9 Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you. 10 Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him. 11 Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! —Psalm 32:9-11
Warren Wiersbe said we have three choices of how God will treat us: like a sponge, with His hand heavy on us, squeezing out the unwanted elements; like a person, protected and hidden in Him, or like an animal, such as a horse—needing forceful guidance to go in the right direction. Here, David also says that we can be guided like the horse or mule, with a bit and bridle, and unable to be led otherwise.
A clear contrast is drawn in these verses between the wicked and the righteous. God’s people are to be remarkably different from worldly people. Sorrows await the wicked, but mercy, gladness, and joy are reserved for the upright in heart.
The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it. To do evil is like sport to a fool, but a man of understanding has wisdom. The fear of the wicked will come upon him, and the desire of the righteous will be granted. (Proverbs 10:20-15)
The lines are being blurred, in this age of tolerance, between the sexes, classes, religions, and just about anything where distinctions between people are made. Sadly, this has made its way into the church as well, both morally and spiritually. All of this is paving the way for the Man of Sin and his False Prophet to come, deceiving the world with a false religion. Romans 1:28-32 issues a strong warning about this very thing. Approving of sin is evidence of one’s not retaining God in one’s knowledge and being given over to a depraved mind. We live in those times now. Revival is our only hope. God has done His part, giving us all we need by sending His Holy Spirit to fan the flames of revival fire. But they must be true moves of the Spirit. If a “revival” leaves people unchanged, it wasn’t of the Lord.
David warned us not to be like a stubborn animal when it comes to repentance having to be forced on us because we won’t come to it ourselves. If we love our sin more than we want to please the Lord, we will never see true revival. Do you need revival? Do you want revival? Or “would you rather be a mule?”
Persecution is coming to the church, even in America. It has already begun, targeting our beliefs and then our behaviors. If we believe and behave like Christians, we will soon be the targets of the darkness lovers in our land. The only hope is revival, and it won’t begin in a worldly church. It will begin among people who say, like King David, “I can’t live like this anymore. I have to go all out and all in for God.” What is God saying to you today? It’s time to light the revival fires. Jesus is coming soon!
Excerpt from “Beside Still Waters” now available on Amazon.
