Protected by His Presence

Psalm 91:1–4 NKJV

1 He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.” 3 Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler And from the perilous pestilence. 4 He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.

Isaiah 43:2 NKJV

2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you.

Lamentations 3:23–24 NKJV

23 They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. 24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I hope in Him!”

Introduction: "A Fire… But Not Consumed"

At 12:35 PM today, the Abilene Fire Department evacuated our church because the building was on fire. I didn't know what was happening at first—I left the building without my jacket, unaware of the danger around us.

Yet here we are—safe, unharmed, and still standing.

In moments like these, it would be easy to focus on the "what ifs"—what if the fire had spread, what if someone had been hurt, what if we had lost the building? But instead, we must focus on the what IS—God is still faithful, God is still protecting, and God is still in control!

Today is not about fear; it is about faith. It is a reminder that we are not alone, that God’s presence goes before us, and that His hand is always over us. We could have lost much, but instead, we gained a fresh testimony of His goodness.

That is why tonight, we will declare: We are protected by His presence!

1. God’s Protection is seen in what DID NOT HAPPEN!

The fire was contained.

No lives were lost.

The building remains intact and functional.

What the enemy meant for evil God has turned to good.

Genesis 50:20 NKJV

20 But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

2. His presence is our shelter.

Psalms 91, reminds us that our security is in the Lord.

Even when we don’t see the danger He is there.

We can rest knowing that He is watching over us.

3. God’s Purpose will not be stopped.

The Church is still here. (Matthew 16:18 “18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.” )

The Mission still stands. (Matthew 28:18–20 “18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.”)

This is an opportunity to praise The Lord publicly, This is an opportunity to praise him publicly.

Sunday We are going to have a time of thanksgiving. ( which means after church we are going to eat together.

Conclusion:

"A Reason to Give Thanks"

What the enemy meant for harm, God turned for good. The fire was real, but so was God's protection. We faced danger, but we also saw God's faithfulness.

Tonight, we stand together, not in fear, but in faith.

We stand, not as victims, but as victors.

We stand, not questioning God, but thanking Him.

And that is why this Sunday will be a Thanksgiving Sunday. We will gather not just to worship but to publicly declare God’s goodness over this church. And we’re going to eat together as a body, celebrating the fact that what could have been a tragedy is now a testimony.

So tonight, as we close, let’s take a moment to do what Psalm 107:1 tells us:

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."

Let’s lift our voices and give Him the praise He deserves!