psalm91
Many, many believers through out time have considered this Psalm as their favorite portion of scripture. Although this V is considered as one of the favorites, few have really reaped its full promises & benefits. Sure we here of some testimonies of the fulfillment of these promises, but there are many that have become a victim of the snare of the fowler (Satan), the terror by night, & the arrow that flieth by day.
Christians, & sinners alike, have succumbed to the pestilence of darkness & the destruction at noon day. Christians, along with sinners, have been devastated by the plagues, floods, famines, & earthquakes. Is there anything in this PSALM that would give us HOPE? Is there anything in this Psalm that would show us how to obtain these promises?
I. There is no automatic answer to God's promises & prayers.
A. Sometimes we just think or hope that they will just happen.
1. But if that's our idea, then we're going to have many unfulfilled promises.
2. With prayers & God's promises certain things must be believed, your faith must be in operation, you need to act upon the promise, and the rules must be kept.
B. Let's look at the 1st group of promises in this psalm & see what rules apply to it.
1. Let's start reading at PSA 91:3-8.
a. These promises deal with deliverance from Satan (the fowler), epidemics, fear, & plagues.
b. While many have quoted, confessed, claimed, & hoped for these promises few have received.
2. Many fail to realize that these promises are preceded by a mandatory rule.
a. PSA 91:1
b. There are few that actually live & abide in the shadow of the Almighty.
c. The word “DWELLETH” in (V 1) means “to live” in modern day English, But comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to sit, sit down, to be set, to remain, stay, to dwell, have one's abode.”
i. It's more of a fixed position than coming, going & moving about.
ii. It's not the picture of a wavering Christian.
iii. It's more of a picture of stability. Someone that is stable & firmly fixed in the things of God.
iv. It's someone that has made up his mind to serve God, love God, & to keep His Word & His commandments.
v. This is the person that is “Dwelling, living, & abiding” in the secret place.
3. In (Psalm 91:) V 1 where it says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High...”
a. The words “Secret Place” means “Covering, shelter, hiding place, secret place, & protection.”
i. He that dwells in the COVERING or SHELTER of the most High.
b. When you're serving the Lord, loving Him, & keeping His Word & Commandments, you're dwelling in that Covering, that Shelter, that protection of the Lord.
C. Look at PSA 91:2
1. In this V we have another rule that needs to be kept to reap these promises.
a. He says, “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress.”
b. In other words “The Lord is my shelter & my strength.”
2. This may be the most over looked V in this entire psalm.
a. Notice what He says in the 1st part of V 2. “I WILL SAY.”
i. That's talking about confession. I have to say something.
b. I will say that the Lord in my strength, my shelter, I can do all things through Christ Jesus, By Jesus stripes I'm healed.
3. (James 3) talks about the importance of speaking forth the right things that concern our lives.
a. Look at JAMES 3:3-5
i. James compares the tongue to the bit in the horse's mouth & a rudder on a ship.
ii. A bit can change the horse's direction.
iii. The rudder can change the ship's direction.
b. Like wise the tongue can change you course of life.
i. (Proverbs 18:21) Says, “Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue.”
c. Those that are living under the shadow of the Almighty should sound like it. They should talk like it.
4. Isaiah 8:20 will help us understand the importance that God places on our speech. (Turn there)
a. The word “Law” in RSV translation is “Teaching,” in other words it's the Word of God.
b. God places an importance on the words we speak.
i. He says that if we're not speaking His Word the light not in us.
ii. That doesn't mean that we are void of light, but it means that there is no dawn.
a. The darkest hour always comes before the dawn.
iii. When you're going through those tests, trials & those attacks of the enemy, & you're not speaking the Word of God there's no getting out of that darkness, there's no dawn.
c. But there is more to “confession” they just “speaking or confessing” the Word of God.
i. In the phrase “If you do not speak the Word of God it is because there is no light in you,” from (ISA 8:20)
ii. The word “speak” in that V means “to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think.”
iii. Yes, you need to confess the Word of God to get out of your situation, but you speak in more than 1 way.
a. He also says, “to answer.” When you are asked a question about your situation, do you answer them with the Word of God.
b. Then the Hebrew definition adds, “To say in one's heart.” You might have your confession & your answers down, but what are you saying in your heart.
c. He also says it means “to think.” What are you thinking on victory or defeat?
D. PSA 19:142
1. You can't be confessing sickness & problems, & still be under the shadow of the Almighty.
2. The only way you're going to change your confession, in all the areas that we talked about, is to study & meditate on the Word of God.
3. Go back with me to (PSA 91) & I want you to notice the benefits & the blessings for the person that dwells in His presence & is confessing the right thing.
a. PSA 91:3-8
b. These promises don't just come automatically, you have to make the choice to keep His guide lines & instructions, to walk in divine health & divine protection.
WOLCC Sun AM 5/9/93