God's "Go-To" Game Plan

Luke Ellerman

Central Truth

God deserves my praise because He is worthy of my trust. He is my "go-to" when I am afraid because He knows everything I face. He loves me and wants the best for me. I know that God is on my side.

When I am afraid,
I trust in you.
In God—I boast in his promise—i
n God I trust, I am not afraid.
What can mere men do to me?
. . . .
My enemies will turn back when I cry out to you for help;
I know that God is on my side.
(Psalm 56:3-4, 9)

In God I Trust

To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A Miktam^{1

56:1
Probably a musical or liturgical term} of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.

1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;
    all day long an attacker oppresses me;
2 my enemies trample on me all day long,
    for many attack me proudly.
3 When I am afraid,
    I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise,
    in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can flesh do to me?

5 All day long they injure my cause;^{2

56:5
Or they twist my words}
    all their thoughts are against me for evil.
6 They stir up strife, they lurk;
    they watch my steps,
    as they have waited for my life.
7 For their crime will they escape?
    In wrath cast down the peoples, O God!

8 You have kept count of my tossings;^{3

56:8
Or wanderings}
    put my tears in your bottle.
    Are they not in your book?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
    in the day when I call.
    This I know, that^{4

56:9
Or because} God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
    in the LORD, whose word I praise,
11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.
    What can man do to me?

12 I must perform my vows to you, O God;
    I will render thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered my soul from death,
    yes, my feet from falling,
that I may walk before God
    in the light of life.

Footnotes

[1] 56:1 Probably a musical or liturgical term
[2] 56:5 Or they twist my words
[3] 56:8 Or wanderings
[4] 56:9 Or because

I love watching football—even the commercials. One ad in particular “What Can Brown Do for You?” tries to convince me that a delivery service can do everything for me. That’s genius! I think people are always trying to find something or someone to trust completely.

In football I spend time preparing for our opponent, trying to take apart their defensive strategy. Their goal is to take me down and destroy our plan to score. That can hurt my confidence, as well as my physical body.

This reminds me of what David is saying in Psalm 56 and what Jesus says about our worst enemy in John 10:10. In football I trust my teammates to help me stand strong. In life, as I battle peer pressure, work to measure up in school, and just try to fit in with friends, I can become really weighed down. But I know I can trust God completely because He will “keep my feet from stumbling.” (Psalm 56:13)

As I have studied David’s words and his life, I realize that God has given us “go-to’s” to help turn back the enemy.
1. Praise—We can read the Psalms and find the words to help us praise God’s character.
2. Prayer—When we’re afraid, we can freely tell God, “I can’t do it without You.”
3. People—Like David’s mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:10-47), we can seek out “go-to” people to encourage us.

My brother Will is a great example of trust in God. He has Down syndrome and faces challenges that would discourage any of us. But God’s Word has been planted in his mind, and the Bible is his “go-to,” delivering up God’s strength to persevere.

Look at some other words in the Bible that describe God: our Shield, Warrior, Refuge, Rock, Strength, and Deliverer. Who or what else can deliver on those kinds of promises? He has made it possible to tackle fears head-on through God’s Word, prayer, and His people. With God’s “go-to” game plan, we can all be winners.

1. When you're afraid, do you face your fear or run from it? Read Philippians 4:6-7.
2. Do you have a "go-to" game plan for when you're afraid?
3. Do you have Bible verses memorized to help you turn away fear? I like Philippians 4:6-7 and Proverbs 3:5-6. There are many others.
4. Do you have "go-to" people who know you and whom you can trust? If not, begin praying that God would lead you to them. If you do, tell them so that they know how important they are in your life.