The Lord our Keeper and Protector

We live in turbulent times. Times of violence, lawlessness, anarchy and disorder. Such times too many it seems is the worst of times, but in reality the world has known far greater conflict, tension, strife and discord.

We still live in a world of persecution, and where the sanctity of life has been ignored, but the world for thousands of years have seen far darker days. Up to 1940s, the world had almost always been embroiled in some kind of war, massacre, and revolt. Times in the Middle Ages were terrible, and the barbarity of the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisitions has done much harm to the faith in the Lord Jesus.

Yes, the world has seen great bloodshed, as the devil continues on its merry way to destroy, to kill and to maim. The year 2019 is anything but civil or times of order, but at least not as decadent, depraved and wicked as the Dark Ages. But still, for the believer times are not easy, as persecution remains severe in at least 50 countries. We must remember the devil shall never cease to attack the believer, and will never cease to influence and manipulate the world, in the hope that all shall burn with hell fire.

In the midst of such times, when the Lord’s Truth even in churches become rare, we must, however, keep guarding against fear, trepidation, and hopelessness. For it seems believers are becoming more and more fearful, which is quite contrary to the boldness displayed by the first century disciples who faced far greater threats of martyrdom and torture.

There are plenty of Scripture to encourage us not to fear, for the Lord shall keep us and protect us. For example in Isaiah 35:4 (AMP) it says: 4 Say to those with an anxious and panic-stricken heart, “Be strong, fear not! Indeed, your God will come with vengeance [for the ungodly]; The retribution of God will come, But He will save you.” And also Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation - Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the refuge and fortress of my life— Whom shall I dread?

In Deuteronomy 31:8 it is written: It is the Lord who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” So yes, be encouraged, and take heart for God is our Keeper, just as He kept Daniel safe in the lion’s dens and He kept Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego from harm when thrown in the furnace.

Consider what Jesus says in Luke 10: 17 The seventy returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name.” 18 He said to them, “I watched Satan fall from heaven like [a flash of] lightning. 19 Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you. 20 Nevertheless do not rejoice at this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven.”

Jesus speaks about nothing harming us. He was speaking in context of the spiritual battle in which we wrestle with demonic forces, as alluded to by the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 6. After all, Jesus was referring to scorpions and serpents. In the realm of the occult and the magic of Egypt, the disciples would have known Jesus was referring to the demonic powers. Luke 10 links up to what Jesus said in Mark 16: He who has believed [in Me] and has been baptized will be saved [from the penalty of God’s wrath and judgment]; but he who has not believed will be condemned. 17 These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak in new tongues; 18 they will pick up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will get well.”

In Matthew 16:18 the Lord said the following: And I say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades (death) will not overpower it [by preventing the resurrection of the Christ].

Our Lord God is all powerful, and this truth we must always remember. Despite all the efforts to derail the faith and the truth of the Lord since the resurrection of Jesus, the devil was unable to accomplish his task. This is despite, among others, Roman persecution, the barbarian uprisings and the wielding of power by monarchs. Yes, for 2000 years the Gospel of our Lord has endured many attacks, and the deception and the scars of the onslaught is still with us today, but the Truth will forever stand the test of time and there is a remnant that abides in the Truth of God. So the Gates of Hell has not prevailed. In the 2019, the world has with growing intensity and speed departed from the ways of the Lord to adopt a secular and also hedonistic lifestyle, yet the gates of hell shall not prevail!

God is indeed our protector and our provider. In Luke 10 Jesus made it clear that for those who remain in Him and abide in His Kingdom, then the devil will not be able to harm or to prevail. This reminds of Colossians 2:15: When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities [those supernatural forces of evil operating against us], He made a public example of them [exhibiting them as captives in His triumphal procession], having triumphed over them through the cross.

So now we may say but surely the believer does suffer great harm, even at the hands of the devil. Let us contend with the truth that God is not a liar. It is written in Ephesians 4:27 And do not give the devil an opportunity [to lead you into sin by holding a grudge, or nurturing anger, or harboring resentment, or cultivating bitterness]. And also 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.” There is simply no way that the devil can triumph against a child of God who abides in the Lord and who stands in the Truth. But then we must abide and keep the devil no legal right to attack. Where the devil has no right to attack, then the Lord shall keep and protect us. Just be strong, be courageous and abide in Him!

We might then say but what about the Christians who have been martyred and who have been killed in persecutions? We have to remember to God belongs all the glory and the dominion. Christianity is not always about the good times, but it is about glorifying God, even in times of great strife and despair. Steven was stoned to death yet he glorified the Lord unto the end. The reality is that the devil is not the victor, but the Lord remains in control and the shed blood cries out to heaven. The martyred blood still cries out to the heavens to testify of the Lord and to bring Him glory. It says in 2 Timothy 3:12 Amplified Bible: 12 Indeed, all who delight in pursuing righteousness and are determined to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be hunted and persecuted [because of their faith].

Persecution comes with the territory of serving the Lord – be it emotional, psychologically, spiritually or physically – but the devil is not the victor for the Lord keeps and the Lord protects. It says in 1 Peter 4:12–19: Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?” So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

During Christ’s ministry, He spent a large amount of time not only telling his disciples that he would suffer but also preparing them to suffer as well. “John 15: 18 “If the world hates you [and it does], know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love [you as] its own and would treat you with affection. But you are not of the world [you no longer belong to it], but I have chosen you out of the world. And because of this the world hates you.”

Christ said if you belonged to the world, it would love you, but since you do not belong to the world that is why it hates you. This takes us back to the very beginning of Peter’s epistle. He calls these believers “strangers in the world” (1 Peter 1:1). We are different; we are not of this world, and that is why we are hated. Yet, we may be hated, but we are still kept by the Lord, thus protected, to serve the Kingdom and to bring Him all the glory and honour. We must not be surprised at suffering, but then at the same time we must know the gates of hell shall not prevail and that God is with us.

Believers, let us not fear, for God is for us and if He is for us who can be against us! Jeremiah had a very difficult calling to fulfil, speaking judgement and lamentations. Yet the Lord kept and protected Him, for our Lord shall never leave or forsake us. We read in Jeremiah 1. 18 Now behold, I have made you today like a fortified city and like an iron pillar and like bronze walls against the whole land—against the [successive] kings of Judah, against its leaders, against its priests, and against the people of the land [giving you divine strength which no hostile power can overcome]. 19 They will fight against you, but they will not [ultimately] prevail over you, for I am with you [always] to protect you and deliver you,” says the Lord.

If we abide in the Lord, then the Lord abides in us (John 15), and the gates of hell shall not prevail. God shall keep and protect us, as He is the Keeper of Israel. By His strength and might we shall be like a fortified city, just like Jeremiah, thus impregnable and strong to serve the Lord. For this reason prophet Isiah writes in Isaiah 54: 17 “No weapon that is formed against you will succeed; And every tongue that rises against you in judgment you will condemn. This [peace, righteousness, security, and triumph over opposition] is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And this is their vindication from Me,” says the Lord.

Let us remember the truth of “Psalm 144 Blessed be the Lord my Rock, Who trains my hands for war, And my fingers for battle— 2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.” God is our Refuge, thus as we abide in Him we abide in a fortified fortress, and ultimately He becomes our fortification and our shield. It is also written in “2 Samuel 22: Then David spoke to the Lord the words of this song, on the day when the Lord had delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 And he said: “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; 3 The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge.

King David knew about persecution, being hunted and of his life being under threat from internal and external foes, especially Saul. Apart from what we read in 2 Samuel 22, he also wrote the following:

Psalm 34: The Lord, a Provider and the One Who Rescues Me (A Psalm of David; when he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him out, and he went away): 4 I sought the Lord [on the authority of His word], and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears. 5 They looked to Him and were radiant; Their faces will never blush in shame or confusion. 6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him And saved him from all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear Him [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience], And He rescues [each of] them. 8 O taste and see that the Lord [our God] is good; How blessed [fortunate, prosperous, and favored by God] is the man who takes refuge in Him. 9 O [reverently] fear the Lord, you His saints (believers, holy ones); For to those who fear Him there is no want. 10 The young lions lack [food] and grow hungry, But they who seek the Lord will not lack any good thing. 11 Come, you children, listen to me; I will teach you to fear the Lord [with awe-inspired reverence and worship Him with obedience]. 12 Who is the man who desires life And loves many days, that he may see good?

Psalm 33: 18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is upon those who fear Him [and worship Him with awe-inspired reverence and obedience], On those who hope [confidently] in His compassion and lovingkindness, 19 To rescue their lives from death And keep them alive in famine. 20 We wait [expectantly] for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.

Psalm 23: Even though I walk through the [sunless] [a]valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod [to protect] and Your staff [to guide], they comfort and console me. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You have anointed and refreshed my head with oil; My cup overflows.

Indeed, we must abide in the Lord, fear Him, trust Him, walk in holiness and purity, for then we shall be fortified, protecting the gates of the spirit and soul, so that the gates of hell shall not prevail. We must always seek His Kingdom and Righteousness, for then we shall overcome and be victorious! For those abiding in the Lord, remaining true to the Word and the Truth, they shall be triumphant, despite the intentions of the snakes and the scorpions. We can overcome in the might, strength and hope of the Lord.

A very well-known Scripture is Psalm 91 which says: 4 He will cover you and completely protect you with His pinions, And under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and a wall. 5 You will not be afraid of the terror of night, Nor of the arrow that flies by day, 6 Nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, Nor of the destruction (sudden death) that lays waste at noon. 7 A thousand may fall at your side And ten thousand at your right hand, But danger will not come near you. 8 You will only [be a spectator as you] look on with your eyes And witness the [divine] repayment of the wicked [as you watch safely from the shelter of the Most High]. 9 Because you have made the Lord, [who is] my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, 10 No evil will befall you, Nor will any plague come near your tent. 11 For He will command His angels in regard to you, To protect and defend and guard you in all your ways [of obedience and service].

It is important to understand Psalm 91 for we read how the Lord shall deliver us NOT from the fowler, but the snare of the fowler. We need to understand that the devil will be with us like a roaring lion, seeking to devour (1 Peter 5:8) until God finally seals his fate according to the Book of Revelations. What we therefore need to discern and take note of is the “snare” of the fowler, meaning we need to discern the work of the enemy, and how such work operates, functions and manifest in order to steal, to kill and to destroy (John 10:10). After all, the WAGES (thus the work – thus the snare) of the sin is death (Romans 6:23). Sin, like the fowler, will always be with us, but we need to realise and discern the work of sin, which creates death and a separation from God. We cannot eradicate the existence of sin, but we can counter the wages of sin by not stepping into the entrapments of it.

Take note of the Song of Trust in God’s Protection in Isaiah 26 Amplified Bible: 2 “Open the gates, that the righteous nation may enter, The one that remains faithful and trustworthy. 3 “You will keep in perfect and constant peace the one whose mind is steadfast [that is, committed and focused on You -in both inclination and character], Because he trusts and takes refuge in You [with hope and confident expectation]. 4 “Trust [confidently] in the Lord forever [He is your fortress, your shield, your banner], For the Lord God is an everlasting Rock [the Rock of Ages]. 5 “For He has thrown down the [arrogant] ones who dwell on high, the lofty and inaccessible city; He lays it low, He lays it low to the ground, He hurls it to the dust. 6 “The foot will trample it, Even the feet of the suffering, and the steps of the helpless.” 7 The way of the righteous [those in right-standing with God—living in moral and spiritual integrity] is smooth and level; O Upright One, make a level path for the just and righteous. 8 Indeed, in the path of Your judgments, O Lord, We have waited expectantly for You; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire and deep longing of our souls.

Yes, wait upon the Lord, trust in Him, for our God is Almighty, He is powerful and He does not slumber! It says in 1 Peter 3:12 NKJV: 12 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Let is embrace the blessings of Numbers 6:24 which says “The Lord bless you, and keep you [protect you, sustain you, and guard you]”. Let us also stand in triumphant faith when we pray the Lord’s Prayer of Matthew 6 - “And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”