Maturing in Christ - "How-to have God's divine protection"

The Great Commission
MATURING IN CHRIST
Part 7: HOW-TO Have God’s Divine Protection
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith – www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org


ANNOUNCEMENTS

6:00PM Evening Service at the church –
“Seminary Students will be preaching”

December 28th – Lori Ulman
January 4th – Lynnette Higgins
January 11th – Deacon Kurt Ulman
January 18th – Walker Spriggs
January 25th – Grace Steadman


WHERE WE ARE AT
† Growing in the Lord : HOW-TO Be Christ Centered
† Growing in the Lord : HOW-TO Praise the Lord
† Growing in the Lord : HOW-TO Have the Joy of the Lord

† Maturing in Christ: Spiritual Trials
† Maturing in Christ: Facing Serious Illness
† Maturing in Christ: Facing Financial Problems

† Maturing in Christ: HOW-TO Handle Stress
† Maturing in Christ: HOW-TO Overcome Despair
† Maturing in Christ: HOW-TO Maintain Hope


Today: How to have God’s Divine Protection







INTRODUCTION

Psalm 91:1-16

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.


Psalm 90 speaks of the wilderness and being lost with all its perils. This Psalm explains the protection of dwelling in obedience to the Lord.

Many scholars believe that this Psalm was written by Moses, because the previous was written by him, and describes the same situation from another perspective.

Where the first speaks of the perils, this one speaks of the protection.

It continues…


2 I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."

3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.


The fowler’s snare is the demonic forces that oppose us. The literal also says ‘rushing calamity’ instead of deadly pestilence, speaking of destruction of everything before it.


4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.


This scripture speaks of the Holy of Holies, where God dwells between the Cherubim and the Mercy Seat.

This is also where the Lord is seated at God’s right hand.

This is also where Jesus makes note as He rose into Jerusalem looking into the city and crying, saying “O, how long have I tried to gather you beneath my wings.”

But Israel would not come.


5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,

6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.




7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.

8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.


The result of living outside of a relationship with God is obvious.


9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-

10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.

13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

15 He will 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."




Psalm 27:1-5

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

2 When evil men advance against me
to devour my flesh,
when my enemies and my foes attack me,
they will stumble and fall.

3 Though an army besiege me,
my heart will not fear;
though war break out against me,
even then will I be confident.

4 One thing I ask of the LORD,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.

5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep me safe in his dwelling;
he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle
and set me high upon a rock.



Philippians 4:6-7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Psalm 34:7

7 The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him,
and he delivers them.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.
9 Fear the LORD, you his saints,
for those who fear him lack nothing.



Psalm 23:4

4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.


The staff is chastisement and correction to guide us, just as a shepherds staff.

The rod is for protecting us from our enemies.


CLOSING


Proverbs 1:33

but whoever listens to me will live in safety
and be at ease, without fear of harm."

To obtain the protection of God, to receive His angels around you, to live in security regardless of your surroundings, you must belong to the Lord.

This can only take place when we turn to God, confess that we need Him, and that we are sinful and lost without Him, and submit ourselves to Him and His Holy Spirit to dwell within us.

It is only then we can call Him Father, and He can call us His children.