Spiritual Emphasis Week - day 2

I have three brothers and two sisters. My oldest brother is 3 years older than me, and my youngest sister is 15 years younger than me. We made a lot of messes growing up. Two messes happened in middle school. I am certain both could have been prevented, but by the time they happened, it was too late.

My parents decided it was time for new furniture in our living room and new carpet throughout the main level of our house. For whatever reason, my dad never bought extended warranties. Think AppleCare for new furniture and new carpet. Looking back, it seems like the warranty would have been a good purchase with six kids. You’ll understand why.

I remember it was a rainy day, and my parents were grocery shopping. Because we were a soccer family, it was normal for a soccer ball to be in the middle of our living room. One rule, don’t kick the ball in the house. I don’t even know how it happened, but the soccer ball made contact with one of the brand-new lamps. Shattered! There was not enough super glue in the house to put it back together before my parents got home.

That’s not even the worst mess. A few weeks later, I was bringing a container of red punch to the table for dinner. Somebody ran through the dining, bumped me and the red punch splattered everywhere. It was on the table, the walls, and the new cream-colored carpet. I was in so much trouble because my parent’s brand-new carpet was destroyed.

Here's the deal ~ the carpet didn’t have to be destroyed. It could have been protected, but my parents decided their carpet would be okay and declined the warranty coverage.

In today’s verses, we’re going to see how the Lord protects and covers those who are believers. You can deny the coverage. You can decide to pretend everything will be okay. The lamp always looked broken, the stain never left the carpet and living your life without looking for Jesus and getting in his shadow will stain your life. You can make that decision, but Psalm 91 shows a better way.

MAIN IDEA: Four protections I will gain when I live in the shadow of Jesus Christ.

The Lord will deliver me from the enemy’s traps.

Psalm 91:3–8 (ESV)

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

Verse three describes two traps the enemy designs to catch us. I shouldn’t have to say this, in most families - your parents are not the enemy ~ Exodus 20:12 ~ Write this down ~ Your future children will honor you the same way that you honor your parents). Your teachers are not the enemy. Your coaches are not the enemy. Your siblings are not the enemy. In fact, Ephesians 6:12 tells us no person is your enemy. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.” 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” How does he do that? Verse three tells us he sets traps for me and for you.

When a fowler would set out his snare, he would bait it with something to attract a bird. The bait looked good. The bird approached the bait for a closer look. The bird looked around to see if other birds were watching him check out the bait. The bait began to look really good. One nibble wouldn’t hurt? He took the bait. No immediate consequences meant the risk was worth it. He thought he got away with something, so he took a selfie he would post later. He lingered in front of the pile of bait. It tasted a lot better than it looked. He began to crave more. He thought heard “grandma bird” say ‘Don’t do it, Johnny. I don’t want to see you get hurt. Don’t go back for more.’ He paused, looked around and didn’t see anybody. It seemed safe, the pile tasted so good, the cravings were getting stronger. Besides, it made me feel so good. Nobody will ever know!

He took the bait ~ face first into the middle of the pile. BAM! The bird became dinner.

Experiencing the security of Jesus Christ is an every day decision. Satan and his army roams around the earth setting traps that look appetizing. He tries to convince us the bait will make us feel better. He wants us to believe one nibble wouldn’t hurt. We linger and think about the temporary benefits. We wonder if we can away with it. We look to see if anybody is around. We turn from the shadow of Jesus long enough to get a closer look. Before we know it, we are face first in the middle of the bait and Satan got us.

A shelter without biblical truth is any action you are going to regret the next morning. A shelter without biblical truth cannot deliver you from the enemy’s traps. A shelter without biblical truth is a very dangerous place because temptation will bully you, lies will scream at you, sin will sell you out before you realize what happened. For some of you, that might be your story.

One online chat. One pirated movie. One click. One picture. One video. One outfit to get somebody’s attention. One puff. One drink. One blade. One sin you never thought you would never say yes to. One night you regret the next morning.

The other trap is deadly pestilence. When pestilence works best, a pest carries it back into its nest and spreads the poison to the rest of the family over time. The pest doesn’t realize that he is spreading harm throughout the nest.

Are you aware there is a pile of bait Satan is tempting you with? Have you taken the bait? Satan’s mission is to make you miserable, doubt that God could ever love you, and destroy your soul at the same he wants to make you very comfortable with your life.

Grandma bird said, ‘Don’t do it, Johnny. I don’t want to see you get hurt. Don’t go back for more.’ I’m begging you if you have taken the bait don’t go back for more. When I was standing in the lake filling up water bottles, I traded security for something that could have harmed me. Don’t trade the security of Jesus Christ for the enemy’s bait that you crave. The Lord wants to deliver you. Decide this week that you are going to get in the shadow of Jesus Christ and stay there.

The Lord will guard me with his faithfulness.

Psalm 91:3–8 (ESV)

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

I was rafting down the Pine River with 9th graders last summer and there was a bald eagle perched on a tree. I stopped our raft under the tree, so campers could see the eagle fly off. We waited for a long time but the eagle never moved, so we kept going down the river. Another raft said they came by and the eagle jumped off the branch, spread his wings, swooped right over their raft and grabbed a fish.

When I read this verse, I think of an Eagle’s large wings. If you are a believer, the even larger wings of Jesus are wrapped around you and they guard you every day. He will never stops doing that.

Write down Lamentations 3:22-23, which says, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

The Lord will comfort me in every situation.

Psalm 91:3–8 (ESV)

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

When we live in the shadow of Jesus, we experience the Lord’s comfort during every part of the day. The Lord sees you when it’s dark outside. The Lord comforts you when you’re stressed about too much homework, you’re lying in bed worried about the next day, faced with big decisions, or crying yourself to sleep because you have a difficult life.

The Lord will comfort you when you’re caught in the middle of drama at school, at home, at work, on your sports team.

The Lord will comfort you when it feels like darkness is surrounding you and you want to quit. The Lord will comfort you when you’re depressed or don’t want to get out of bed.

In the security of Jesus Christ is the place you will be comforted in every situation of life.

The Lord will sustain me when others fall away.

Psalm 91:3–8 (ESV)

3 For he will deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the deadly pestilence.

4 He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.

5 You will not fear the terror of the night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor the destruction that wastes at noonday.

7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you.

8 You will only look with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

Pool noodles and pop-up tent.

It was easier for me to stay close with Jesus in a public school that it was in a Christian school. I had classmates that didn’t take Jesus seriously. I had classmates that left Jesus at school and church. I had classmates that wanted people to think they were Christian, but they weren’t.

I was in high school when I decided I was going all-in for Jesus. Those were the best years of my life. I was more secure about who I was as a person. I had peace. I was less stressed. I always felt like everything was going to be okay, even though there was some hard stuff in our family.

The Lord always took care of me. The Lord will always take care of you, but he isn’t going to force you to stay close to him.

Have you decided life will be okay without the Lord’s protection in your life? Would you reconsider?

How is the sin in your life destroying your soul?

Are you ALL-IN? If your friends bailed on Jesus, would you keep following?

Discussion questions:

What are some ways you (or the people you live with) experience God’s faithfulness?

What is one thing you can do this week so you do not fall for Satan’s traps?