After the terrible events that took place in Uvalde, TX a couple of weeks ago, where 19 children and 2 teachers died in a senseless act of murder, my heart was heavy. I went to the Lord in prayer about these things and what would He want me to do to address them. His instructions were very clear to me:
“No parent of Mine should have to live in fear where sending your child to school is concerned and so teach them what My Word says in Psalm 91 about My promise of Divine Protection and how they can live in it.”
(Some of the content for these messages came from Your Promise of Protection – The Power of the 91st Psalm by Gloria Copeland.)
God’s Promise of Protection
(Psalms 91:1-16 AMPC) HE WHO dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty [Whose power no foe can withstand]. (2) I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust! (3) For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. (4) [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler. (5) You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, (6) Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday. (7) A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. (8) Only a spectator shall you be [yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High] as you witness the reward of the wicked. (9) Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, [Psa 91:1, Psa 91:14] (10) There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent. (11) For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. (12) They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. [Luk 4:10-11; Heb 1:14] (13) You shall tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shall you trample underfoot. [Luk 10:19] (14) Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness–trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never]. (15) He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. (16) With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.
In week one, we looked at the conditions of verse one that must be met for this wonderful promise to come to pass in our lives.
- We must learn to dwell in the secret place and abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Dwell (HEB) – to sit down, to remain
Abide (HEB) – to stay permanently
That means we stay close to Him!
- For every moment you invest in the Word of God, hearing and doing it, you will get back a harvest of faith, health, and deliverance.
Last week we looked at verse 2:
(Psalms 91:2 AMPC) I will say of the Lord, He is my Refuge and my Fortress, my God; on Him I lean and rely, and in Him I [confidently] trust!
We studied the importance of our words and how when spoken in faith, they release the power of God into our situation.
- When you “say” until you have God’s kind of peace on the inside, you can be assured you will have supernatural protection on the outside.
(Psalms 91:3-4 AMPC) For [then] He will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence. (4) [Then] He will cover you with His pinions, and under His wings shall you trust and find refuge; His truth and His faithfulness are a shield and a buckler.
- The “snare of the fowler” is referring to “hidden dangers” which are the traps laid by the devil to cause you harm.
What is a pestilence?
(Luke 21:11 AMPC) There will be mighty and violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences (plagues: malignant and contagious or infectious epidemic diseases which are deadly and devastating)…
Psalm 91 is always up-to-date. There is no new threat the devil can come up with that the 91st Psalm does not cover and promise protection.
(Psalms 91:5-8 AMPC) You shall not be afraid of the terror of the night, nor of the arrow (the evil plots and slanders of the wicked) that flies by day, (6) Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction and sudden death that surprise and lay waste at noonday. (7) A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not come near you. (8) Only a spectator shall you be [yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High] as you witness the reward of the wicked.
There are a lot of things in our modern time that can bring great destruction. Weapons of mass destruction, nuclear weapons, biological weapons, etc.
- But despite the magnitude of the disaster, God has promised we can stand in the midst of it untouched!
The Psalmist is talking about a thousand falling at your side and ten thousand at your right hand. That is a lot of destruction happening all around you. That means that you might be right in the middle of it all.
- When you are in that secret place, it doesn’t matter how terrible your situation might be, you can make it through in safety.
(Psalms 91:15 CEV) When you are in trouble, call out to me. I will answer and be there to protect and honor you.
(Psalms 91:9-10 AMPC) Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, [Psa 91:1, Psa 91:14] (10) There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent.
As a reminder the Psalmist tells us how to position ourselves in the secret place and made Him our refuge, we can count on Him to do His part by rescuing you from danger.
- When we do our part – saying and trusting, God does His part – delivering and preserving.
(Psalms 91:11-12 AMPC) For He will give His angels [especial] charge over you to accompany and defend and preserve you in all your ways [of obedience and service]. (12) They shall bear you up on their hands, lest you dash your foot against a stone. [Luk 4:10-11; Heb 1:14]
- When we obey the Word of God, God gives angels a special assignment to watch over you and keep you safe.
(Hebrews 1:14 AMPC) Are not the angels all ministering spirits (servants) sent out in the service [of God for the assistance] of those who are to inherit salvation?
(Psalms 34:7 AMPC) The Angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him [who revere and worship Him with awe] and each of them He delivers. [Psa 18:1; Psa 145:20]
(Psalms 34:7 ERV) The LORD’S angel builds a camp around his followers, and he protects them.
Your angel sets up camp wherever you are. When you move, they move. When you are at work, they go to work. When you are at home, they are at home. When you are at the mall, they are at the mall.
(2 Kings 6:8-17 NKJV) Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he consulted with his servants, saying, “My camp will be in such and such a place.” (9) And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, “Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.” (10) Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice. (11) Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, “Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?” (12) And one of his servants said, “None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.” (13) So he said, “Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.” And it was told him, saying, “Surely he is in Dothan.” (14) Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. (15) And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” (16) So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” (17) And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Notice, Elisha never prayed for the Lord’s protection. He knew it was there!
How did he know it was there? Could he see them with his natural eyes? No!
- Elisha knew the promise of God and could see them with the eye of his faith.