'm gonna walk with you in it. And I have not forgotten you, he says. I don't know who this is for, but I have not forgotten you. I have not forsaken you. Yes, it's taken longer than you think it should and that you thought it would. But I have a plan. You just can't see the end of it. So keep walking with me. Keep walking in my word because it, as Christi has said, as we have said today, it will be a lamp unto your feet. It's going to help you take the steps today that you need. And my grace is sufficient for today. And my faithfulness is new every morning. You have what you need today. Do not worry about tomorrow for it has all the troubles of its own. But I'm going to help you through tomorrow too. I believe that is a word for somebody today. It's a word for me. I'm going to receive it. May the Lord bless you. May he keep you. May his face shine upon you. May he be gracious to you and your family. He's got your family too. He's got you. So pass this on with a friend. Go be a friend to somebody. There's a dying world out there and they need to know the true way of God. They need to know that there's a lamp that can guide them. They need to know that there's a God that loves them. And how will they know unless you tell them? Love you my brother and my sister. And we will have one more video on Psalms and then we're gonna move on to who knows what else. I look forward to discovering it myself. God bless you, thank you for watching. Thank you for your prayers and your letters. We'll talk to you soon, bye. Thank you for watching our broadcast. Are you an incarcerated brother or sister who needs encouragement?

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