I. Abiding Under the Shadow
A. Text: Psalm 91:1-16
“[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. [5] You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, [6] Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. [7] A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you. [8] Only with your eyes shall you look, and see the reward of the wicked. [9] Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, [10] No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; [11] For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. [12] In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone. [13] You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, the young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. [14] Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. [15] He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. [16] With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation." {NKJV}
B. All throughout the Word of God we see various references to His protection and blessing upon His people. But His protection and blessings are both conditional. While God’s love is never conditional – His protection and blessings must be.
C. The only true way to fully walk in the total protection of God and dwell under the flow of His blessings is to do so in obedience. Obedience is the key to living with God’s best in your life!
D. If you’re walking outside of God’s best – it’s probably because there is an area of your life that is living outside of commands.
E. There’s a funny story of the deacon who was baptized in water. When the preacher told him that what goes under the water is symbolically totally submitted to God once and for all, the deacon said, that’s fine preacher, just let me hold my wallet outside the water before you put me under!
F. Today I want to talk about living under the umbrella of God’s anointing. Living under the umbrella of God’s protection and blessing.
G. The ultimate purpose of an umbrella is protection. The most common use is protection from rain. But others use umbrellas to protect from the sun.
H. There are various types of umbrellas that God has set up in His Word that are set up for the purposes of protection and blessing. Some are:
1) God Himself is an Umbrella
2) God’s Word is an Umbrella
3) Government has been set up as an Umbrella
4) The Church has been set up as an Umbrella
5) Church Leadership (Pastors/Elders) are Umbrellas
6) Husbands have been Established by God’s Word as Umbrellas for the home
7) Parents are the Umbrellas of protection and blessing to the children
I. And, I can give you Scripture for each of these seven types of umbrella protection. Time won’t permit me to share each of those references. But, again, seven is the number of perfection, the number of completion.
J. The use of an umbrella to symbolize protection is commonly understood and accepted. In the insurance industry, an overall coverage of protection is referred to as an “umbrella policy.” In the Bible, similar symbols teach the concepts of provision, protection, headship, and leadership.
K. The use of this symbol in relation to the family is to give special encouragement to fathers to protect, instruct, lead, and provide for their wives, sons, and daughters. It is also to remind the family that no father is perfect, but as they pray for him and encourage him, they can increase his ability and motivation to fulfill his God-given responsibilities.
L. In addition to the father, Scripture has other umbrella analogies: The cloud of protection that God gave to Israel during their forty years in the wilderness (Exodus 13:21–22), the shadow of God’s hand over His people (Isaiah 51:15–16), “the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1), and the wings of a mother hen (Matthew 23:37).
M. Understanding the umbrella concept increases our love for God and assures us of His love, protection, and provision for us as His children.
N. For 40 years, God gave protection and direction to the nation of Israel through a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. When the cloud moved, they moved. Those who lagged behind were attacked by their enemies and destroyed (see Deuteronomy 1:33 and 25:17–19).
O. All human “umbrellas” have faults and limitations. For this reason, those under authority are instructed to pray for them. “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (I Timothy 2:1–4).
II. Walking in Your Destiny
A. We’ve talked a lot lately about walking in your God-given destiny.
B. However, you will never fully walk in that destiny or fulfill the will of God in your life if you are living outside that umbrella of obedience to God and His Word.
C. Destiny is a process that is being worked out. You must persevere in preparation for your destiny. The journey in this life is just as important as the destination. That process requires patience. It requires steadfastness and faithfulness. It requires trust and confidence. God does not refine you, train you, transform you, or renew you instantly. There is no such thing as a drive-through breakthrough.
D. Hebrews 10:36 says “For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.”
E. Sometimes we get fooled into believing that our destiny will just drop in our lap, but that’s not the case. God does not refine you, train you, transform you, or renew you instantly. He puts you through a process. Destiny is a process that is being worked out. You must persevere in preparation for your destiny. The journey in this life is just as important as the destination. That process requires patience. It requires steadfastness and faithfulness. It requires trust and confidence.
F. And, if you choose to go against your trust and confidence in God – if you choose to be disobedient in any area of your life – you are removing that area out from under the umbrella of God’s protection and blessing! Whether it is your children, your finances, your health, your marriage, whatever it is – once it’s out from under the will of God – only God’s love is promised. There is no longer provision for protection and favor!
G. That’s why we MUST stay under His umbrella!
H. If you want God to move you into a future that will be marked by an abundance of life ... if you want God to create for you a place in His history, then don’t move away from Him. Keep seeking God with your whole heart. Pray. Lean on Him. Let the Holy Spirit guide you as you learn how to listen to His voice. Study the Word of God. Learn who God is, how He moves, and what He does. Keep studying the Word and meditating on its truth as a part of your commitment to never give up. This all comes from staying under His protection – under the flow of His blessing – under His umbrella.
I. Give no place to the devil (Ephesians 4:27). Guard what you allow into your life through your eyes and ears. Keep your heart and mind pure.
J. James 4:7-8 says: “Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…”
K. If we step out from under the umbrella of God’s protection by willful disobedience we open our lives to trouble and seduction by Satan.
L. It’s about being insulated to God’s will – not isolated from the world.
III. Knowing the Shadow
A. God’s Word is an umbrella of protection for our souls!
B. King David said: “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your Word. Your Word have I hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” [Psalm 119:9-10]
C. Then, he said in Psalm 27:1-5: “[1] The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? [2] When the wicked cam against me to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell. [3] Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war should rise against me, in this I will be confident. [4] One thing I have desired of the Lord, that I will 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 inquire in His temple. [5] For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret lace of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”
D. Pavilion – Hebrew “cok” [soke] –which means a thicket, lair, covert, booth, a tabernacle, a den. This word ‘cok’ comes from a Hebrew root word that means ‘covering; a defense; overshadowing– as in an umbrella.’
E. This same word is used in Psalm 5:11 for the word ‘defend.’ Look at this: “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in you; let them ever shout for joy. Because You defend them…”
F. In our text – Psalm 91, verse 4 it says: “He shall cover you with His feathers..” Again this word ‘cover’ has the same meaning.
G. Defense, Cover, Pavilion – they all mean the same thing referring to the umbrella of God’s protection and blessing!
H. Psalm 61:3-4 says: “For You have been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle [tent] forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings.” Many of you will recall the message I preached a couple of weeks ago about the tallit – the Jewish prayer shawl.
I. This word ‘shelter’ means the same thing – but takes it step further. The literal translation of the word “shelter” in this verse is
1) refuge, shelter
a) from rain or storm, from danger
b) of falsehood
J. Again, from our text: Psalm 91:2 says He is our refuge.
IV. God Restores All
A. Isaiah 4:2-6 “[2] But in that day, the branch of the Lord [Israel/her King] will be beautiful and glorious; the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of all who survive in Israel. [3] All who remain in Zion [praise] will be a holy people – those who survive the destruction of Jerusalem and are recorded among the living. [4] The Lord will wash the filth from beautiful Zion and cleanse Jerusalem [trodden down city of peace] of its bloodstains with the hot breath of fiery judgment. [5] Then the Lord will provide shade for Mount Zion and all who assemble there. He will provide a canopy [of glory] of cloud during the day and smoke and flaming fire at night, covering the glorious land. [6] It will be a shelter from daytime heat and a hiding place from storms and rain.”
B. Just like the days of old, God will restore all and bring protection to His people!
C. A cloud by day – the blessings of God (cloud cover as comfort from the scorching heat; refreshment from the sun; this represented the ‘glory cloud’ of God’s presence and abundant blessings).
D. A pillar of fire by night – the protection of God (the fire brought light and direction; it brought protection as the fire warded off would-be enemies; fire always represents power and anointing in the Bible; a ‘pillar’ specifically because pillars represent law and authority, power). The Holy Spirit is a type of ‘fire by night.’ The Spirit sat upon God’s people on the Day of Pentecost as tongues of fire (we’ll talk more about that on Pentecost Sunday which is coming up in a few weeks).
E. God promises to restore these two types of blessing and protection to the people of God. Not in a literal sense as was in Moses’ day, but in a spiritual sense.
F. Verse 5 [Isaiah 4] in the Amplified: And the Lord will create over the whole site, over every dwelling place of Mount Zion and over her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night; for over all the glory shall be a canopy (a defense of divine love and protection).
G. This shelter – this tabernacle – this pavilion – this umbrella is also known in the Word of God as ‘the secret place!’
H. Again, this takes us back to our text in Psalm 91. I like how Psalm 91:1 together shows up as 911. When you have an emergency and need to call on someone – go to Psalm 91:1 and recognize that if you dwell in the secret place and abide under the shadow – under the pavilion – under the tabernacle – under the tallit – under the wings –under the umbrella of the Almighty – then God will be your deliverer! (This is why everyone was quoting Psalm 91:1 after the events of 9/11).
I. If you envelop yourselves in God – then you will develop greatness in Him. Envelopment brings development. Surround yourself in Him! Throughout God’s Word we find that when we walk with God, we are encompassed, encircled, covered and overshadowed by His goodness and protection. That shows just how powerful God’s promise of protection really is!
J. In Psalm 91, verse 2 – the psalmist declares “I will say of the Lord He is my refuge and my fortress.” This is speaking, in faith, what you already know in your heart to be true!
K. For every believer to be blessed and protected – faith must be found in two places – in your heart and in your mouth!
L. Jesus said, “’Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks’” (Matthew 12:34).
M. These are serious days. It’s no time to be sitting on the fence being double-minded. You must decide where you are going to dwell-where you are going to put your trust and dependence.
N. Several times the Word of God calls this the ‘secret place.’ The umbrella of God’s protection is just like the tallit I taught about 2 weeks ago. The umbrella of God’s protection is that secret place!
O. Why does it have to be secret? So that the enemy cannot infiltrate!
P. Psalm 31:19-20 “How great is the goodness you have stored up for those who fear you. You lavish it on those who come to You for protection, blessing them before the watching world. You hide them in the shelter of Your presence [secret place], safe from those who conspire against them. You shelter them in Your presence, far from accusing tongues.” [NLT]
Q. Psalm 32:7 “You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me in trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance [victory].”
R. One last verse of Scripture in closing. Some may say, ‘yeah, well, all that stuff about being protected by God – or being blessed by God is silly. It’s all about coincidence. Everything happens for a reason. It’s all about luck.” REALLY? SERIOUSLY?
S. They say, ‘oh yeah, doesn’t the Bibles say that it will rain on the just and the unjust?’
T. Yes, it does. In fact, Jesus said it. He said: “He [God] makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Matthew 5:45
U. No one is denying that the rains will come! But, let me show you what it means to be rained on when you’re just [or walking in obedience] than when you’re unjust [or walking in disobedience].
