Jesus covered us with protection by facing the devil and death alone in our place.
“Like lions they open their jaws against me, roaring and tearing into their prey.” Psalm 22:13 NLT
At the cross, Jesus walked as a decoy into the enemy’s hunting ground to divert the devil away from us and to attack Him in our stead. Jesus laid Himself bare and vulnerable to the terror of the night, the deadly arrows that fly by day, the pestilence that stalks in darkness, and the destruction that wastes in the hot noonday sun (Psalm 91:5-7). By Jesus’ death, death was swallowed up (Isaiah 25:8), and we are ransomed and set free by His shed blood from the power and fear of death (Hosea 13:14).
When fear in our hearts cries out; “I am not safe and what will happen to me?”, we pray for the grace not to cling to our life in fear, but to surrender and give up our life wholeheartedly to Jesus so we will find it (Matthew 10:39). We look to God’s hands of safety around us, abiding with Jesus in the protected shadow of the cross:
“I will answer your cry for help every time you pray, and you will find and feel my presence even in your time of pressure and trouble. I [Jesus] will be your glorious hero and give you a feast. 16 You will be satisfied with a full life and with all that I do for you. For you will enjoy the fullness of my salvation!” Psalm 91:15-16 TPT [word in bracket added]
In the words of the hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is our God", we read the wonderful words from Martin Luther:
A mighty Fortress is our God,
A Bulwark never failing;…
Did we in our own strength confide,
Our striving would be losing;
Were not the right Man on our side,
The Man of God’s own choosing
When troubles come in our lives, we are relieved to remember that we have the Man of God’s own choosing, Jesus, by our side. God’s dear Son understands in a way that no other person does of the nature of our human suffering. As we share in the sufferings of Christ, we share in the comfort that overflows in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:5).
Each detail of our trials is known to God, and not one is unexpected to Him. In the light of eternity, we know that everything in our lives works in intricate ways that are woven together for good (Romans 8:28), and no situation comes to us but what the love of God allows.
We respond to our anxieties in our words and actions, looking to the cross in a way that brings glory and honor to God, remembering His benefits. We stand firm in His words of truth about us moving forward, and not retreating in fear, into the battle of faith, knowing Jesus has won the outcome of this battle for us already.
Before our salvation, we were lost and weary, condemned and without hope, “finding no way to a city where they could settle.” (Psalm 107:4). Our Mediator, Jesus, the Rock of our salvation, covered us by His body at the cross, and now no fear can overcome us as we are more than conquerors in the power of Christ:
“So no weapon that is used against you will defeat you. You will show that those who speak against you are wrong. These are the good things my servants receive. Their victory comes from me,” says the Lord.” Isaiah 54:17 NCV
We are in perfect peace knowing that whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Paul directs our thoughts to the gain of what is coming for us in Christ with these words: "For to me, to live is Christ [He is my source of joy, my reason to live] and to die is gain [for I will be with Him in eternity]." (Philippians 1:21 AMP). We look in faith to Jesus and ask for grace to say “I desire every gain that is in You”.
Question 1: In Psalm 91, what area(s) of Jesus’s protection at Calvary means the most to you at this time?
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Question 2: Could you please consider in what ways the truth of the cross proclaimed through these lessons has been touching, wounding, healing and changing your heart and share a prayer giving praise to God for what He has done and for grace to continue transforming your heart by the gospel of Jesus Christ?
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We are protected from terror by taking refuge in Jesus.
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