He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty

We are looking at Psalm 91 this morning, a Psalm of protection and deliverance. The protection is from every conceivable danger and threat (i.e verses 3-6), and it is in spite of all that is going on around us “A thousand may fall at your side … , but it shall not come near to you” (verse 7). Since "ten thousand may fall at my right hand," the protection is not universal. It it does however extend to “your” household for “No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling” (verse 10). The protection involves angels watching over you (verse 11), it is strong and akin to the safety of a high tower of a fortress. It includes not only protection, but also deliverance (verses 2, 14).

If it’s not universal, who then can claim this protection? It is “He who dwells in the secret place of the most high” (verse 1)! But what does this mean, and how can I get in on it? Traditionally this verse has used to point out the need to have a quiet time. And certainly we do need to set aside a time with God. But it has to be much more than rushing in and out of His presence. Most of us have likely had a visitation, an experience where we have sensed that God was meeting with us. But in order to abide in His presence, what we have to do, with His help, is to cultivate His presence as a habitation, a dwelling place. It starts with the realization that He is far more desirous of this than we could possibly be. One picture that helps me is of an artist painting a prortrait of the Queen. He or she would be conscious of being in the presence of royalty all through the process. So this is not about going to a monastery, but rather cultivating His presence moment by moment as we go about our daily lives. Bill Johnson talks about how careful you would be if you had a dove on your shoulder and wanted to keep it there.

But what if the plague has already come near your tent? Well with God, as long as you still have breath, it is never too late! In Christ there are always new beginnings, and in fact, this is where deliverance comes in (verse 14). I myself came to the Lord through various disasters, much of which was brought on by my own poor choices. This does not disqualify me from claiming deliverance and all the promises in this Psalm and elsewhere. In particular I claim “I will restore the years the locusts have you eaten” (Joel 2:25). The locusts of course brought devastation! However, as with every principle and promise of the Word of God, it is not automatic. We have a part to play. Our part is to press in, and to war and content for these things as our birthright, our heritage.

Father, since you give us the very breath and the air that we breathe, we can do none of this without You. It’s too easy to be weary in well doing, too easy to be in survival mode, putting up with things You never intended us to put up with. Thank You Lord for the principles and promises of Your Word. Inspire us and energize us this morning Father, and help us to do our part so as to ensure that You are working in our desires and the wherewithal to do (Philippians 2:12,13), in particular, to dwell in the secret place. In Jesus Name we pray Amen