PROTECTION IN THE MIDST OF DANGER
- Olufunmilayo Adekusibe
- 2 days ago
- 7 min read
Today’s Readings:
Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16
Jeremiah 23:9-22
2 Corin 8:8-15
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.’ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. … ‘Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high because he has known My Name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honour him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.”
(Psalm 91:1–6, 14–16 (NKJV)
God has not promised a world free from danger, but He does promise His help whenever we face danger. Verse 1 reminds us that the Lord has not chosen to remove us from evil. He has not isolated us from the presence of wrong; instead, God walks with us in the midst of an evil world. When we walk in a close relationship with Him, we enjoy a secret hiding place— “the shelter of the Most High.” There we can “find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”
Have you ever tried to trap a bird? It is an experience. Charles R. Swindoll narrated his experience as a young boy in Fort Worth. There were many trees in their backyard, and he and his siblings learned the joy of trapping wild birds, caging them, and raising them in a makeshift way. They had a little apple crate that they propped up with a stick. They tied a string to the stick and covered it with leaves and dirt so the birds could not see it. Then they hid on the screened-in back porch, and one of them would hold the string. They laid out bread leading up to the trap, and underneath it they piled about half a loaf. When a little bird would hop along, they would snicker behind the porch screen. But about the time a bird got near, one of them would sneeze, and the bird would take off. So, they waited again. Eventually, they learned that what appealed to a mockingbird did not appeal to a blue jay, and what appealed to a blue jay did not affect a cardinal. Through trial and error, they discovered that you had to know what kind of trap to set if you wanted to catch the bird.
In the same way, Satan knows how to bait your trap. He has been dealing with people for centuries. Though you are unique, you share basic weaknesses with others who have lived before you. Satan has been baiting traps since humanity began, and he delights to snatch people away in a snare. We all have weak moments. We all have days when we are more vulnerable than others. You probably know what it is like to be under attack. It is easy to be vulnerable both when we are discouraged and when we are resting on the crest of enjoyment. God has given a great promise to those who “live in the shelter of the Most High,” those who trust in Him and rely on Him daily. He can rescue and protect us from Satan’s traps. Like a great eagle that covers its young with its wings, God covers us, and under His wings of protection, we find comfort and refuge in the middle of the struggles of life. God is a faithful protector. He shields us in the midst of attack and guards us with His truth. Because God is our protector, we can have strong inner confidence. We who trust in Him are redeemed children of God--declared righteous in His sight, protected, cared for, and loved. Standing in the victory won by our Lord Jesus Christ, we can face the enemy with confidence. That does not mean we can play games with the enemy. No! He is extremely strong and intelligent beyond our abilities—but not beyond the ability of Christ. There is wonderful freedom and release from fear in realising our position in Christ is secure. There is power in the blood of the Lord Jesus and in the application of the Word of God.
David often speaks of the goodness and character of God. In verse 2, he calls God his refuge and fortress—a God he can fully trust. It is interesting to note that David says, “I will say of the Lord…” What are you saying about the Lord? It is not enough to think about God’s goodness—we should speak of it. We need to verbally declare the Lord’s faithfulness in proper places and at proper times. It is a good habit to prayer-walk, perhaps in the mornings or evenings, singing and confessing the Word of God aloud:
“God is on my side; I can do whatever He assigns me to do.”
“God is good, and He has a good plan for my life and family.”
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
“Blessings are chasing me and overflowing in my life.”
When we confess words like these, we nullify the evil plans of the enemy. Make it a habit to verbalise your thanksgiving, praise, and worship. Sing songs filled with praise and worship. Take aggressive action against the enemy by declaring the goodness and lovingkindness of God! When we feel emotions rising within us, we should return to the secret place of the Most High and cry out: “Father, help me resist this surge of emotions that threatens to overwhelm me!” If we do this, the Lord has promised to intervene. We must learn to take refuge under His shadow, where we will be safe and secure, knowing that no power in heaven or on earth can withstand Him. The result of living in the shadow of the Almighty is that we lose our fear—we live without fear. Fear keeps us uneasy, suspicious, and constantly looking over our shoulders. But when we live in the shelter of the Most High and rest in the shadow of the Almighty, we need not be afraid, even when evil surrounds us. Fearless courage comes from walking in close companionship with God.
God’s Promise to Protect His Own
David began the psalm with “I will say…” then shifted to “you,” and closed with “the Lord says…” (v. 14). God assures us that those who love Him will be rescued and protected, because they recognise His name. They know He is God and call upon Him for deliverance. This does not mean such people will never have troubles, but that He will be with them in times of trouble (v. 15). God’s promise to show believers His salvation and satisfy them with long life does not mean every believer will live to old age. At times, God allows His people to suffer persecution, famine, or sickness for His purposes and glory. God works in mysterious ways, His wonders to perform. For reasons beyond our understanding, He allowed Idi Amin to kill Bishop Janani Luwum. He allowed Dr. Byang Kato to die suddenly in 1975, at a time when he was desperately needed in Africa. He allowed Rev. Tachio Duniya and Rev. Gurza to be killed during religious riots in Kaduna, Northern Nigeria. He also allowed Yahaya Tsalibi to suffer the same fate in Potiskum, Nigeria. Yet, as those who trust in the Lord, we believe that God has His purposes in everything He does or allows.
OLUFUNMILAYO TITILOLA ADEKUSIBE
To surrender your life to Christ, say this prayer aloud. “Father, I acknowledge my sin against You. I repent and ask for forgiveness in the name of Jesus. I surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. By the power of Your Holy Spirit, take control of my heart and lead me in Your path of righteousness. Thank you, Lord.”
If you said the prayer, Congratulations! You are welcome to the body of Christ. Prayerfully look for a living church and meet the resident reverend, pastor or priest.
Prayer:
Thank You, Lord, for making Your secret place and shadow a refuge and fortress for us in times of trouble.
You are our confidence, delivering us from the snare of the fowler, from deadly pestilence, and covering us under Your mighty wings. Thank You, Lord.
Thank You for Your promises that strengthen us in our walk with You, building our confidence and trust in Jesus’ name.
Lord, increase our trust in You, to know You work in mysterious ways to accomplish Your purposes.
Lord, teach us that our spiritual battle is from the view of your victory on the cross.
The glory and honour of God in my life will not be tarnished, drowned, stolen, or exchanged by demonic trade-by-barter—it will remain to the glory of Your holy name, in Jesus’ name.
I put on the whole armour of God, day and night, in the strength and might of the Holy Spirit, and I withstand the wiles of the devil, his cohorts, and human agents, in Jesus’ name.
I hold the blood of Jesus against all strange altars working against God’s will, purposes, and agenda in my life. I command the fire of God to consume them. I pull down the strongholds of priests working on such altars; may they be arrested by the fire of God and restrained by the blood of Jesus, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, walk in the midst of children in all nations, especially our nation, Nigeria. Deliver them from the captivity of the mighty, break every bondage to addiction, contend with those who contend with us, and save our children. Cause those who oppress us to be consumed by their own devices, in Jesus’ name.
Lord, in Your mercy and strength, reform Your Church. Separate it from wicked practices and systems of the world, so that the Church may fully accomplish the purposes for which You established it, in Jesus’ name.
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