Hedge of protection!
Job 1:6 Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came among them.
7 The LORD said to Satan, "From where do you come?" Then Satan answered the LORD and said, "From roaming about on the earth and walking around on it."
8 The LORD said to Satan, "Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil."
9 Then Satan answered the LORD, "Does Job fear God for nothing?
10 "Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land.
WHAT IS A HEDGE?
When we talk about ‘hedge of protection’ let us not shrink it to just having strong iron doors, installing home security cameras in the front door, back door, side door, backyard and so on; yet, the thief is very smart to find a ‘hole’ to enter in. Anybody listening? One skinny thief was able to squeeze himself through the kitchen ventilator and then broke open all the other doors for 4 more fellows to enter and forage the house. Warning! Still others feel own roof above their head is the best protection/financial security for life, they slog, slog, slog to pay the installments but later find that’s just not enough in life.
Friend, there are million things attacking our homes, children, marriage, church, ministry and health today, mere walls cannot save us, we need today the hands of God to protect us, say Hallelujah. Never be too smart, smug and snobbish to think you can make it without God’s protection. In the above scripture we read that God put a hedge of protection around Job’s home, his wealth and his children. Whatever you earn can run down a hole in your pocket if God doesn’t bless it, anybody there?
MISPLACED TRUST: I watched a woman break 100 coconuts in front a temple. I have heard about it in the past but when I witnessed the terrible scene, it was heart breaking. There are others who put a fence around their work spot with good luck idols. It is sad that their wishful thinking would never come to pass. People in countries like India think pumpkin, Green chilly would give them protection and blessings; however, when we talk to them about righteous living and doing business with the right kind of weights they smirk at you. I still daringly point out mistakes in the markets, if not we then who would do this?
There is a traditional custom in Hindu religion to decorate the entrance of the marriage hall and the house of the bridegroom and bride with two banana trees. The entire banana plant is considered sacred and it is known as ‘Kadali’ in the Sanskrit language. Today Christians do it too, weddings in India are incomplete without decorating the homes with trunk of banana trees, you may do it innocently or just for fun sake, but dear Christian there are deep meaning behind it. They consider it as good luck sign, protection and prosperity. Hey, banana tree cannot bring blessings or offer protection in your marriage!
Today as we live in the midst of toxic virus that threatens our live, we need to humble ourselves and surrender to God and receive His protection. The Bible says that Job woke up early in the morning and prayed for his children everyday (Job 1:5), we cannot ignore God and expect His blessings, can we? Let us study the above scripture thoroughly:
WHEN WE REJECT GOD: God removes His hedge of protection when we reject and disobey Him:
Isaiah 5:4 "What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it? Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?
5 "So now let Me tell you what I am going to do to My vineyard: I will remove its hedge and it will be consumed; I will break down its wall and it will become trampled ground.
6 "I will lay it waste; It will not be pruned or hoed, But briars and thorns will come up. I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it."
What we see today is the result of the world and the church neglecting God, therefore God has taken away His covering. Are you listening? Now the world is running behind VACCINES for protection. Sad. There are churches that I had gone for ministry where the pastors allow preachers who are defiled themselves on their pulpits, false prophetesses who request for gold directly from the church members, preachers who ask for bank account numbers from the congregation, pastors who do not fast and pray before a convention meeting and much more…..
When I visited a church elder’s home, they took me to a room that was called prayer room but it was like ‘pooja room’ with tall lamps and crazy stuff… their home was filled with fights, quarrels and demonic attacks. All that I had mentioned are what I saw first-hand in churches and Christian homes.
GOD’S PRESENCE IS OUR PROTECTION:
THE DEVIL is invisible, uncanny, eerie, creepy, he enters subtly in the form of debts, porn, adultery, rebelliousness, mental illness, misunderstandings, bitterness… etc.
Prayer, obedience to His word and worship ushers in the presence of God in our life wherever we go, read:
Psalm 91:4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
James 4:8
“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”
John 15:5
“’I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.'” (NIV)
GOD IS OUR BUNKER!
NAME OF THE LORD IS A SAFE TOWER:
Proverbs 18:10 The name of the LORD is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe. “
Friend, where are you running? Consultants, Website, friends, relatives or the police station??? None can help you! Blessings cannot be bought with mantras, we need to turn to the Lord Jesus who is the “Source of our blessings”. We have ignored Him enough! Churches would not be empty, our children would not be flooding the pubs and malls on Sundays, if we have placed our trust in God ! Got that?
One particular Christian sister had a police complaint lodged in advance against her son-in-law so that he has the fear in his heart and would not misbehave with her daughter. Such was her love for her daughter, I told her to trust God but she said, ‘I trust God but my son-in-law fears only the police.’ Alas! Such is the ignorance of the so called Christian community, who have failed to run to the name of the Lord which is our strong and safe tower.
GOD IS OUR BUNKER: I recently watched a true story Christian movie, based on an Army Chaplain, where I got to see war zones. In one particular scene, when the bomb falls in their area, the soldiers hear the voice of their captain on the walkie-talkie command, ‘ go to the nearest bunker’, after which they rush to their bunkers where bombs cannot enter. A bunker is a defensive military fortification designed to protect people and valued materials from falling bombs or other attacks. As I was meditating on this sermon, I thought about this scene - God is our bunker.
Would like to share a testimony here, two days before a ‘3 days Retreat fire camp’ hosted by us, I was the main speaker on all the three days, along with my husband, I had gone out. While parking the van, my husband did not notice a deep ditch in front of our van, so the car with great force bumped into the ditch. I saw stars! I just felt a bang on my head, as I was thrown forward on the front glass windshield of the car. When I opened my eyes, shocked and terrified, we saw the front windshield broken but no damage on my forehead. God is our bunker! Hallelujah!
TRUSTING GOD’S FAITHFULNESS:
Psalms 27: A Psalm of Fearless Trust in God. A Psalm of David.
1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?
2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell.
3 Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident.
4 One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD And to meditate in His temple.
5 For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock.
6 And now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me, And I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD.
Hebrews 10:19-22
“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus… let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.” (NIV)
GOD PROTECTS THOSE WHO FEAR HIM:
“The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7
Psalm 33: 16 The king is not saved by a mighty army; A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a false hope for victory; Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is on those who fear Him, On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
19 To deliver their soul from death And to keep them alive in famine.
INTIMACY WITH GOD PROTECTS YOU:
God protects prophet Elisha:
2 King 6:
11 Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?"
12 One of his servants said, "No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom."
16 So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
17 Then Elisha prayed and said, "O LORD, I pray, open his eyes that he may see." And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
PRAYER BRINGS PROTECTION:
Job was the kind of father who prayed for a hedge of protection around his children. Job 1:5 says, Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. (Job 1:5) Job realized God had called him to be the spiritual leader of his family.
NATIONS THAT LOVE GOD WILL BE BLESSED:
The Bible says, “Blessed is the nation who God is the Lord.” (Psalm 33:12).
12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance.
13 The LORD looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men;
14 From His dwelling place He looks out On all the inhabitants of the earth,
The scripture is clear about what happens to nations who reject God. “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” (Psalm 9:17)
