A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


December 2, 2012

Psalm 91:1-2

Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
    will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
    my God, in whom I trust.”


     For the next few Sundays, I want to share what I've learned about the powerful Psalm 91.  Most people are familiar with it, or have at least heard it referred to as a prayer of "Christian Protection".  In fact, copies of it are often handed to missionaries and soldiers as they take their respective fields of battle.  But did you know that it is a prayer every individual believer can invoke to receive God's supernatural power of provision and safekeeping?
     Within these 16 short verses, God promises protection for every kind of scenario that one might face.  Psalm 91 is God's reassurance that He will see us through these turbulent times.  So I'm going to take two or three verses a week, and show you how God speaks of His Covenant of Protection.  By memorizing and reciting this psalm, your questions will be answered and your fears calmed.  So let's get started!
     These first two verses provide us with a graphic image of just who our God is.  Remember that I told you I have been studying the names of God; His own names that reveal His true character?  Well, we find two of those names in the first verse.  And they give us great confidence in knowing we can feel safe in all circumstances.
     He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High ..... Most High is one of God's names; specifically El Elyon.  This name means "the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe."  Will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  The Almighty is the second name used for God, El Shaddai, and means "The All-Sufficient One"; the Provider of all my needs.  
     This verse is reminding us that we have no shelter, no security besides the Most High.  Our money, our prestige, our material possessions .... none of it provides REAL security.  That can only be found in God, the Most High, who just happens to be the Sovereign Ruler of the Universe!  Could we be any safer than under His roof?  And this shelter is a secret hiding place that the world can't see or fathom.  It's where we can go in our fear, our brokenness, and our despair to find shelter from the storms of life.
     But it is conditional!  Before you can rest in the shadow of the One who can provide all your needs, you must seek that shelter --- that personal and intimate and trusting relationship with God ---  that secret place that you go to when you are seeking communion with Him.  It is there you can rest in His shadow, feeling safe and protected.
     I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, My God, in whom I trust... Notice there is action on our part here.  We say that He is our refuge and our fortress.  In essence, we are repeating back to Him what He promised us in the first verse.  There is power in verbalizing our trust.  It activates something inside us and actually opens the door to that secret place where our shelter is.  The repetition of "my" .... my refuge, my fortress, my God .... lays claim to your personal relationship with the Most High.  And confessing that relationship out loud releases its power.  I know because I have spoken these two verses numerous times, in the midst of worry, and physical pain, and absolute fear.  They work! In speaking them out loud, I go to that place (that shelter) in my heart and mind and soul where I find Him and I claim His protection.  That's my part of our covenant .... "dwelling" and "saying".  
     Once I am established in that safe shelter of El Elyon and resting in the shadow of El Shaddai, then His power is available to protect me from all the dangers that exist in verses 3-16.  Next week we will begin to take a look at those dangers and see all the protection that is available to us.  Have a blessed week!


1 comment:

  1. You need a 'like' button! :-)
    I read your blog everyday and appreciate the wise words God has given you.
    Keep it up!

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