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.” (Psalms 91:1,2)
We are living in the midst of some very trying and sometimes fearful times. Everything that man has put his trust in is being shaken to the very core. The truth of the matter is this, there is nothing that you can put your trust in and no one you can turn to but One, God!
Fear has laid hold of men’s hearts and they are running to and fro looking for answers from any source they find because of the things that are coming on the world. Disease, economic unrest, failing governments and war have taken their toll on mankind and there seems to be no remedy for man’s ills.
Mankind’s problems stem from their lack of trust in the One who created them. Because of their unbelief they have trusted that which cannot satisfy their needs and have turned away from their heavenly Father who cares deeply for their welfare. To escape the storms of life there is only one place that man can find refuge and that is under the shadow of God’s protection.
To enter the “Secret Place” one must lay down all of his trust and belief in the world and in his own ability to provide for himself and relinquish all of his gifts and talents and surrender to the Most High. To come under His care and provision one must submit himself totally to the Father’s will for his life.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:5,6)
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the trapper 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. (Psalms 91:4)
Deliverance and salvation are synonymous, they cannot be separated. God is our deliverer and Jesus is our Savior, we have been set free from sin and delivered from the powers of darkness. The devil has been defeated and rendered powerless and we have been given all authority over all of his works.
The secret place provides protection from the enemy and the word of God builds our faith that literally becomes a shield that deflects all the attacks of the devil. Knowing who we are and to whom we belong will greatly aid us in our quest to defeat all of Satan’s schemes. When I was a child standing in the shadow of my earthly father I knew and had faith that no matter what, he would protect me from anything that would try and harm me.
John 15 says that we are the branches and Jesus is the vine, this analogy illustrates the close relationship that we are to have with Him by always abiding in His presence. In the shelter of the vine and the divine spiritual nourishment that it provides we can remain at rest and peace knowing that God is in total control of our lives.
Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
(Ephesians 6:16-17)
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. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked. (Psalms 91:5-8)
All about us destruction and death lurks in the shadows seeking some unsuspecting soul out from under the protection of God’s mighty hand. Sickness, drug and alcohol addiction, murder, suicide and terror of all kinds are consuming people by the millions, not to mention acts of nature such as storms, earthquakes and fires that are an everyday occurrence. The news is always focused on some catastrophic accident or some other fear provoking situation that brings about depression and anxiety to those that have no hope.
Fear is the opposite of faith and God has not given us a spirit of fear, but power, love and a sound mind. The promises of God in His word are to be encouragement for our souls in times of distress and we are to literally take Him at His word that He will protect us and keep us safe even today in these perilous times. Fear dominates the world and men’s hearts are truly failing because of all the events that are taking place right before their very eyes.
The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalms 27:1)
Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling. (Psalms 91:9,10)
It seems that everywhere we look evil is prevalent and disease of all kinds is spreading across the world. Bird flu, swine flu, cancer, diabetes, AIDS and new and mysterious strains of air- born bacteria are stifling medical science. Billions are spent every year to try and cure disease and yet the end is not even remotely in sight. The health care system is failing, Medicare and Medicaid, Social Security and many other government programs are going broke and it looks as if it is going to get worse.
God has always been man’s healer even though in most cases man won’t trust Him to be. If you owned a Chevy I bet you wouldn’t take it to Ford to get it repaired, because Chevy created it. The Christian has a benefit plan written in the blood of Jesus 2000 years ago and promises healing and deliverance from all disease. We have been given total freedom from the maladies of the world if we will only trust in our loving Father to fulfill His word and believe!
The world has nothing to offer the believer in regards to health care, finances and welfare because we belong to a heavenly realm that promises to provide all of our needs. Because we have befriended the world we have also received of their fears and what a man fears will come upon him. If you are a born again blood washed believer you have left the confines of this earthly world and put your trust firmly in the Lord Jesus Christ to be your provider.
Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget none of His benefits; Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. (Psalms 103:2-5)
For He shall give His angels charge over you to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot upon a stone. (Psalms 91:11,12)
God’s promise of protection are His angelic messengers sent to render aid to those that have been purchased with the blood of His Son. Angels are on duty 24/7 guarding us and protecting us through every circumstance of life even though for the most part they are invisible. Throughout the word of God angels intervened in the lives of countless saints warring against the enemy and pushing back the powers of darkness.
There are many types of angels and they have different positions of authority, some are warriors, some messengers and some sent to minister strength and peace to those that are weary in battle or sick. God sometimes sends angels to test us in various situations to see if we will respond to someone’s need as referenced in Hebrews 13:2. At other times angels are sent to deliver messages or warnings as in the account of the two angels sent to rescue Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah.
Volumes could be written about angels and their ministry to us and we should be aware of their presence as we journey through this earthly realm. God has given us powerful bodyguards to accompany us through our lifetime until we enter the very gates of Heaven.
The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him and delivers them. (Psalms 34:7)
ou shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. (Psalms 91:13)
Satan is the enemy of all mankind with a mandate for destruction and death he moves throughout the world seeking someone to devour. Sometimes referenced as a lion and at other times a serpent his attributes resemble a beast with absolutely no compassion or mercy for anyone. The devil cannot be domesticated or tamed and can never be trusted because like a wild beast he will turn and kill you in an instant.
The greatest feat that the devil has accomplished in these latter times is the fact that he has convinced people that he really doesn’t exist, he is just a figment of your imagination, a harmless apparition in a red suit with a pitchfork in his hand. Lies, deceit and deception make him a worthy opponent and a formidable adversary and because of his ability to seduce and deceive he has defeated many men and women of God with his tactics.
God has given the believer authority and power to defeat the schemes of the devil and has given us a mandate to put the enemy under our feet just as Jesus did. The army of the living God has been given dominion over sickness, death and poverty and has every right to run the powers of darkness out of their lives and families. We have been given the weapons of war and the armor of God to destroy the works of the devil.
“Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
“Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in Heaven.” (Luke 10:19,20)
“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 honor him, with long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” (Psalms 91:14-16)
The above referenced scripture sounds like a marriage vow, a promise for all who would call upon the name of the Lord, and so it is, it is the very heart of the Father to marry you and bring you into His heavenly family. The relationship between a man and a woman bound in holy matrimony is the relationship God wants with us. Jesus died and shed His own blood for us that we in return would give our lives and heart to Him in a love relationship.
Till death do us part, stated in the wedding vow is God’s promise for all who would repent of an evil lifestyle of rebellion and come and have their sins washed white as snow in the blood of the Son of the living God. To become a born again new creation in Christ one has to surrender his will to God and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and his sins will be forgiven and he will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and become a son or daughter in the Kingdom of God forever!
All of mankind is invited into the secret place of God’s presence to spend eternity with Him in the Kingdom of Heaven, but sadly only a few choose to relinquish their life in exchange for His. The gift is free, but the cost is great, only the one willing to give up his own life for Him will receive the rights and benefits of His kingdom and an eternity of heavenly splendor. Will you?
For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. (II Corinthians 5:14,15)
Your servant in Christ, Tim Laughlin;
From The Ministry of Restoration