IS GOD'S PROTECTION AUTOMATIC?
Often I have heard even well informed and certainly well meaning Christians and Christian leaders make blanket statements to the effect that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ, that He will protect you from all evil and calamities. I have heard that as God's judgments are poured out on an unbelieving world, that His people will be spared, and it seems on the surface that this would be a reasonable thing to expect. However, one of the greatest chapters in the Bible that we hold fast to in times of illness, uncertainty or fear seems to say something very subtle to many, and very different if you read it carefully. It is found in the Book of Psalms, Chapter 91.
If one reads the entire 91st Chapter of Psalms, it seems to provide nothing but reassurance to the Christian that no matter what is to come, God will be there to protect us. And you know what? This is very true, except that a condition is placed on the Christian right from the very beginning of this chapter, and I find that often in reading it, we read right through it without stopping to take notice. We need to go no further than the very first verse to gain some very important insight and understanding that the degree God protects us as believers is actually very much up to us.
Reading from the American Standard Bible, 1901 Edition:
Psalms 91:1 - "He that dwelleth in the secret place (or "presence" or “shelter” in other translations) of the Most High
Shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
This is probably one of the shortest scriptures I will ever elaborate on and yet it says so much. It tells us that we will abide in God's shadow or within his shield of protection...yes. But for this to happen, it all depends on where we "dwell." If we "dwell" in the secret place (presence or shelter) of the Most High, then and only then do we really "abide" in his shadow and are protected. To take this a step further and make it easier to understand, in this chapter, God likens Himself to a bird, using the bird as an example. (See verse 4) If we dwell in His presence, we are protected and shielded beneath the pinions or feathers of his wings. Simply speaking, in order to be protected, just like a baby chick, we need to be "in the nest." If we are not in the nest, we open ourselves up to disaster, to predators, etc.
Is God's protection automatic for the Christian? The answer, unfortunately, is "no." Not always. Some may not want to hear or accept that but it is true and it is what the Bible says. But the good news is that there is a way that we can have that protection.
The scriptures also tell us, "If we draw near to God, He will draw near to us." You see, Jesus Christ did all He was required to do by giving His life for our sins...for us. But from that point, it is up to each one of us to take that first step towards Him....to run to Him...and then to choose to DWELL in His presence. Your church cannot do that for you. Your Pastor cannot do that for you. Your spouse cannot do that for you either. It is up to you. You decide each day where you are going to dwell. It is a decision that only you can make. It is between you and God. This life is a stage and a timetable for you to make that choice and there is an unknown limit for each one of us as to how much time we each have to do it. The clock is ticking.
Where have you been dwelling? Where do you REALLY make your home? Is it in the presence of the Most High? Really....is it? Or are you an "assuming" foolish chick who has ventured too far from the nest but presumes "God has got you covered?" You think you are okay, God will protect you and nothing bad can happen to you. I find it sad that many Christians actually think this way, teach this way and as a result when calamity strikes and they are caught in the middle, they are not strong enough in Christ to find their way through it or let Him help them. They cannot understand what happened and why. They feel that maybe God let them down.... abandoned them. But really, who has left whom?
A bigger question is, "What will happen to many of those in churches in this end time when things become more difficult?" The true spiritual Christ-centered Church will abide in God's presence. An apostate church will make the grave mistake of assuming the wrong thing.
Again, if you DWELL in the shelter of the Most High, then you will surely make it easier on yourself in the difficult days ahead and can have that assurance that you will also be ABIDING under the shadow of the Almighty God, where His protection is very close at hand.
Nothing is impossible for God. Certainly He is able to reach out and catch the falling chick that has strayed too far from the nest. He can do many things. But why put yourself there? If you want the promise of His shelter and protection in a time of need, it is far better to stay close to Him now than to be in the wrong place at the wrong time later.
May God bless this Word to your heart.
Mischa S. Safdie’
Mischa Safdie’ Ministries
136 N. Grand Ave., Ste. 278
W. Covina, CA 91791
(951) 796-3936
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