Provisions of a Powerful Shepherd

We all know of the classic Psalm 23 that David opened up with “The Lord is my Shepherd”. This is just as well known as John 3:16. Anyone on the street could quote these, even someone that is drunk which shows how powerful they are. However, with all jokes aside the reason why David opens up with these words is because he has experienced God’s hand leading his life and ordering his steps. This analogy of the Lord being a shepherd was the best parable that David could use because he was originally a Shepherd, even when he killed Goliath. Therefore, because he was so faithful in his walk with God as well as taking care of sheep, he learned that God was the shepherd for him just as he was the shepherd for the flock. The same way that God was the shepherd for David is the same way that he is the Shepherd for us today. God is no respecter of persons, which means that if God was able to provide those blessings for David, who was also a King that was just as imperfect as you and I, then he can do the same for us. A shepherd leads the sheep to greener pastures and protects them from wolves that may chase them, surround them from the side, or may be waiting ahead. God is the shepherd of our past, present, and future so that the wolves that the devil sends from the past to chase us, from our present to surround us and from the future to wait and pounce us cannot harm us because of our shepherd’s rod and staff that gives us comfort by beating those animals away from us that keep us from reaching our destiny. Just as the shepherd makes the sheep to lie down in green pastures, God allows his sheep (us), to lie down in green pastures. These green pastures would be a new job, new location or a new place for us to display our gifts and abilities. Whenever we are in a place where we can be effective as well as grow, produce and be fed, that means that we are in green pastures. Therefore, when we are in a place where nothing is working, there is no production or growth, we are officially in dead pastures. However, before we can go to that greener pasture, God has to prepare us and the way he prepares us is by using our present time to clean up our past mess so that we do not walk into our future promise land with junk from the past to hold us down. Another thing that a shepherd does is that he leads the sheep beside the still waters. When we are in still waters, we are in God’s presence to give him praise because has always been used in the Bible to signify God’s presence. Rushing waters were God’s judgment (Genesis 6 & 7), while still waters were his presence for praise, victory, and freedom. Rivers of living waters represented the power of the Holy Spirit (John 7:38). When God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt, he led them through a Red Sea. As they went through, not only did God part the sea, but he also put a pillar of cloud behind them to protect them from the enemy from the past as well as a fire to give them light for their journey to their future. Finally, as Moses and the children of Israel made it to the other side of the sea, God closed up the sea to devour their enemy. Not only that, but the Bible says that the sea returned to its strength as it rushed to wipe out Pharaoh and co. (Exodus 14 & 15) This is a perfect example of God being a shepherd for his people by not only leading them beside still waters to greener pasture, but sending his rushing waters of judgment to wipe out our opposition. Last, but not least God restores our thinking by the renewal of our mind with his word and his spirit. When our thinking is restored, we do not have to be in bondage to the mindset of Egypt (i.e. the world) but our mind can be free to meditate on the things of God’s Kingdom. Instead of looking at our present pain, we can lift up our eyes to the hills from which comes our help as it comes from the Lord. Rather than lose our mind and jump off of a building or go into an alcoholic depression, when our thinking is restored we know that God will keep us in perfect peace because our mind is stayed on him. No longer will we have to settle for less, because not only are we more than conquerors, but we are the head and not the tail, above and not beneath. These are just a small handful of provisions that are provided by a powerful shepherd. As Kingdom citizens, we know that God not only supplies our needs for a job, school etc. but he also blesses us with the tools, details and skills that we need to fulfill our assignments. This has been a tremendous blessing to me and I am just here to share that same word with others.


Psalm 23
1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.