NO FEAR HERE

Part Two

As I stated in the first part of this blog, the current Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic going around the world is causing much fear and panic in communities, leading to panic-buying of food and household necessities, in some places at such an alarming rate that supermarkets have had to take drastic measures to cope with supply and demand issues, and to help the elderly and disabled be able to shop safely.

As also stated, not only by me, but by many others, the fear and panic being experienced by multitudes is in some ways probably a greater threat to peace and security than the infection itself.

It is at times like that in which we are living, that the Church of Jesus Christ has the opportunity to shine brightly with the hope that believers experience as they are fully trusting the Lord for deliverance and for safe protection from all harm.

Psalm 91 offers incredibly wonderful promises of protection to the child of God who is fully committed to following and trusting the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.

Verse 1,2 says: He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High 

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress;

My God, in Him I will trust."

What powerful scripture verses to take a stand upon in this - and in fact, all times, when unseen dangers are lurking. 

Joseph Prince, Senior Pastor of New Creation Church in Singapore,  in speaking about this verse, points out that in the Hebrew, Psalm 91:1 has the sense of: He who sits in the secret place of the Most High 

Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 

Also, in the Hebrew, shadow always speaks of protection.

For the Christian, under the New Covenant, the secret place is IN CHRIST!

Ephesians 2:4-6 tells us But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love  with which  He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together in Christ (by grace you have been saved), and He raised us up and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ.

Notice the psalmist in verse 2 of Psalm 91 declares: I will say of the LORD! There is great power in making declarations with our mouth. He does not say: I will think of the LORD, BUT - I will SAY of the LORD. Right from the beginning of time, in Genesis Chapter 1, the LORD God spoke all things into being. God said: "Let there be light, and there was light." Each time a new aspect of God's awesome creation came into being, it was predicated by: Then God said!

As born again, Spirit-filled believers in the  LORD Jesus Christ, we are to walk  by faith, not by sight - and we are to have our hearts, and our mouths filled with words of faith, and not fear.

In Mark 11, we see the incident when Jesus cursed a fig tree, because it had no fruit. The next day as He and His disciples passed it, they saw that it had withered from the roots. 

Jesus then told His disciples: "Have faith in God. For truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you will receive them, and you will have them." vs 22-24

Psalm 91:3 says 

Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler

And from the perilous pestilence.

What on earth is a perilous pestilence? Well the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as:  a contagious or infectious epidemic disease that is virulent and devastating. So, God is saying in this verse from Psalm 91 that He will deliver those who abide under the shadow of El Shaddai - God Almighty - from contagious and infectious diseases - of which the current COVID-19 virus qualifies.

Psalm 91:4-6 continue to provide further comfort and encouragement to those who face dangers unseen.

He shall cover you with His feathers,

And under His wings you shall take refuge;

His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, 

Nor of the arrow that flies by day,

Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,

Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday.

Again, King David, in writing this psalm, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit expresses the confidence we can have in God's protective covering of those who are fully committed to Him.

TO BE CONTINUED

If you would like to know more about how to become a Christian, and experience the love and protection God promises in His Word - and to know sins forgiven, and to have a brand new start in life,  being "born again" of the Spirit of God, go online to www.vision.org.au This is the home of Vision Christian Media in Australia, which includes the nationwide Vision Christian Radio network. Click on "Growing your faith" tab at the top of the page, and then from the dropdown menu, click on "Looking for God?" God Bless!