MY REFUGE AND DELIVERER

SERIES: DIVINE PROTECTION

TEXT: PSALMS 91:2-3

“I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress. My God in Him I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snares of the fowler, and from the noisesome pestilence” (Psalm 91:2)

A refuge means a “shelter”, “a place of trust” and a fortress means “a fort, a strong place of defence.” Now when you are dwelling in the secret place of the Most High and abiding under the shadow of the Almighty, you are able to say or confess “My God is my refuge, my place of shelter and a strong place of my defence.

When you become faithful to your calling, a good ambassador for Christ, God’s mouthpiece, then your Master, He who has called you will be your refuge as He said in Jeremiah”15:19-21.

Let us learn:

I.  GOD IS MY REFUGE

• In the Old Testament, there were cities of refuge where a person could run to when in trouble. (Exodus 21:12-21; Numbers 35:6 ; Joshua 20:1-6 )
• A person could run for safety if he did kill someone unintentionally and the dead person’s relatives were on a pursuit to revenge their kinsman.
• Such a person was guarded and secured by the Levites until their case came up for hearing of the Elders.
• We are children of God and we are under the New Covenant.
• We do not have physical cities or forts but we have the word of God, The Holy Spirit and blood of Jesus Christ.
• When the devil tries to attack us, we use spiritual weapons, we declare what the word of God says and, we plead what the blood of Jesus Christ has done for us.
• By the word of our testimonies we overcome the devil (Rev. 12:11)
• Therefore you need to know your position in Christ because in Him you have authority, power, dominion and control in His name.
• By His name you can rebuke your enemy, by His name you will be able to resist the enemy.
• Your enemy will flee from you in the terror. (James:4:7; II Cor.10:3-5)
• When hell breaks loose, run to your spiritual fortress, The Most High God.
• He is more than enough to defeat your enemies, remember that our God is a covenant-keeping God.
• Your part of the covenant is to keep His word in your heart, mouth and life.

II.  MY GOD IN HIM TRUST

• The word “trust” means, to be confident, to be sure of, to be bold, have hope, take refuge.
• To trust God is to have confidence in Him, to relax in His ability and strength, to relax in His integrity.
• God promised Abraham (Genesis 15:1) ‘I am your shield, your great reward’
• As believers in Christ, we need to learn how to rest in God, the place of rest is in the word of God.
• Jesus Christ overcame Satan’s temptations through the word. He wants us to overcome Satan through His word. (Pro 4:20-21, James 1:22-25, Psalm 1:2, 119:11, 105, Josh 1:8, John 15:7)
• The word of God will work for you when you rest in it when you become a doer of His word, you will experience prosperity.
• The truth you know, understand and are willing to apply, will make you free indeed. (John 8:32-36)
• When you truly trust in God, you are confident that God will show up in your every situation.
• Then God becomes your total protection and security.

III.  MY GOD MY DELIVERER

“Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler and from the noisesome pestilence.”

• The word snare means a trap and the word fowler means a bird catcher.
• This phrase “the snare of the fowler” symbolizes the activities of Satan against God’s children.
• God will surely deliver you from the traps of the devil because Satan uses trickery to ensnare unwary Christians. The devil’s net catches unaware, ignorant Christians every moment.
• Satan wants believers trapped in sickness, poverty, mental illness, emotional problems, fear, worries and any other ungodly things.
• Christians who are not established in God’s word are easily tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men (Eph. 4:14)
• Our salvation includes healing and deliverance, therefore God will deliver you from the snare of the fowler.
• The deliverance that lasts will have its root in the living word of God. (I Tim. 4:1-5, II Peter 2:2-3, II Tim. 2:15)

IV.  DELIVERANCE FROM NOISESOME PESTILENCE

• “ Noisesome pestilence” (Havvah) means “rushing calamity”
• Examples of noisesome pestilence are plagues, wars, terror, famine, incurable diseases, landslide, floods, air crush etc.
• When a noisesome pestilence comes, everything goes out of control.
• God promises that “He shall deliver you from all these pestilences (havvah).
• The children of Israel were delivered from the plagues that came over the Egyptians, how much more us who love Christ?
• God promises His people that at the time of rushing calamities, He will be there to deliver them (Heb. 13:5-6)
• God will deliverer you from all calamities as you listen to His voice.

CONCLUSION

• Let us flee unto Him to hide us (Psalm 143:9)
• People perish in many instances because they have no sense of danger. Ignorance of danger makes danger inevitable.
• The spiritual man is led to perceive dangers by inward monitions, spiritual sensitivity which is a result of devotion to God. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1).