Your Shield And Reward Series

Your Shield and Reward

Week 2: I AM Series - From Burning Bush to Bethlehem

Main Text: Genesis 15:1

Supporting Texts: Psalm 84:11, Ephesians 6:16

Introduction

You lie awake at 3 AM. The house stays silent except for the refrigerator's hum, and your mind races despite your exhaustion. Last week's victory feels empty now. The promotion brought unexpected pressure. The relationship you thought would complete you leaves you wondering if this is all there is. Your clean medical test should bring relief. Instead, you worry about what comes next.

Abraham faced this exact situation 4,000 years ago. He had won one of history's most significant military victories. Genesis 14 shows how Abraham led 318 men from his household to defeat four powerful kings and rescue his nephew Lot. Kings bowed to him. Wealth was offered to him. He was the hero.

Then night fell. Fear crept in.

God appeared with words that echo through centuries: "Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward" (Genesis 15:1).

Today, we continue our journey through God's "I AM" revelations. The God who met Abraham in his midnight fears meets us in ours. God offers more than protection and provision. He offers Himself.

1. When Fear Creeps In (Genesis 15:1-3)

Abraham's Midnight Fears

Genesis 15:1 begins with "After this." After what? After Abraham's stunning military victory. After he refused the king of Sodom's offer of wealth. After he received a blessing from Melchizedek. You would think Abraham would feel confident. Instead, God says, "Do not be afraid."

Why would Abraham be afraid? He feared retaliation from the defeated kings. He questioned his refusal of wealth from Sodom's king. Abraham's response in Genesis 15:2-3 reveals his deepest fear: "Sovereign LORD, what do you give me since I remain childless and the one who will inherit my estate is Eliezer of Damascus? You have given me no children. A servant in my household will be my heir."

Abraham was promised to be the father of nations. He had no children. The victory parade ended. He faced the same emptiness as before. His fear went beyond external enemies. He feared unfulfilled promises, the ticking clock, the gap between what God said and what Abraham saw.

After Victory Comes Vulnerability

Abraham's experience reflects our humanity. Our greatest fears often come after battle, not during it. When adrenaline fades and we sit alone with our thoughts, vulnerability sets in.

Peter walked on water in Matthew 14. He did the impossible, walking on waves toward Jesus. Then he noticed the wind. He was experiencing the miracle, but fear crept in. Elijah, in 1 Kings 19, was fresh off his victory over Baal's prophets on Mount Carmel. He ran in fear from Jezebel's threat and asked God to take his life.

Victory and vulnerability walk together. Promotions bring imposter syndrome. New relationships trigger old wounds. Answered prayers lead to responsibilities we question how to handle. Success frightens as much as failure because both reveal our deep need for Someone beyond ourselves.

Why God Shows Up

God doesn't wait for Abraham to call out. Genesis 15:1 says, "The word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision." God takes initiative. He shows up uninvited but not unwelcome, unexpected but perfectly timed.

This pattern runs through Scripture. When Adam and Eve hide in fear after their sin, God walks in the garden, calling "Where are you?" (Genesis 3:9). When disciples lock themselves in a room for fear of Jewish leaders, Jesus appears saying "Peace be with you" (John 20:19). When Paul feels discouraged in Corinth, the Lord speaks to him in a night vision: "Do not be afraid. Keep speaking" (Acts 18:9).

God shows up in our fear, not because we earned it or asked for it, but because that defines who He is. Psalm 34:18 declares, "The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." He doesn't wait for us to overcome fears alone. He meets us in darkness with comfort and revelation of Himself.

2. I Am Your Shield (Genesis 15:1, Psalm 3:3)

Protection from Enemies

When God tells Abraham, "I am your shield," He uses language a warrior understands. Abraham had returned from battle. He knew a shield's value. It meant the difference between life and death, victory and defeat. God doesn't offer Abraham a better military strategy or stronger armor. He offers Himself.

The Hebrew word "magen" refers to a small, round shield used in hand-to-hand combat. Personal protection, close and intimate. God doesn't promise help from a distance. God says, "I myself will stand between you and danger."

David understood this intimately. In Psalm 3:3, written while fleeing his son Absalom, he declares, "But you, LORD, are a shield around me, my glory, the One who lifts my head high." God provides complete protection, not just front coverage.