Secret to our well-being

Preamble: This has been delivered as a sermon in one of my Divine Healing Meetings.

What a state, what a position!
There is a state in which we can say of God, in other words, we can declare it, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust"; where "Surely He will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence"; "He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.".

A state in which evil cannot harm you: "You will NOT fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness nor the plague that destroys at midday." "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will NOT come near you.", rather "You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.".

Where is this state in which you can fall back on the backing of God; where "no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent", "For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways"; "they {the angels} will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone"; where "You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent”?

Where is this position from which God would say, in other words, God declares, "He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him"; where God would say, "With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation"?

Where, where, where or How, how, how?
Where is this state, this position or this place, so beautifully portrayed as that which we could have? Don’t you want to be in that state? Don’t you wonder why you are NOT in that state? Don’t you wonder how you could get there? Where in Scripture, has such a state being described for us?

Anyone wants to venture a guess?
Yes, it is Ps 91. What I have narrated to you are verses 2-8, 10-13, and the last 2 verses, verses 15 & 16.

What do you notice? I have NOT included verses 1, 9 & 14. But before we look at those verses, which spelt out for us the key to the state described, let us be as one who truly wants to savour the food God has provided, His Word, in the verses that I have just narrated. Let us know the extent of coverage of God’s promises in those verses.

I am going expound on this Ps 91, in 5 parts, 4 “promises” parts, and the last as the secret/key part

Part 1 - Where we can declare
Verse 2: I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

In this state we can declare confidently that He is our refuge and fortress, our God in whom we trust. In fact, more importantly, when we are in this state, we must believe He is our refuge and our fortress, our God, in whom we trust.

If you think you are IN this state when you are NOT; you are under delusion. But if you are IN it, but you still don’t believe you are in good hands, you too have a problem. When there is no operation of faith on our part, it is NOT pleasing to God (Heb 11:6), and the devil can know it, and can exploit it to our detriment.

What else can we declare?
Verse 3: Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence.

You and I must declare and must believe that He will save us from snares (traps, trickery) of the enemies, and from calamities.

There are 3 issues, here: one, you have to declare it; two, which is the same as that in verse 2, you and I need to believe; operation of faith we must have. Lastly, you cannot willfully disobey God, insisting your own way.

Verse 4: He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

I once had a vision of God as the papa eagle (you can read of it, in my separate article – The Lord as the papa eagle); and in Deu 32:10-11, we read of a very similar portrayal of the Father God coming as the eagle to tend to His children. Here, I believe the picture the psalmist had in mind, was that of a papa eagle, covering us with His feathers. Using His wings, He would bring you and I into His bosom, and there we will find refuge – protection, warmth and rest.

In that article of mine (link as given in preceding para.), I talked about, the vision was telling us that, the faithfulness of the Father God, as the papa eagle, is beyond question. When you do NOT see Him or you do NOT feel Him; it is NOT because He is NOT there, He is in stealth mode! Because of this faithfulness, God is our shield and our rampart (mounted defense).

As pointed out for verse 3, you cannot be stubborn, insisting your own ways, and stubbornness is self-pride - you think you know better and you want to come out from under His wings; you want to step outside of His shadow, and then you wonder why God does NOT protect you, and you wonder where His shield and rampart are. Scripture said in no unclear term, if you are proud (with self pride), God opposes you; and if He opposes you, no wonder you find NOT His faithfulness as your shield and your defense.

In the NT, there was the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and one point of the Parable is that the wayward son had wanted, and went outside of the “shadow”. He was treated like “dirt” outside of the covering of the father. Clearly the story had to say, he subsequently returned to his father’s house, and so, that parable should more accurately be named as The Parable of the Return of the Prodigal Son (Some people, the overly grace believers, expound the Parable to say that there was no returning to the father or penitence on the part of the prodigal son; that in my view, is NOT rightly dividing the Word of God).

Of course, by now, you should know we are NOT necessarily referring to physical location like a physical place; we are NOT. Physical, as in, inside a home, is only allegorical or metaphorical. What is more important is the person’s heart condition or state. It is still The Parable of the Return of the Prodigal Son if the story had developed to say, the repented wayward son sent words home to the father to come to fetch him, for he was too weak to journey home; it is NOT necessarily physical! So, when your heart turns contrite and you cry for the papa eagle, he shows Himself; before that He would be in stealth-mode; you just don’t see, but He is there!

Those who were at the TRF Meeting up at Tuas late 2011 where Ps Cynthia Oei spoke, concerning how the Papa eagle would fly swiftly to catch eaglets dropped off the nest before they could hit the ground when they failed to fly; she said to remember Papa Eagle could fly faster than we fall. Well, the vision God showed me, was that “He is already there, only you don’t see Him, for He is stealth-mode!” A vision of this kind changed how you and I look at God.

Part 2 - Where evil cannot harm you (unless God permits it)
Verse 5: You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

The terror of the night is referring to the bad things that wicked or evil people do in the camouflage of the night/darkness. Of course, it can refer to the terror of evil spirits.

Arrows that fly by day is referring to the many “wars” or “battles” that take place in the day time; indeed we face onslaughts (slander, libel, insult, discouragement, provocation, abuse, threat, etc) throughout the daytime, in our homes, in our work places, in the various activities and events we have to attend to, each day.

For all of these, we are able to summon our courage to face them. In this state we will be able to summon the courage that comes from knowing that we are living in God’s protection to overcome our fear, of any or all of these things.

Verse 6: nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday.

Some more descriptions of troubles of life: calamities that come in most unsuspected times (stalk in the darkness), and threats that come at the appointed times (at midday).

Christians or not, we may have to face them (if you did NOT have to face some, count it God’s grace), the only difference is how Christians are supposed to face their troubles of lives - being able to summon the courage that comes from knowing that we are living in God’s protection to overcome our fear, of any or all of these things.

Verse 7: A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

Yes, we are to face our troubles with full confidence in the protection of the LORD. A thousand may fall at our sides, ten thousands at our right hands but no harm shall come to us.

Is it always like that? Yes, if you are in that state or position. NO if you are NOT.

Verse 8: You will only observe with your eyes and see the punishment of the wicked.

We will only see the punishment of the wicked, and so, take care that you and I do NOT stray and be lumped together with the wicked, and be punished along with the rest of the wicked.

From here, you can also see, the punishment of God for the wicked can happen in his earthly lifetime, even when we know that God is long-suffering concerning the sins of men, desirous of giving time and opportunities for men to repent of their ways. So, you better NOT think that others got away in their life-time, you would too, if you try!

Part 3 - Where we can fall back on the backing of God
Verses 10-12:

Verse 10: then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. No harm will befall you; no disaster will come near you (near enough as to harm you).


Verse 11: For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; God will command his angels to guard you in all your ways.

Verse 12: they {the angels} will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. The angels will lift us up in their hands so that we will NOT strike our feet against the stones.

For those of us who have read the Temptations of Jesus, we will remember Satan actually quoted this verse 12, when attempting Jesus to throw Himself down from a high place. (Satan knows the Word, he may use it, but like Jesus, we can also use it against him {so, you and I have to know the Word because if we do NOT, we cannot use it against Satan or his minions})

I have elaborated earlier (against v4), that we are NOT necessarily referring to a physical place, but rather, the heart condition or state. The temptation of Jesus, also was confirming this point:

Jesus answered Satan saying, we should NOT test the Lord our God. Had Jesus actually listened to Satan and jumped off, do you think, by this verse 12 here, Jesus would be safe; it said, the angels would go and lift Jesus before His foot would hit the stone on the ground, does it NOT? The few verses here so affirmatively stated God’s protection is full-proof, and would never fail; but I believe it would fail, but it failed, NOT because Jesus was NOT in Heaven but on earth (talking about place {physical}); it would be, it failed because, had Jesus jumped, the heart condition/state of Jesus would have NOT been right with God (It would be doubting God/testing God because of doubt).

Verse 13: You will tread upon the lion and the cobra; you will trample the great lion and the serpent.

When we come face to face, so to speak, with the beasts and the snakes (collectively, called the minions of Satan) we will have victory over them, and we will be winning over the great beast, the great lion (lion, being a powerful and majestic animal can symbolically be used to represent the Lord {Lion of Judah}, and sometimes, Satan or devil; in here, it is referring to Satan) and the serpent (serpent, most typically referred to Satan). When we have victory over the followers of Satan, we are winning over Satan.

These few verses tell us that we can fall back, or rely, on, the backing or resources of God.

Part 4 - Where God declares – When in this state or position or place, we even have God declaring in our favor:
Verse 15: He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him.

Notice here that God did NOT say no trouble, rather, God said, “In his trouble, I will be with him”. God will NOT only deliver him but also honor him; yes, God does honor men but who? We will know in a little while!

Verse 16: With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

God said He will give such a person long life, and show him His salvation which NOT only includes the gift of life but also, healing and deliverance. The Hebrew word used for salvation is H3444, “yĕshuw`ah”, and its scope included eternal life (being rescued from Hell destiny), deliverance, divine help, and welfare which includes health, prosperity and victorious life).

Some people want to argue that the long life is NOT referring to our physical life on earth, but that portion after physical death, life extending into eternity. No, simple reading suggests it is talking about a man’s physical life, in the first part of the verse, and the second part is where God was saying, He would show the person His salvation, and in that salvation, it included the eternal life which would NOT end.

Part 5 (last part) - the secret part, a look at verses 1, 9 & 14 (of Ps 91)
Verse 1: He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

The first clue the psalmist gave was he declared that he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

A shelter is a place of protection, so he who dwells in the shelter of the Most High is he who lives in the protection of God. He will be resting in the shadow of the Almighty God, NOT that there will NOT be any “disturbances” or troubles, but because we are confident of the Almighty God’s protection. This is an important understanding (that it was NOT that there would NOT be any trouble, and it was confirmed to us, in v15), so that you do NOT be dismayed in life thinking there is something wrong with you, when in fact we are in the world (fallen world) and will be exposed to troubles or “disturbances”. Jesus said this in John 16:33: …. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

How many of us are like the ones, the psalmist was talking about, living in the protection of God, and are able to find rest in that protection? All of us? All of us have the potential to live in the protection of God, and to rest in Him, but NOT all of us are availing ourselves to it.

Ah? The difference between those who dwell in the shelter of God and finding rest, and those who do NOT, is a choice; in other words, it is volitional. We have to choose to live in the protection of God. If you choose otherwise, you may NOT have the full protection and rest.

The psalmist actually repeated his opening lines of verse 1, in verse 9, but this time, he said, “If you make …”

Verse 9: If you make the Most High your dwelling — even the LORD, who is my refuge -

Why would one NOT choose that, to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, if it is a choice, like I said it?

The answer is: we are NOT willing to love God enough to listen to Him. Where does it say that there is a requirement to love God in order to be able to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, you may ask? The answer is found at verse 14.

There are those who said the answer is “a close relationship with God”, but if you break it down, it is still “God loves you, and you love Him back, and you are in sync with Him”. Whether you look at close relationship with God or you loving God, exposition is needed of what is comprised in that close relationship or loving God.

For the purposes of this message I will stick with what was clearly stated by the psalmist, i.e. loving God (v14), and even so, I will NOT be expounding much on what that called for (to expound on the subject of loving God would take separate
article), except to mention that obedience CANNOT be left out (I might in the future do a separate message as a continuation to this, to expound on what is comprised in loving God).

Before we go to verse 14, perhaps, it is important NOT skip saying a few words on such words as “dwell” and “abide” or “abiding” which are in verse 1. The “rest”, in there is referring to abiding rest. Basically, the 2 words implied, “staying in there, continuing in there”, like I dwell in a house on Bt Timah Hill, but I stay over at the Sheraton Hotel, I don’t dwell in Sheraton! There is a degree of permanence implied in dwelling and abiding. Likewise, the requirement of loving God, is also one of continuity, love and continue to love; just bear this in mind, even as we look at verse 14.

Verse 14: "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.

This verse is the KEY to this beautiful psalm of protection. How do we get to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, and so be able to rest in the shadow of the Almighty God? Don’t just gloss over this verse 1 of Ps 91!

The answer is only one: Loving God. And Scripture teaches us that we are to love God with all of us, all of our heart, all of our soul and our mind (Matt 22:36-37 and Deu 6:5). You would have noticed that I said “love God and obey Him”, earlier on, even as I said I would NOT be expounding on loving God. It is indeed loving God and obeying Him, for “he who loves God obeys His commands, and he who obeys His commands is the one who loves God” – John 14:15 & John 14:21a. Because God’s love is ultimately, love unto righteousness (`ahab love), and we are to love Him back, also with love according to His righteousness, inevitably, our love for God, is tied to obeying His commands, for His righteousness, in a large part, was and is revealed in His commands, written or spoken, past or presently.

Many people like to quote “God is love”. I submit to you that it is even better to say, “God is love unto righteousness” or “God is `ahab love”. When we acknowledge His name this way, and we love Him back according to His righteousness, we get to dwell in the shelter of the Most High, and when you are living in the shelter of the Most High, you can rest in the shadow of the Almighty God.

Jesus talked about to plunder the home, one has to bind the strongman first (Mark 3:27). Likewise, to get to us, the enemy has to face God first; that is why we are very safe. God said, “I will rescue him; I will protect him”. So if you are asking, “How come I am NOT rescued or protected?”; maybe you should ask first, if you have been loving God, and obeying Him. His rescue and protection is assured, most assuredly, for those who have acknowledged Him and are loving Him, and obeying Him. Are you acknowledging Him, including acknowledging Him as God who ultimately, can only love you unto righteousness, and are you loving Him back according to His righteousness? It is a choice; you have to make the choice to do that. Why don’t to make that choice today, and stick with it, through thick or thin.


Anthony Chia, high.expressions - Lord, thank you for your illumination of this great truth in your Word, that indeed the key to our Christian well-being is in us loving you. May I always bear in mind that your rescue and protection is assured, most assuredly, for those who have acknowledged you and are loving you, and obeying you. Lord, bless this sharing of your Word; that many will begin to make that choice (to love you) to avail themselves of all that you promised in this beautiful psalm of protection. In Jesus’ most precious name, I pray. Amen.

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