The Lord Is Our Refuge; Our Fortress

There are many promises in the Bible informing us that God will protect us in the time of trouble. I think most Christians know of these promises. But God’s promises may not mean too much to us until we are in serious trouble. The days ahead in America are going to be dreadful and very threatening. We need to keep ourselves under the protection of Christ.

It may be true that the ninety-first Psalm is one of the more familiar of the passages that deal with the time of trouble.

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 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. (Psalms 91:1-4)

I would like to point out an aspect of the promises of this familiar Psalm:

"Dwells in the shelter."

"Rest in the shadow."

"He is my refuge."

"And my fortress."

"Saved from the fowler’s snare."

"Saved from the deadly pestilence (disease)."

"Cover you with His feathers."

"Under His wings."

"Your shield and rampart (an embankment for defensive purposes)."

Do you see the commonality here? In order to be protected we have to abide in Christ.

I hope I am incorrect, but I don’t believe many believers in America actually abide in Christ. They are good religious people, church people, but they have not been taught what it means to abide in Christ.

You can think of Christ as a castle. One type of castle has an outer wall surrounding the outer ward. Then there is an inner wall surrounding the inner ward. The inner ward is where the people and animals conduct their lives.

There are towers in the inner ward, sometimes consisting of rooms at three levels. The rooms are entered by climbing a spiral staircase. These rooms are where people reside.

If an enemy breaks through the outer wall he is faced with an even higher wall, the inner wall. If he manages to break through the inner wall he will find that the inhabitants of the castle have taken up their positions in the towers.

The towers are large and solid, and have arrow loops so that the defenders can shoot at anyone in the inner ward; and also at anyone in the outer ward if the tower forms part of the wall guarding the inner ward.

If a person goes out through the inner and outer gates, and across the drawbridge, the several defensive elements no longer will protect him.

So it is in Christ. If we go outside of Him, the promises of protection in the day of trouble no longer can be relied on. Did you know that? It is not enough to say "Christ will protect me." He will not protect you, even if you name His name, if you do not abide in Him.

Now, how do we live in Christ, in the Castle God has constructed?

Living in Christ requires a conscious effort at all times. We always must be aware that He is present, even though we may not feel it. His Presence and protection are there if we are praying continually.

In my own experience, I find that I am confronted with numerous choices throughout the day and part of the night. Should I eat this or that? If so, how much? What time should I go to bed? What time should I get up? What should I do before I go to work? What should I do when I return from work? And so forth. There are numerous such choices each day for many of us, aren’t there?

Now, how we decide what we should do at each point of decision will determine if we are living in Christ.

If we just choose to do what we want, or what seems pleasurable, or what has proven in time past to be the best choice, or what we are afraid not to do, or what we feel is expected of us, or what we believe will bring the best results, then we are not living in Christ. We are living in the flesh, according to our own resources, experiences, and talents.

There is another way of making a decision. This is to look to Christ in every instance. As the Bible says, "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." This admonition is found in the Book of Proverbs.

"But how about little things I do every day, like eating breakfast or taking care of the children?" ("In all your ways")

Yes, bring Christ into those decisions also. Bring Christ into every decision. Talk to Him constantly. "Pray without ceasing."

"But I can’t do that. It is too hard!"

Many activities are too hard when you first attempt to do them. You could not play music on the piano the first time you tried. It is only after years of practice that one can play the piano or violin with any kind of assurance.

So it is with abiding in Christ. It is going to take you a period of time and unrelenting practice to bring Christ into every decision. But this is how you:

Dwell in the shelter.

Rest in the shadow.

Make God your refuge.

And your castle.

Are saved from the fowler’s snare.

Are saved from the deadly disease.

Stay under His feathers.

Remain under His wings.

Make God your shield and rampart.

Another important illustration of dwelling in Christ is Noah’s Ark. It was a day of Divine judgment. God called the righteous into a place of protection. They were saved through the Divine judgment by remaining in the Ark.

If they had stepped out of the Ark during the rain they would have been destroyed with the wicked.

I have just described what the Bible means by "walking in the light." It is when we walk in the light of God’s perfect will that the blood of God’s Lamb cleanses us from all sin.

It may be true, although I hope it isn’t, that most believers in America are not filled with eternal life. I think there are many who have no eternal life at all, they just have made a profession of belief in Christ but they do not abide in Christ.

When the Lord said, "He who believes in Me shall never die" He meant those who were spiritually alive and abiding in Him.

I do not know where all the nominal (dead) Christians go when they die. Perhaps to a place of instruction where they have a chance actually to receive Christ into their lives, or else to reject Christ altogether. American people do love their independence of thought, speech, and action!

Divine judgment will fall on America soon, I am convinced. Today God is calling those who love and serve Him into a place of abiding in Christ. If they turn away from the wickedness of America, they and their loved ones will be saved during the destruction, just as was true of Noah and his family. But those who choose to live their lives in the ways of the world will be destroyed.

"Isn’t it enough to pray and read my Bible each day, and go to church on Sunday?"

No, it is not. These are necessary activities. But their purpose is to bring you to the place where you are abiding in Christ at all times, in every detail.

You can attain success in abiding in Christ. But you will have to bring the best that you are, the best that you have, to this challenge, this war, if you are to gain the complete victory Christ desires that you have.

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3)

He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the LORD. (Psalms 112:7)

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears.

Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame.

This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles.

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. (Psalms 34:4-7)