What does it look like for you to experience the protection of God or what does safety look like to you?
For me it looks different in every situation I face, but it’s traceable and I can realize that even if it did not look like what I thought it would or should be, I still realized the following few thoughts.
Staying in the will of God, is the safest place to be, it may not look like the place where you want to be because the enemy uses schemes that misleads us often and we are led by our flesh, rather than by the Spirit of truth.
But we do not have to give in to the behaviours of this age, according to God’s word we are a threat to the enemy – “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” Luke 10:19
There are wars and rumours of wars, yet the fight is the Lord’s, and the victory is ours.
I am reminded about a few scriptures that encourage my fragile heart and bring me victory in those days where it’s all just overwhelming. I had many fragile days in 2023, job losses, financial troubles, mindset issues, sicknesses, you name it… but we are staying strong and trusting God through giving us overcoming victory.
John 15 Verses 18 to 20. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.
Pretty strong words indicating the depth of the problems we may face up to. As children of God, we are often given a choice, between right and wrong, righteousness and unrighteousness, Godliness, or worldliness.
Point made; the church should not look like the world. Jesus spends some of His days eating with the worldly, but not doing what they do, instead He was an example of holiness, and His goodness to them lead them (or us) unto repentance. This distinction is often misunderstood.
It also provoked anger and frustration in those who defends their religious ways, rather than going deeper with Christ at the risk of losing it all. Sometimes the choice to refrain from negative talk, or working on attitudes contrary to the will of God for us is the best antidote for a worldly mindset and the protection we sought after.
When we do encounter people who do not want to know Jesus, they often rise against us and act unaccepting to the new concepts – but He protects us. “The Lord is my protector; He is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with Him I am safe. He protects me like a Shield; He defends me and keep me safe” Psalm18:2
In 2023 I could trace God’s protection in so many situations and for 2024 I will be looking at His protection from a different mindset. I discovered a scripture that was interesting to pray.
“There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.” Ezra 8:21
My son got on his 3-wheeler and went straight into a busy road, while I was on the phone trying to explain something to someone else, ‘protecting my daughter’s soul’. The gate was left open for no reason at all, but God protected both kids.
I suddenly wanted ice-cream and stopped at the dairy, when I came out my wheel was flat… and this would have happened while we were driving home.
On closing these are just a few examples of how God protected us, my prayer is that we walk deeper with our Saviour, and as we come closer to Him, that we will firstly not be afraid to let go of worldly ways, and secondly trust Him for His protection on our journeys together until He comes.
Adele