Our Most High God
Psalm 91 - Study 1 - Our Most High God
There are so many believers who are discouraged that the recent epidemic has hindered us from coming together to worship the Lord, as is our practice. In the Old Testament we read about Noah and his family who were confined to stay within the ark for almost a year. I believe that Noah and his family would have continued to worship God in those lonely moments of isolation from the rest of the world. It is good we make the best use of this time that God has given us to worship the Lord together as families. Let us set aside all that is unnecessary, and consider these days of isolation, as a blessing wherein we can spend more time with God, in prayer and reading of His word.
The title given for Psalm 91, which we are about to study in depth in one of the translations is ‘The God who protects us’.
We read in Psalm 91:1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (NKJV)
The Psalmist address God in this psalm as the Most High God. Psalm 91 is a familiar one to most of us probably from when we were children ourselves. The title Most High God implies that there is no one else who is above Him, and the He alone has the paramount place.
God does not live in a building
In the New Testament the title of Most High God appears in Acts 7:48"However, the Most High doesn't live in a house built by humans, (GW)
We might have read this verses many times earlier. The word of God establishes the fact that the Most High God does not dwell in a house built by humans. To those who are upset or heartbroken that they will not be able to go to church, something that they have done all their lives, the Lord reminds us that God does not live in a building. It is the gathering of the children of God together that makes the church, and God is present in their midst. We cannot build a temple for God to come and reside.
Where then does God live?
We read in 1 Corinthians 3:16,Don't you know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you? (GW)
Each one of us are the temple of God, and the Spirit of God lives within us. We need to repeat and reassure ourselves that we are indeed the temple of the living God, within whom the Lord is pleased to dwell. Nothing can happen in our lives without God’s consent, and everything is under His control, because He is the Most High God. Instead of being filled with fear and dread we will must learn to acknowledge that as He is in control, and that He will help us tide over this in due time.
The characteristics of the Most High God
There is no one or nothing that is above God, for every power and authority is subject to Him. Since God lives inside us and we are under His protection, there is no need for us to murmur or pine or weep. We who have been caught in the treadmill of busyness, are suddenly unable to cope with this complete halt to our hectic schedules. As we spend time in quietness with the Lord in prayer, reading the word and worshiping God alone and together with our families, we will receive amazing revelations from God, such as we have never obtained earlier. This present crisis shouldn’t be to our detriment, but solely for our benefit.
The Most High blesses us
We read in Genesis 14:19-20, He blessed Abram, and said, "Blessed is Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth. Blessed is God Most High, who has handed your enemies over to you." Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything. (GW)
When Melchizedek, the King of Salem, the priest of the Most High God met Abram this is how he greeted and blessed him. The Most High God Himself, who is the maker of heaven and earth blessed Abram.
The first thing that the Most High God does for us is that He blesses us. That is His will and pleasure for He loves to bless His people. The blessings of God are exceptional for the following reasons:
We read in Numbers 23:20 I have received a command to bless. He has blessed, and I can't change it.(GW)
King Balak was afraid of the strength of the Israelites, and not wanting to deal with them in the physical realm, he invited Balaam the prophet to pronounce a curse on the people of Israel. Balaam when asked to curse replied that he was unable to curse the Israelites, as he had received a concise command from the Lord to bless the Israelites.
Our blessings come from the Lord of Hosts, and no power on earth can change or reverse it. We must believe God’s word, and not panic but speak words of faith.
We are safe under the blood of the Lamb of God
As the people of Israel were in bondage, God commanded them to sacrifice a lamb and smear its blood on the door posts and lintels. When the angel of death passed over that night, all those houses and all the families who obeyed the command of the Lord were safe. So also let us be assured that for those of us who are His children, redeemed by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus, the Lord will protect us from the clutches of death. Our hearts must be filled with thanks to the Lord for His protection over us, our families and those around us.
In order for one to come under this divine protective cover, all we need to do is believe. We are admonished to put our faith in Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God, whose sinless blood was shed for our redemption. If we believe and accept this salvation most certainly we, and our household will be saved to be kept secure from all harm.
A lot of people were and are against the people of God, but the Lord will always protect His people. There’s nothing to fear for the Lord is our guardian, and no harm can befall His children. We are being bombarded on all sides by the news of this pandemic which is creating much fear and anxiety. We need to be watchful, and spend the time instead in worshipping the Lord together as families, making the best use of these days that God has given to us.
The Most High God hands over our enemies into our hands
We also read in Genesis 14:20, Blessed is God Most High, who has handed your enemies over to you. (GW)
Generally when we think about enemies, we think of people who are against us. However, at this present time we are all globally being confronted with an enemy that seems unseen and indomitable.
Abram and Lot began their journey together, but after a while Lot chose the blessing of this world and separated from Abram. Lot settled in Sodom, but sometime later some kings attacked Sodom and took Lot and his family captive. When Abram heard about it, he took his trained men, fought against those kings and delivered Lot. He brought back Lot, his family and belongings safely back. As Abram returned after his conquest, Melchizedek reminded him that it was the Most High God who delivered his enemies into his hands.
We are wise to follow all the medical advice given to us, but let us never fail to acknowledge that the one who keep us safe and protected from all harm is the Lord Most High.
As children of God may we cast out our fears and anxieties, placing our trust instead in God Most High who is above all. No one or nothing else is above Him for He alone is supreme. Let us quieten our hearts, and learn to rest in Him. Let us remember Noah who endured being in the ark for one full year. All around him was death and destruction, but God kept Noah and his family safe. God has handed into our hands the enemy who has come to destroy our health and well-being. This means that if we are the children of the Most High God, the enemy is under our control.
This is the word of exhortation that comes from the Lord Most High, maker of heaven and earth. Firstly, He comes to bless us and speak words of healing over our lives. Secondly, He has handed over the enemy into our hands. There is nothing to fear because we are assured of God’s divine presence and wellness for our bodies. Let us move on with the confidence that the Lord Most High is with us, and He is all we ever need.
Pastor Andrew Dixon
www.goodnewsfriends.net
www.youtube.com/c/goodnewsfriends
