Secure!

Secure!

I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: My God; in him will I trust. Psalm 91:2 KJV

The Context:

The name of the person who wrote this psalm is not stated, but there is no doubt as to the inspiration behind the words. In these strange times that the world has found itself, these words have become the comfort and anchor for those who have come to put their trust in God. It has to be clearly stated from the outset that, like all other claims and promises we may seek to hold on to, there are conditions to be satisfied. The key to unlocking this verse lies in the verse before it, which says very clearly: ' He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty'. The key is in dwelling in the place where the Most High has defined as his own secret place. It is secret because not too many people bother to find it, or take the pains to search for it. It is the man who has found that secret place, and is abiding there, that can then go on to speak in the manner stated in today's extract. Do not bother to make a claim on a God that you have not submitted to, or a God whose instructions and guidance you consistently ignore. 

The Charge:

The man who has found the secret place and is dwelling there is the man who can claim God as his refuge and fortress. Will God constantly protect a man who does not recognize God as his refuge, and has found alternatives to protection and provision? God may continue to preserve that man's life so he can see the error of his ways, but God is only going to grant full, permanent and eternal protection to all who have come to trust in Him. I must take a honest audit of my life, and really settle the question of my identity, ownership and focus. If God is not at the centre of my life's decisions, then who/what is? If God is not in charge of my life, and all sorts of priorities define and distract my life, how can my life end where God desires? Before I dare stand and make claims, I had better be sure that God himself knows who I am and where I stand with Him. It is quite easy to make claims; the human part of us is permitted to make plans; but God is the One who is able to give life to these plans, kill them outright and establish new plans. 

The Conclusion:

The question of my identity is fundamental here, and is the start point for all that God can do in and through me. Can I say I trust God with all my heart, or are there small reserves of my heart kept for me to deal as I please? Do I have God as my sole trust, or am I able to share the control centre with other masters? Remember, that which is able to dictate terms to me is able to define my eternal reality. If a man allows the devil dictate terms, the man must not be surprised if everything he gets does not secure his life or give him peace. The world cannot give you what it does not have and cannot get; only the Prince of peace can truly satisfy you, giving you all that pertains to this earthly life, and then secures the eternal also. Refuge and fortress show the presence of war. We will contend for the faith down here, but we have an assurance of victory because the one who fights for us - the Man of War - cannot be defeated. He is the One whose name and reputation is at stake here. He does not compel, but He will keep safe that which is committed into His hands. God's time of favour is here.