Psalm 91:1, 9
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place . . .
Psalm 91 is the most quoted psalm in the Bible apart from Psalm 23. Whereas the latter is easily understood, the former is not. We do not know who wrote Psalms 91, but whoever it is, the psalmist paints a hilarious picture of making God our dwelling place.
In verse 1, the Psalmist admonishes us to dwell in the Most High’s secret place, not just to visit there occasionally.
The Hebrew word used here for “dwells” is yashab, and it means “to dwell, to sit down, to remain.” In our frantic lives, sitting still is considered unproductive. But in the spiritual life of a Christian, sitting with God in communal fellowship is a treasure nothing on this earth can match.
Our dwelling place is not a place where we visit, it is a place where we live. it is our home.
David says
Psalm 27:4-5
4One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. 5For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
When we enter God's dwelling place, worry, anxiety, fear, diseases and all other issues of life cannot follow us there. They are left behind as we enter. This should be a daily desire for all of us that love God and are called according to his purpose. This world can not offer enough comfort, security, provision and any other human need not unless we are under the wings of God, our dwelling place!
HOW TO MAKE GOD OUR DWELLING PLACE:
To deal with this section, I will use the analogy of 'people who stay together' in conventional society. for harmonious coexistence, there are certain imperatives that must underpin such a relationship. Out of that analogy, we can infer ideas on how to make God our dwelling place.
1. LOVE PRAYER.
People who stay together talk with each other.
Prayer is God's design for communicating with him.
Praying without ceasing is a great opportunity to make God our dwelling place. Prayer is for all those who want to cultivate a lifestyle of walking with God in continuous, conscious apprehension of His presence. He is always with us and we can commune with Him incessantly.
2. LOVE HIS HOUSE.
People who stay together must love the environment they stay in.
They are happy and secure when they are in this environment. This was the secret between David and God. David was a lover of God's house. He says: I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord.(Psalms 122:1). Further, he desired to be in the house of the LORD:
Psalm 27:4-5
4One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. 5For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.
3. LOVE HIS WORD.
People who stay together eat together.
The word of God is the bread of life. When we hear and obey the Word of GOd, we are able to live in his presence. When Adam and Eve, disobeyed God's word, they were expunged from his presence.
The word of God is referred metaphorically in scripture sometimes in food and drink terms. We should eat God's word in order to continue in fellowship with him. Remember:
Jeremiah 15:16
When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty.
1 Peter 2:2 - As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
Ezekiel 3:1-27 - Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.
Psa.119:103 How sweet are Thy Words! Sweeter than honey
Job 23:12 I have esteemed Words more than my necessary food
4. LOVE HIS PEOPLE
People who stay together love each other.
You cannot live genuinely with someone and not come to embrace their immediate family. This is because they are the people that you are interacting with daily. The church is called 'the family of God' (1 Timothy 3:15). The Apostle John in his letter says, "Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen". (I John 4:20). Loving our brothers and sisters in the church is one way to make God our dwelling place.
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN GOD BECOMES OUR HABITATION?
Much happens when we make God our habitation, but for the purpose of this sermon, we shall narrow down to one outcome: DIVINE PROTECTION!
Security is one of the most challenging things in this world. Individuals, companies and governemnts invest a lot in security. That is why you see, stone walls, electrical wires, security guards, alarm system, all securing one home or building. We desire and crave for security in our lives. When we make God our habitation, our lives are secure in him. His dwelling place is called a secret place, our hiding place, our fortress. He is the only one who can watch the city and its secure, otherwise the watchmen do it in vain. All these communicate to us that no matter how the enemy may try, he can never find us here.
Divine Protection
Psalms 91:5-8 NASB
You will not be afraid of the terror by night, Or of the arrow that flies by day; (6) Of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, Or of the destruction that lays waste at noon. (7) A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand, But it shall not approach you. (8) You will only look on with your eyes And see the recompense of the wicked.
Psalms 91:9
Because you have made the Lord your dwelling place— the Most High, who is my refuge— no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
Conclusion
We must make up our minds to move into our dwelling place in God and to take there with us all our possessions, above all, those we love. We must hide ourselves in Him away from ourselves, away from all others, and we must lose sight of everything that is outside of Him except as we see it through His eyes. God's eyes are the windows of God's house, and the only windows there are; and seen through His eyes, all things will put on a new aspect. We shall see our trials as blessings, and our enemies as disguised friends. We shall be calm and at rest in the face of all the frets and worries of life, untouched by any of them. For he that dwelleth in God dwelleth in a peaceable habitation and in a quiet resting place.
