Psalm 91 -- 31 Devotions -- Day 17

Day Seventeen
Psalm 91:9
Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
NKJV

Years ago I knew a woman who was terrified of storms. She had transformed her basement into a storm shelter. Her husband had built a bed from railroad cross ties. The top of the bed was reinforced with several sheets of plywood. She had designed the bed to have doors. When a storm would come she would get inside her bed, close the doors and wait out the storm. She told me that she felt safe in her basement “refuge.” I have been in her house during a storm. She was right!

We all long for security. We want to feel safe and secure. The psalmist reminds us today that God has provided that safety and security. He knows first hand what it means to live in that refuge.

God is our refuge. God is our safe place. The Bible tells us that we are “in Him.” We will explore what it means to be “in Him” in tomorrow’s study.

My friend with the storm shelter in her basement made the decision to get into that safe place. Each time a storm came she made the conscious choice to go there. As a result of that choice she was rewarded by having peace of mind. She felt secure there. Just as my friend felt safe in her basement, we can find that same security and peace of mind in our Lord.

The psalmist knew the importance of the refuge. Notice that he says, “because you have made the Lord.” Because you have made the Lord your refuge there are going to be some benefits. In the days ahead we will explore some of the blessings of the refuge.

Psalm 91 -- 31 Devotions -- Day 10

Day Ten
Psalm 91:5
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
NKJV

Day 9 gave us the promise of deliverance from fear. Read Psalm 91:5a. “You shall not be afraid...”

President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” I agree with the spirit of President Roosevelt’s statement because of the nature of fear. Fear paralyzes its victim!

When we lived near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park we regularly visited the Cades Cove picnic area. On more than one occasion a black bear would wander into the picnic area looking for food. These bears are beautiful but very dangerous. In order to neutralize this powerful creature the Park Ranger would shoot the bear with a tranquilizer dart. The bear would take a few steps and fall lifeless to the ground. The bear was not dead, just unconscious and totally at the mercy of the Park Ranger.

Have you ever been so afraid of or about something that you felt paralyzed with fear? Satan uses fear in a Christian’s life in much the same way the Park Ranger uses tranquilizer darts. Satan will shoot his fiery darts at Christians hoping that they will become so afraid that the fear they are experiencing will literally paralyze them spiritually. Many times this fear hinders the Christian from something God is calling them to do. Fear wins over obedience. Unfortunately this happens more often than most Christians would like to admit. They fall into a catatonic spiritual state and seem to be at the mercy of Satan.

The good news for you today is that Satan’s arrows must penetrate the covering of God in the Christian’s life. We get into big trouble when we do not trust God. Faith is the covering of God. Psalm 91 says that we do not have to be afraid of the “arrow that flies by day.” Do you remember the shield of faith from Ephesians 6:16? Its purpose is to “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.” It is your faith in God, through Jesus, that quenches Satan’s paralyzing darts of fear.

I have some very serious questions for you today.
Where is your faith?
Are you using your faith as a shield or are you walking in naked disobedience, fully vulnerable to the fiery darts of the wicked one?

Psalm 91 -- 31 Devotions -- Day 9

Day Nine
Psalm 91:5
You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
NKJV

One of the blessings of truth is that in most cases it will kill the power of fear. The fear of the unknown is sometimes the worst kind of fear. Fear of the unknown is the kind of fear the Psalmist addresses in verse 5 -- “...the terror by night.”

When are we most vulnerable? It is definitely while we are sleeping. We surrender total control when we sleep. The “unknown” happens while we sleep.

As a former Youth Pastor I have spent many sleepless nights on retreats and youth activities because I did not trust what might happen when I put myself at the mercy of my youth group. Before I go to bed at our home, the last thing I do is to set the security system so that there will be no surprises as I surrender into sleep. When I stay in a motel I always check the door to make sure it is locked before I turn out the lights and go to sleep. There have been many times when I have been awakened suddenly and found myself experiencing sheer terror!

We have an incredible promise from the Word of God today. “You shall not be afraid...” Wow, that statement is very bold. “You shall not....” gives me great hope because this is a statement of fact – the truth – not an opinion or an option. I have great hope because I know that my feelings are going to follow what I believe. Change your thoughts...change your life!

Consider the truth in Paul’s writing to Timothy. “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7 – NKJV – emphasis mine) The kind of fear about which the Psalmist is writing is not from God. Knowing the truth about the origin of fear is to begin living in the truth of this statement: “You shall not be afraid of the terror by night...” God has given us a very practical tool by which we can combat the terrors of night. It is simply PRAYER. Each evening as I close my eyes I pray a prayer that goes something like this: “Father, be the Lord of my sleep tonight. Please protect me and my family!” God always honors that prayer. Many times I have fallen asleep peacefully while I am praying. There has not been a single time that I have had a nightmare or terror by night when I have drifted off to sleep in the arms of my Savior! Try this prayer in your own life! God will honor a prayer that shows we trust Him.

God wants us to trust Him. What are you afraid of? Psalm 91 is full of truth. Change your thoughts...change your life!