Our Security Is In God
Psalm 91:1-11
Introduction
•The consideration of the past month with S.A.R.S here in Toronto
•The perplexity of the medical profession
•The worry and fear among the elderly
•The announcement of World Health Organization (Read Travel Advisroy)
•The general worry and anxiety of those in society, of those who care for the sick, of the sick who have been directly impacted with the illness
•Believers who begin to pronounce it as the beginning of the end (coming of plagues)
•The great contrast between those who are frightened and wear masks, and those who say there is nothing to worry about
Question: Does the word of God have anything to say to us in this circumstance, in these times?
(Read Psalm 91:1-11)
Vs. 1 Relationship
Dwelling
•Refers to a permanent residence
•A place where one makes and calls home
•Refers to making permanent residence, being at home, in the “shelter of God”
Shelter
•A place of protection
•A place of covering
•A place of security
(illustration)
Discuss the use and function of an umberella – it works and provides these things only when we are under it.
Abide
•To continue, to permanently, to remain, to constantly
•When you live/abide/take up residence by daily dwelling under the umbrella of God’s shelter/protection
Shadow
•A shadow is never found far from the object of the shadow
•It always starts at the object
•To abide in the shadow is to constantly continue, to remain in closeness, in proximity, in relationship to the presence of the almighty God.
(Illustration)
Share relationship with brother who is body builder. Arms like trees, etc. Is Auto mechanic, has legs like steel, hands like vicegrips. I feel very secure no matter where I am when he is with me. And what should we fear, when we are in the presence, abiding in the shadow of the Almighty God of the Universe.
“If God be for us, who can be against us!”
Vs. 2 Faith or Fatalism
“I will say to the Lord,…”
•To be a Christian who believes in the Sovereignty of God is not to be a fatalist, it is not “che sara` sara” Not whatever will be will be
•Never, faith is never fatalistic, it is proactive
•Faith turns the heart toward God, toward heaven
•Faith cries out to God
•Faith declares trust and confidence in God, in his word, in his promises
“I will say to the Lord, my refuge and my fortress
•Faith is much more than positive thinking or positive confession
•Faith is declaring to the world, and to God that He is MY refuge and MY fortress
Refuge
•A place to turn into during the midst of the storm
•It is a good thing to know where your refuge is in the crisis of storm
•Many a person has fallen to Hypothermia because they had no refuge during the storm
(illustrate with story of 3 young men lost in woods)
•God is our refuge
•God is where we turn to to come in out of the storms of life
•When the tempest is threatening to destroy us / overwhelm us we know where we can run to, where we can get in out of the elements, where we can rest, where we can be protected and restored
Fortress
•A fortress reminds me of a huge castle, built out of stone, thick walls, positioned high upon on the hill
•It is a place of security
•It is a place of defense
•It is a place where the enemy can not enter, can not touch us, can not reach
•It is guarded and protected by day and by night
•It has watchmen upon the walls and the towers
God is my fortress
•He is more than just a place to find shelter and get in out of the storm, to find rest
•He is my defender, my protection, He surrounds me with his presence like the high walls of the castle, He sets his watchmen (angels) around me
•The enemy can not touch me when I am in the fortress of his presence
That is why a constant daily life of worship is so vital and important
How Is God a Fortress and a refuge?
Vs 3 He delivers from the snare of the trapper
Trapper
•one who hunts
Snares
•hidden traps designed to take it’s prey by surprise
God delivers us from the unseen, hidden traps of Satan, who intends to take us captive by them
Vs. 4 He covers you with His Pinions
Pinion
1.refers to the wing feathers
a.here we find warmth and shelter
2.refers to the entire wing
a.here we find protection
3.refers to the major joint at the wing
a.Here we find closeness of relationship
His faithfulness is a shield and bulwark
•His faithfulness, his character is immutable, unmoveable, unchangeable, it becomes our shield of defence and tower of stability
Vs. 5 You will not fear
•God presence delivers us from fear
•He has not given us a “spirit of fear”
•If God be for us, who can be against us
a.Of terror by night
•The unknown
•The unseen
•The imagined
b.Of the arrow by day
•The out right attack of the enemy
•Fiery arrows of temptation, of accusation
Vs. 6 Pestilence
•That which would destroy the crops, the economy
•Often seen as a judgement of God
Destruction at Noon
•The burning heat of the sun
•Drought
•How the enemy loves to turn up the heat, do not panic
•Even if it seems like you are passing a period of drought in your life
Vs. 7 a 1000 may fall at thy side/ 10000 at thy right side but it will not approach you
•The blessing that belongs to those who are in close relationship with the Almighty
(Illustration)
Story of Southern plantation, hail storm sweeping across the country side destroying every thing in it’s path. Headed in his direction. Took God at his word. Marched around the perimeter of his farm declaring God as a refuge and tower. That those on his left and right may fall but it will not approach him. He will only see it upon the others with his eyes(see vs. 8). When the storm arrived it literally split destroying the crops of those farms both in front and behind, as well as on both sides. His crops were not touched. It pays to know where your refuge is and to run into it in the time of storm. It pays to have your faith anchored in the word of the Lord
Vs. 9 Why? Because YOU have made the Lord My Refuge. Even the most high your dwelling place.
•YOU must have a personal faith in the Lord
•YOU have declared him personally a refuge
•God has no grandchildren, only children born into the family through newbirth by faith in Jesus Christ
Vs. 10 No evil will befall you, nor any plague come near your tent
•Now there is a word today for us
Hallelujah, it pays to trust in God, even if the nation turns away from God and he must send punishment upon it, you can still have a personal faith, a personal trust, in God as your refuge, as your tower,
Vs. 11 For he shall give his Angels charge concerning you.
•God gives orders, commands, directly to the angels regarding you and I
•He watches over his children, his saints, to guard and protect us in all our ways
What an assurance, what a blessing, what a security is ours when we make God our refuge and tower.
