[Notes of a sermon preached at Holy Triity Norwich on 20th September 2026

‘In this world you will have trouble. (Jn 16:33).

This was true of Jesus himself, whose life was in danger from the very beginning.

It was also true of his first followers.  If tradition is to be believed, only one of Jesus’ disciples died peacefully of old age in his own bed.

It is true of many Christians today:

Bulbula (Ethiopia); Atahar (Bangladesh); Zaira (Central Asia); Somayeh (Iran).

[The above stories are recounted at www.opendoorsuk.org

Here in the UK we hear increasingly of wrongful arrests and unlawful discrimination of Christians.

Rev Dr Bernard Randall – a school chaplain dismissed after telling pupils that they were entitled to question LGBT ideologies that were being taught at their school.

Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, Dec 2025, criminally charged after praying silently in an abortion clinic buffer zone.

Kristie Higgs – in 2019 this school pastoral assistant was dismissed for gross misconduct.  She had questioned, on a private Facebook page, the gender identity teaching that had been introduced ‘under the radar’ at her son’s C of E primary school.

Pastor Steve Maile (Watford), mid-2026, arrested and detained after onlookers accused him of hate speech and ‘Islamophobia’ while he was street preaching.

Then there are the situations that you may find yourself in:-

• You’re sitting in your new tutorial group at uni tomorrow morning.  The chat turns to what everyone was doing over the weekend.  You’re wondering what reaction you’ll get if you admit that you were in church, listening to some old geezer talk about the Bible.
• You’re sitting round the family meal table, feeling increasingly uncomfortable as the conversation turns to the latest news about ‘assisted dying’.
• You’re at work in the office, worrying how difficult your life might become having politely but firmly made it clear to your boss that you’re not willing to tell lies on her behalf.

David had an acute experience of feeling under threat.  This is commemorated in Psalm 59.

Heading – ‘When Saul had sent men to watch David’s house in order to kill him.’

Recalls 1 Sam 19:10-12.  David had become famous as the giant-killer.  He had been anointed to replace Saul as king.  Saul, for his part, has become increasingly jealous and violent towards David.  Twice he hurled his spear at him.  Now, he has despatched a murder squad to David’s home.  They surround his house, intent on killing him. In the event, David escapes through an upper window, aided by his wife Michal.  Safe until the next attempt on his life.

1. Tell your fears to God, 1-5

(a) Know who you are praying to

vv1-2 ‘Deliver me from my enemies, O God.’

‘O God, if there is a God…’.  ‘Someone, somewhere’.

David knows whom he is taking his fears to – ‘O God’; ‘O Lord’; ‘O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel’; ‘my strength’; ‘my fortress’; ‘my loving God’; ‘O Lord our shield’; ‘my Strength’.

We can come to God with even greater confidence – Jn 1:18 – ‘No one has ever seen God, but the only-begotten Son, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.’

(b) Keep a clear conscience

V4 – ‘I have done no wrong’.  He is not claiming to be perfect.  But he is claiming to have a clear conscience with respect to Saul.  He has done nothing to deserve this treatment.

According to James 5:16 – ‘The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.’

Do we have integrity in our dealings with our employer, coworkers, family members, neighbours, teachers and fellow-students?  Especially when dealing with difficult people, can we bring our fears to God, knowing, with David, that our conscience is clear?

(c) Recognise that there is a cosmic dimension to this conflict

v5 A worldwide scope.  ‘The nations……wicked traitors’.  David is praying, not simply as a private person, but as God’s anointed king.  Jesus claims the whole world as his kingdom.

A cosmic dimension – ‘O LORD God Almighty, the God of Israel’.  1 Sam 19:9 – ‘An evil spirit from the LORD came upon Saul.’  We are engaged in a cosmic battle.

Eph 6:12 – ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.’

‘Fight valiantly as a disciple of Christ against sin, the world and the devil.

2. Flee to God, your fortress, 6-10

vv6-7 – The threat returns with greater violence.  The oppressors are becoming more daring.  ‘Who can hear us?’ – They imagine that they can threaten and attack God’s anointed with impunity.

v8 – But they have reckoned without David’s God.  ‘You, O Lord, laugh at them; you scoff at all those nations.’  God is not blind to the misdeeds of wicked people.  Nor is he deaf to the cries of his people.

vv9-10 – Is God able to rescue? – ‘My Strength, ‘my fortress’.  Is he willing to rescue? – ‘My loving God’.  Personal pronouns.

3. Praise God for his victory, 11-17

v11 – David wants God’s victory to be public knowledge.

It is just so with Christ’s victory:

Christ ‘disarmed the powers and authorities [and] made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross’ (Colossians 2:15).

But then, David prays:

v13 – ‘Consume them in wrath, consume them till they are no more.’

There will be a final reckoning:

1 Cor 15:24-26 – ‘Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.  For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.’

Where does that leave us today, in these in-between times?

• Where does it leave those whose lives, or livelihoods, are in danger?
• Where does it leave those wrongfully arrested or unlawful discriminated against?
• Where does it leave those with challenges to face in the classroom, at work, or at home?

Do not seek personal revenge.  Leave that to God, who judges justly.  ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay’.

Instead, seek to conquer evil with good.  ‘Love your enemy…pray for those who persecute you.’  Get rid of your enemy by turning him into your friend!

Illustration: Bulbula & Adam.  [Their story is told here]

vv16-17 – The evening of fear gives way to the morning of joy; the cry for help to the song of praise.

Psa 30:5 –  ‘Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.’

It’s time to complete the quotation from Jesus:

Jn 16:33 – “In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world.”