“A thousand may fall at your side, And ten thousand at your right hand; But it shall not come near you” ( Psalm 91:7).
Anyone who has walked through a dark valley will know how easy it is to lose hope because the way is uncertain. A valley looms with hills above often blocking sunlight and obscuring the pathway. The valley may also be teeming with all sorts of dangerous creatures, eager for prey. The paths might be sinew and without a clear direction with dark clouds gathering above. In the valley one can seem hopelessly lost.
But then there is hope.
The prayer of Psalm 91 is to seek refuge in the Lord whenever walking through the valley for His protection will cover us. “I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness” ( Psalm 91:2-6).
Around us there are many who are walking through the valley, like the weight of wars, sickness and financial storns. But when we make the Lord our refuge, there is a promise, for “no harm will overtake you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; they will lift you up in their hands” ( vv 10- 12).
The Bible has those instances of angels coming down to fight on our behalf. As they were about to cross the Red sea with the Pharaoh’s army pursuing them, “Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them” (Exodus 14:9), and all were delivered. So, through the valley, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” ( Hebrews 12:2). He will deliver you out of the valley.
Prayer today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, as we walk through the valley, may we take refuge in you, to protect and give us comfort, for you are the light of the way and have gone ahead of us, this we pray in Jesus’s name!
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18/05/2024 - 19/05/2024 All day“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Colossians 2:15)
Perhaps one of the most inspiring passages in the Bible with enduring lessons is where Moses pleads to Pharaoh to let the Jews go. Instead Pharaoh dared Moses if he had the power as that of a king. Challenged to “perform a miracle” Moses turned to Aaron who threw his staff down in front of Pharaoh and his officials, and it became a snake. Pharaoh then summoned wise men and sorcerers, and the Egyptian magicians also did the same things by their secret arts: Each one threw down his staff and it became a snake. But Aaron’s staff swallowed up their staffs (Exodus 7: 9-12).
What we see here is the presence of occult powers in high places, as is true even today. A common mistake by some is to deny the existence of the occult behind certain thrones or power centers, especially in instances where we find those putting on a genteel manner of social respectability. There are also those who through their education and confined exposure to the spirit realm of things, doubt the existence of occult powers. The reality is that in the world we live in the enemy is much at work. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”
In this passage we see that while Pharaoh did release his snakes the staff God had placed in the hands of his messenger, Moses, was far greater and swallowed all. Here is the point. As believers we do have a far greater and mighty power to protect us from any attacks of the enemy. It is the blood of the lamb. As it is written, “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony...” (Revelation 12:11).
Today whatever snakes you may encounter from anywhere be assured that you have a far greater power than of the enemy. It is the blood of Jesus. As His word says, “call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me” (Psalm 50:15).
Prayer for today: Lord Father God of Abraham, maker of heaven and earth, today I pray for protection from the attacks of the enemy by the blood of the lamb, this I pray in Jesus’name.
