CENTRAL THOUGHT
The great and mighty God guarantees protection for all who put their trust in him.
TEXT: Psalm 91
INTRODUCTION
The fact that man generally lives under fear today cannot be denied. There is the fear and anxiety over what to eat and where to lay one’s head. There is a hidden or real fear of attack by thieves, robbers and assassins. In addition, some live under the fear of a possible marriage collapse etc. Man is therefore engulfed in a feeling of insecurity and so needs protection.
Hence the quest for protection by man drives him into all sorts of practices including divination; membership of prayer houses, secret societies and social clubs; recitation of certain phrases/incantations etc. Unfortunately, human experience shows that real protection is not found in any of these practices. God is the only One who guarantees full protection to any man who depends on Him.
The LORD is more than able to do this because His is the Almighty, Omniscient and Omnipresent God. The word of God declares “for the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on the behalf of them whose heart is perfect towards Him.”, 2 Chronicles 16:9. Rather than running here and there looking for protection where there is none, man should return to the true source of protection and in faith begin to appropriate and enjoy Divine protection.
LESSON OBJECTIVESThe objectives of this study are:
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BIBLE TRUTH
Q1. WHAT IS DIVINE PROTECTION?
To protect as defined in the dictionary means to keep somebody/something safe from harm, injury, attack, etc. It also implies defending somebody or something.
The issue of protection is viewed seriously by individuals, institutions and governments. This explains why individuals build houses and “wall” themselves in with high fences; institutions pay security agents to defend their staff and properties and governments budget huge sums for security. In addition, some individuals, institutions and governments employ unorthodox means to ensure adequate protection. The irony in all these is that personal and general human experience shows that none of these give adequate protection. The only true source of protection remains God and Him alone. Divine protection therefore entails the action(s) of God in defending and protecting His children (believers) from all attacks of the enemy (the devil) whether such attacks are physical, spiritual or otherwise. Devine protection also includes prevention of proposed attacks by the enemy while it is even on the enemy’s drawing board or planning table. While such thoughts/plans are being conceived by the enemy, God sees them and immediately thwarts the plans thus ensuring that His child is adequately protected. Therefore, the realm of God’s protection is not only in the physical but also in the spiritual.
Q2. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SITUATIONS IN WHICH POTECTION IS REQUIRED? 1Kings 17:1-4; 2 Kings 6:8-16, 5:17-20, 12:5-11, 16:25-31. There are many situations of life in which protection is required. It will not be possible to deal with all of these in this lesson. However, a few of such situations are discussed below. In situations of famine, God is able to cater for a protect His children from the adversity of hunger. For example, when Elijah the prophet made a pronouncement concerning the drought that brought a great famine upon the land of Israel, he (Elijah) needed protection. The Lord led him to a brook (a spring) which God prevented from drying up. Elijah had water to drink and God used the ravens to feed him. Thus, in times of hunger, famine, high inflation such as we have today, we can depend on the protection power of the Lord to cater for us.
Also, when there Is a threat of (or real) physical attack, God defends His Children. When the king of Syria planned to attack Israel, the children of Israel were protected by Gold through the instructions He gave them using Elisha, the prophet, 2 Kings 6:8-16. When the Syrian king realized that Elisha was the one revealing his strategies of war to the king of Israel, he sent soldiers to arrest Elisha. However, God physically defended Elisha. God today, still defends us against all attacks of the enemy, known or unknown.
Moreover, in the book of Acts there are several records of how God defended His children against all attacks of the enemy. On an occasion when the apostles were put in prison, The Lord sent His angel to open the prison doors and brought them forth and they spoke in the temple all the words of this life (gospel) to the people, Acts 5:17-20. On another occasion, after Herold had killed James, the brother of John and discovered that the killing of the disciple pleased the Jews, he arrested Peter and put him in prison hoping to kill him after Easter. The Lord protected him Peter and prevented him from being killed by sending his angel to deliver him from prison, Acts 12:5-11. God also protected Paul and Silas when they were imprisoned in Phillipi, following the deliverance of a demon possessed girl who brought profit (gain) to her master. The LORD miraculously brought them out from the prison and delivered them from death, Acts 16:25-31.
Apart from the insistences above, there are several other situations in scripture when God delivered His children. Daniel was protected from being eaten by lions, Daniel 6:1-28. The three Hebrew children – Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, were protected from the burning fiery furnace, Daniel 3:1-30. Paul and his company were delivered from shipwreck. The LORD, when He was on earth calmed the sea thus delivering His disciples, Mark 4:36-39.
Today, we (God’s people) are also guaranteed, assured of full protection by God. In our jobs, we must recognize that the LORD is with us. He will protect us from all the plans and schemes of the enemy. In time of pregnancy, the Christian lady need not to be afraid, for the LORD assures her of safe delivery. We are also promised protection from sicknesses, pestilences or the plagues of the land. In our journeys by land, air, rail or sea, the LORD also promises us protection. Rather than quake or fear, let us in sincerity of heart and full assurance of faith, depend on our LORD and look to Him.
Q3.WHAT ASSURANCE DO WE HSVE THAT GOD CAN PROTECT HIS PEOPLE?
The Bible declares “When thou passeth through the waters I will be with thee and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee. When thou walketh through the fire thou shall not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee”, Isaiah 43:2. In Hebrews 13:8, we also read, “ I will never leave thee nor forsake thee”, and finally from 2 Chronicles 16:9 we understand that the eyes of the Lord run to and from the earth (watching over His children) and proving himself mighty on their behalf. Thus, the first assurance we have that He has promised to do so. God is not a man that He should lie (Numbers23:19). HE will always fulfill His promises.
In addition, human experience in the past confirms to us and assures us of God’s protective power and ability. HE delivered Israel from Egypt and led them through the Red Sea protecting them until they finally entered the promised land. HE delivered Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah from the fiery furnace. He delivered Daniel from the lion’s den. HE protected the children of Israel from the plagues of Egypt. He rescued Paul from shipwreck and the snake that would have beaten him etc.
The experiences and testimonies of believers today further assures us of His protecting ability. WE have experienced deliverance/protection from accidents including domestic ones. We have been protected from satanic attacks such as sickness, poisons, problems associated with child birth, threats from men e.g. bosses unbelieving spouses etc.
There is no doubt the ability of God to protect us. He has promised it. He did it before. He does it today and He can do it tomorrow. God’s protection covers every part of our lives. We are guaranteed protection from hunger, famine, accidents, diseases, plagues, death, destruction, pestilences etc.
Q4. HOW DO WE APPROPIATE GOD’S PROMISE OF DIVINE PROTECTION IN OUR LIVES? 1 Samuel17:45-47; Psalm 2:9-11; Proverbs 18:10; Daniel 3:13-18; Mark 4:37-41; Mark 11:20
The way to appropriate God’s promise of divine protection in our lives is through faith. We must exercise faith (absolute trust) in his word. We must believe He who has promised is faithful and will fulfill His word. For example, David through faith knew that he was divinely protected and therefore he would have victory over Goliath. Although God was not physically standing with David during the contest, he (David) however concluded that the battle was the Lord’s. Hence, he said “the battle is the Lord’s and He will give you (Goliath) into my hand.” This was absolute faith, 1 Samuel 17:45-47.
It is important that we accept that the written promises in His word are for us and that He will accomplish all He has spoken concerning us. As the song goes, “He has promised. He will never fail. I will lean on Him, …His faithfulness is forevermore”.
Also, on order to appropriate God’s promise of divine protection, we must do away with fear. The Bible says, “fear hath torment…”, 1 John 4:18. Fear robs one of and brings defeat. F Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, Azariah, David, Paul, Peter, James, John etc. had been men who feared they would never have experienced the fulfillment of God’s promised protection. These were men who set fear aside and in faith trusted the LORD who proved Himself mighty on their behalf. Therefore, to appropriate God’s promise of divine protection, we must rid our hearts of fear.
Daily Living Application:
The feeling of insecurity pervades the human air and every human being needs protection from the activities of the devil and its agents. Unfortunately, God is the in an attempt to secure protection, most human beings, consciously or unconsciously solicit the help of the devil who is the very source of their insecurity. It is obvious that the one who delights in and perpetuates insecurity cannot provide security for anybody.
God is the One who alone guarantees full protection from all the fiery darts of the enemy. This protection I s fully guaranteed through the death and resurrection of the LORD Jesus and as many as have received Him as LORD and personal Savior and are abiding in Him qualify for this protection. By his power, He is more than able to defend and shield us from every arrow of the enemy. Rather than running to and fro, looking for protection where there is none, let us in faith and absolute belief in His promises, appropriate the promise of Devine protection.
Memory Verse:
Psalm 127:1
‘Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it; except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”