Briefing: Do you have a bucket list? Have you ever written down the desires of your heart?

Dispatch (Assignment): Read Psalm 20.

On the Street: In Psalm 20:4 we read, “May He give you the desires of your heart and make all your plans succeed.” What a great statement. It is something I believe everyone wants to hear. The issue with this statement is there is more to getting the desires of your heart than just asking for them. It is like an iceberg floating in the ocean. You see the top 10% of it, but the other 90% is floating under the water and is not visible. Just because you cannot see it does not negate the fact that it is still there.

God wants to give us the desires of our heart. That is true. If that was all there was to the statement we would all have our wildest dreams coming true all the time. In order for us to receive this blessing, we must position ourselves correctly with God. Think of it like a wide receiver on a football team. Before he can run down the field and catch a touchdown pass, he must first correctly position himself on the field. There are rules that must be followed, skills and techniques applied. The receiver needs to be in good shape and must know the plans of the quarterback. They must agree to the route, timing, and play calling. See, there is a lot more going on behind the scenes than just a guy deciding to run to the end zone and hope the quarterback sees him and throws the ball his way.

First we must know what God’s will for our life is. He has a will for our life and we have a will for our life. They don’t always match up but to be successful we must be on the same page running the same play.

When we seek out God’s will for our life, found in the Bible (God’s playbook), we can line ourselves up. Matching our will to His will puts us in the correct position.

To ensure success we must be in good spiritual shape, found in the Bible, and begin to learn the skills and techniques He desires for us to have. These things are learned and practiced daily before ever getting to the “big game”. We have to be reading God’s playbook (the Bible) daily to understand who God is. By understanding who He is, we get to know Him better. The better we know Him, the more we trust Him. If you don’t know your quarterback, you will not recognize when he calls an audible that sends you down the field for the touchdown route.

This is one of my favorite verses in the Bible but it’s not easy. It is like the sign in the weight room where I work out. It says, “If it were easy, this room would be full!” Let’s position ourselves to where we are on God’s team and are the offensive weapons He is looking for to win others to Christ.

I believe verse 5 is so critical to our success. It says, “We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God. May the LORD grant all your requests.” The question is when God gives you great victory, grants the desires of your heart and all your requests, do you shout for joy and give Him the glory? Giving God the glory for your victory is falling in line with His will. Humility goes a long way to getting you in position to be used by God.

Investigational Resources: Verse 8, “They are brought to their knees and fall, but we will rise up and stand firm.” I love the application of this verse to 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has seized you except that which is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

Officer Safety Principle: Line yourself up with God and His will by reading your Bible daily and praying that He will reveal Himself to you.

from Psalms Through the Eyes of a Cop, Volume 1
©by Charles Gilliland. Used by permission.
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