Free email series
Get insight and practical tools to help you grow in two of God’s most powerful and delightful spiritual disciplines: worship and prayer.
Sign upFinding Our Refuge In Christ August 15th, 2021
- INTRODUCTION
- A. Last week I spoke about the importance of living under God’s protecting canopy. We live in a very strategic time where there are many things happening around us that can cause us to walk in fear or become anxious. However, we need to know that the things that are unfolding in the earth today are all a part of God’s plan for the end-time conclusion prior to the return of Christ!
- B. I call Psalm 91 a “Knowing Who is Your Protector Psalm”: It is important that we learn how to trust the Lord, and how to dwell under the covering of His protection. I believe there is a supernatural mindset – that God has prescribed in His Word that will take away fear, and that will cause us to walk through the intensity of the battle and come out on the other side. The Bible says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me!” (Psa. 50:15)
- A. Last week I spoke about the importance of living under God’s protecting canopy. We live in a very strategic time where there are many things happening around us that can cause us to walk in fear or become anxious. However, we need to know that the things that are unfolding in the earth today are all a part of God’s plan for the end-time conclusion prior to the return of Christ!
- FINDING YOUR DWELLING PLACE
- A. There is a place in God – a secret place – for those who want to seek refuge! It’s a literal place of physical safety and security. God wants us to know that we can go there in time of need which so often happens in life. Dwelling in the shelter of of Most High is the O/T way of teaching faith. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of His wings” (Psa. (1:1)
- B. The secret place is literal but it is conditional. To abide in the shadow of the Almighty, we must first choose to dwell in the shelter of the Most High! God lists our part of the condition before He mentions the promises included. You may give mental assent to this reality in your prayer time, but unless you do something about it—unless you actually get up and run to the shelter—you will never experience it.
- C. The secret place is, in reality, living in intimacy and familiarity with God Himself. You become familiar with Him. You love His presence, His nearness on a daily basis. You walk with Him, you talk with Him, He tells you “you are His own” . You sit in His lap and know that He is Your friend—that really is what the secret place is!
- A. There is a place in God – a secret place – for those who want to seek refuge! It’s a literal place of physical safety and security. God wants us to know that we can go there in time of need which so often happens in life. Dwelling in the shelter of of Most High is the O/T way of teaching faith. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of His wings” (Psa. (1:1)
- WATCH YOUR MOUTH
- A. What is coming out of your mouth? It is important that we realize just how important our words are. King David says, “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress” (Ps. 91:2). The word, “say” is the key. We must learn to verbalize our trust in God. When things happen in life our tendency is the blurt out words that don’t help us. But we must learn to verbalize our trust in God. We answer back to Him what He first says to us in His Word. We declare His Word, not our feelings, not our emotions about what is happening to us or around us, but what He says. There is power in saying His Word back to Him! We are told in scripture: Say the Word!
- “Let the weak say, ‘I am strong’” (Joel 3:10b). “The centurion said, ‘Only speak a word and my servant shall be healed’” (Matt. 8:8) “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Pr. 18:21). “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight” (Ps. 19:14)
- B. Power is released in saying it out loud. Sometimes it’s good for us to get alone with God and just begin to say some things out loud—what you are asking God to do—what you are believing Him for and the Word you are holding onto in faith. When we “say it” and “mean it” we are placing ourselves in His shelter. By voicing his lordship and His protection, we open the door to the secret place.
- A. What is coming out of your mouth? It is important that we realize just how important our words are. King David says, “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress” (Ps. 91:2). The word, “say” is the key. We must learn to verbalize our trust in God. When things happen in life our tendency is the blurt out words that don’t help us. But we must learn to verbalize our trust in God. We answer back to Him what He first says to us in His Word. We declare His Word, not our feelings, not our emotions about what is happening to us or around us, but what He says. There is power in saying His Word back to Him! We are told in scripture: Say the Word!
- DELIVERANCE FROM THE TRAPPER & PESTILENCE
- A. When we dwell in the secret place God keeps us from the enemy’s traps. “Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence” (Ps. 91:3). These are pictures of what the enemy tries to do to us. The Bible describes the reality that we have a real enemy in life. It’s not people, but it is the devil (satan) who is constantly on the prowl, looking for someone to devour. “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1Pe. 5:8).
- B. He is called the trapper because he is constantly attempting to set traps for us. The traps are not there by accident—they are intentionally set with your name on them. They are custom made, placed, and baited specifically for each one of us. The enemy knows exactly what will most likely hook us and what thoughts to put in our minds to lure us into the trap. That’s why it is so important we stay focused on what God’s Word says about us and the situation we are in. “For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal [of the flesh] but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments [logismos—imaginations, reasonings] and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Cor. 10:4-5). “...For we are not ignorant of his devices.” (2Cor. 2:11)
- C. The second part of His protection is from the perilous pestilence (Ps. 91:3). Pestilence is any virulent or fatal disease, an epidemic that hits masses of people with the intent to destroy them. We declare the Word of God around ourselves, our families. We are to declare it out loud! God’s words in your mouth will create the environment of protection and healing. We say No virulent attacks against my family members and friends. We establish a bloodline (Ex. 12:13) and hedge of protection, and declare “By the stripes of Jesus we were healed” (Isa. 53:5, 1Pe. 2:24).
- A. When we dwell in the secret place God keeps us from the enemy’s traps. “Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence” (Ps. 91:3). These are pictures of what the enemy tries to do to us. The Bible describes the reality that we have a real enemy in life. It’s not people, but it is the devil (satan) who is constantly on the prowl, looking for someone to devour. “Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1Pe. 5:8).
- GOD WILL BE A SHIELD TO YOU
- A. It is not our faithfulness but His faithfulness to the promises He made, that counts. “His truth shall be your shield and buckler” (Ps. 91:4). God is the original Promise Keeper. When the enemy tries to condemn you because of your shortcomings—we are to point to Jesus. If you mess up, then confess it and repent and get back under the shield of God’s protection again. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” (2Tim. 2:13).
- B. Don’t let the enemy convince you that you are being punished for some mistake. It easy for us to come under condemnation, but it is His faithfulness that gets us back on our feet and moving again. The enemy is called “the accuser of the brethren” (Rev. 12:10). God’s unshakeable faithfulness is a literal shield. His faithfulness to His promises guarantees His shield will remain steadfast and available forever.
- A. It is not our faithfulness but His faithfulness to the promises He made, that counts. “His truth shall be your shield and buckler” (Ps. 91:4). God is the original Promise Keeper. When the enemy tries to condemn you because of your shortcomings—we are to point to Jesus. If you mess up, then confess it and repent and get back under the shield of God’s protection again. “If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself.” (2Tim. 2:13).