By Jannie Linney
“God is my Refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” [Ps.46:1]. Though all around you be trouble in these days to come, you have authority over all power of the enemy. “Behold I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means harm you” [Luke 10:19]. Serpents and scorpions, we know, represent evil influences. Now this is talking about what you can believe God for. This is big boy stuff. We either believe the entire Bible or none of it.
Last week we talked about the perilous times that are on their way even now. Also that God is our refuge, our protector in times of trouble. “There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God.” [v.4a]. We sort of closed out with how we need to get in that stream of living water, who is Jesus Christ. This river of living water made me think of the man that had demons and the demons knew Jesus was going to cast them out. They begged Him to cast them into the herd of swine. Jesus gave them their wish, they went into the pigs and the pigs ran into the water and drown. Apparently pigs can’t swim; the demons lost that game, also it lets us know, that in the stream of living water is the safest place for us. It continues, “The holy place of the tabernacle of the Most High” [v.4b]. The Tabernacle Moves from place to place, in the New Testament the Temple not made with hands also moves and is His dwelling place. “Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophets” [Acts 7:48]. Those who have invited Him in, to be their Lord and Savior, is His dwelling place, He also, is our refuge, or shelter, our fortress, He is all we will ever need.
“God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved: God shall help her, just as the break of dawn” [v.5].Of course this is talking of Israel but because we have been grafted in, it also includes us. He dwells in us, His temple, in the very midst of who we are. He helps her, the church, just at the Break of dawn. “I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me” [Prov.8:17]. He helps us at dawn, never leaves us. It’s just that He knows we get too busy to seek Him and sometimes, even remember He is there. We lose touch with Him.
“The nations raged and the Kingdoms moved”[v6]. Seems we are there! Nations rages, perilous times are here. Kingdoms are moved. There are two Kingdoms, the Kingdom of darkness and the Kingdom of Light. Kingdoms were moved. There is a great moving, shaking coming but the Lord said” He that endures to the end shall be saved” [Mark 13:13].
“The Lord of host is with us: the God of Jacob is our refuge” Selah [v7]. He is the Lord of hosts. Hosts, is talking about Angels. “Are they not ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation” [Heb.1:14]. It doesn’t say “to,” but minister “for”; God has angels on hand to minister for us. Too much to tell here but you read about angels in the Bible. The New Age movement has a whole different concept of angels. The Bible is the truth we go by.
Once again we see Selah, pause and take note. It is the will of God that we think about what has been said. He also distinguishes that He is not just any God, but the God of Jacob, the creator of this Universe, the creator of all things. He is the only true God, our “Refuge.”
