TITLE: THE PLACE OF ENCOUNTER

TEXT: PSALM 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his names sake.
4
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
1
2

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
5

THE PLACE OF REVIVAL Zenith the peak is at Golgotha, the mountain on

which Jesus was crucified. It is like a garbage dump. More of a smokey
mountain. He said to him, Today you will be with me in paradise.
Jesus Christ sunk into the depths of the earth after dying. Any hope then
was lost. A prisoner of the darkness.
Revival can and should be happening in the most dark place.

Marriage on the rocks

The place of revival must be the most difficult place.
I. HE WANTS ME TO MAKE HIM MY SHEPHERD.
1. Would you like me to be your Shepherd?
Anyone needs a shephered. There is no one who is created independently.
I would like to be your shepherd.
1

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

Because the LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Really? How can we say
that, because my Shepherd is awesome?
What does our Shepherd wants us to do?
2
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
II. HE MAKES ME DO THINGS.
Do we like a Shepherd who makes us do things? Probably not, but our
Shepherd has scars on His hands which signifies that He has done
something for us first. He is much smarter than us.
What does our Shepherd wants us to do?
2
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3

he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his names sake.
HE makes me
Leads me
Restores me

 Guides me
We
We
We
We

need
need
need
need

to
to
to
to

be
be
be
be

made
led
restored
guided

Totally on His terms but it is for our benefit.

III. HE PROTECTS ME.
Walkthrough
4
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
means that I am not trapped if GOD is my shepherd.
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

Oh, it means I am protected. I can be secured. Because I am not the one

who needs to have a rod and a staff, my shepherd has it for me.
That comforts me that HE defends me.
IV. HE PROVIDES FOR ME.
5
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.
what does this means?
HE BLESSES me with I need to fulfill the purposes that I need.
I got enough for me and for everyone else.

Surely your goodness and love will follow me

all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
NOT JUST HE LEADS ME,
V. HE FOLLOWS ME
Goodness and love is not two different person.
5

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
the place of encounter is probably in the middle of the battle that we are
facing right now.
Shadrach Meshach and Abednego, God didnt put them out of the fire. He
went into the fire to be with them.
This message is better seen than heard.

TABLE with food.

2 chairs, one for you and one for JESUS.
It is good news! We dont belittle your enemies, your battles.
ENEMIES
The enemy is like a roaring lion
1 peter 5:8
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a
roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

But it is not about us. It is all about the FATHER. You know that when a
child is hurt? Who is more hurt, the FATHER!
We let a killer sit down at a table before you know it, he is eating at your
table. He starts talking. He starts giving me water then he says three
things about us.
What does the enemy whisper to us at our table:
a. Youll never going to make it.
b. You are not good enough.
c. Everybody is against you.
It is time to say to the devil, you dont deserve a seat at my table!
Dont give the enemy a seat in your table.
Just keep it to the minimum. 2 is the best.
So why does He prepares a table before me in the presence of the
enemies?

Elisha
2 Kings 6
15When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early
the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded
the city. Oh no, my lord! What shall we do? the servant asked.
16Dont be afraid, the prophet answered. Those who are with us
are more than those who are with them.
17And Elisha prayed, Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.
Then the LORD opened the servants eyes, and he looked and saw the
hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
18As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the LORD,
Strike this army with blindness. So he struck them with blindness,
as Elisha had asked.
19Elisha told them, This is not the road and this is not the city.
Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for. And he
led them to Samaria.
20After they entered the city, Elisha said, LORD, open the eyes of
these men so they can see. Then theLORD opened their eyes and they
looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.
21When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, Shall I kill
them, my father? Shall I kill them?
22Do not kill them, he answered. Would you kill those you have
captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before
them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their
master. 23So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had
finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to

their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israels

territory.

JEHOSHAPATH in 2 Chronicles 20:

Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As
they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Listen to me,
Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your
God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and
you will be successful. After consulting the people,
Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise
him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the
head of the army, saying:
20

21

[c]

Give thanks to the LORD,

for his love endures forever.

Conclusion:
Allow JESUS to be your shepherd.
John 10:10-11
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have
come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
0

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his

life for the sheep.
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