psalm91a

     As we said last time that, many believers consider this Psalm as their favorite portion of scripture. But few have really reaped its full benefits & promises. Christians have become a victim of the snare of the fowler (Satan).

     This Psalm is filled with promises, but it also has certain conditions that have to be kept in order for us to reap the promises.

     I. There is no automatic answer to God's promises.

              A. Sometimes people just hope that they will happen.

                        1. But that's not how it happens. (HEB 6:12) says that we inherit the promises of God through Faith & patience.

              B. But even with faith there are other conditions that need to be kept.

                        2. Let's start with PSA 91:3-8

                                  a. These Vs are talking about God's divine protection being upon us.

                                  b. But these promises are preceded by a condition.

                                  c. PSA 91:1

                                           i. The word “DWELLETH” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to sit, sit down, to be set, to remain, stay, to dwell, have one's abode.”

                                           ii. i. It's a fixed position.

                                           iii. It's not a wavering Christian.

                                           iv. It has to do with stability. Someone that is stable & steadfast.

                                           v. It's someone that has made up his mind to serve God, love God, & to keep His Word.

                                           vi. This is the person that is “Dwelling, living, & abiding” in the secret place.

              C. The words “Secret Place” in (V 1) means “Covering, shelter, hiding place, secret place, & protection.”

                        1. In other words it's saying, “He that dwells in the COVERING or SHELTER of the most High.”

                                  b. When you're serving the Lord, loving Him, & keeping His Word & Commandments, you're dwelling in that Covering, that Shelter, that protection of the Lord.

                        2. PSA 91:2

                                  a. In this V we have another rule or condition that has to be met to reap His promises.

                                 b. It's important that we understand that “The Lord is our shelter & my strength.”

                                  c. In the 1st part of (V 2) he says, “I will say...”

                                           i. There's something that you have to say.

                                           ii. I will say that the Lord in my strength, my shelter, I can do all things through Christ Jesus.

                                           iii. The Word of God places quite a bit of importance on the words that we speak.

              D. ISA 8:20

                        1. When he says, “to the Law” he's talking about the Word of God.

                        2. Look at V 20a again.

                                  a. That doesn't mean that you have no light, it means there is no dawn.

                                           i. The darkest hour always comes before the dawn.

                                  b. When you're going through the attacks of the enemy, & you're not speaking the Word of God there's no getting out of that darkness, there's no dawn.

                        3. ISAIAH said something in this V that is not only interesting but also important.

                                  a. In the phrase “If you do not speak the Word it is because there is no light in you.” from (ISA 8:20)

                                           i. The word “speak” in that V means “to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think.”

                                           ii. Sure we need to speak God's Word, but we also need to answer others according to the Word of God, we need to say it in our heart, & we need to think it, think victory instead of defeat.

                                           iii. (Psalm 19:14) Says, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”

                                  b. You can't be confessing sickness & problems, & still be under the shadow of the Almighty.

                                           i. For those that are under the shadow of the almighty will reap the benefits of His promises.

     II. The 2nd group of promised are found in PSA 91:10-13 (read)

              A. Notice what precedes this group of promises.

                        1. PSA 91:9

                                  a. This is the rule that is going to bring the promise to pass in your lives.

                                  b. This promise says that we can be free from evil, free from plagues, that we can have angelic protection, & that we have power to tread over the enemy.

                        2. This isn't the only place that we find these promises.

                                  a. Look at LUKE 10:19

                                           i. The word “power” in this V means “AUTHORITY.”

                                           ii. He says, “I give unto you AUTHORITY to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

                                           iii. In other words He's saying we have authority to tread on the “Devil & his demonic host.”

                                  b. But when He uses the word “TREAD” we don't get its full meaning.

                                           i. We think it means to walk on.

                                           ii. But it means more than that. It means “to trample, crush with the feet, to advance by setting foot upon.”

                                           iii. I like that last part, “To advance by setting under foot.”

                                           iv. The Lord as given us authority to advance by trampling under all the forces of darkness. He's given us authority to have victory.

              B. In (PSALM 91:10) It says, “There shall no evil befall thee.”

                        1. The last ½ of (LUKE 10:19) Says, “And nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

                        2. There is divine protection by serving the Lord.

              C. Go back to Psalm 91:11 “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.” (KJV)

                        1. That means that he's going to send His angels to watch over us, to guard us, & to protect us in all our ways.

                                  a. As long as our ways are His ways.

                                  b. Remember V 9 (read)

                        2. Because our ways are His ways, He will give His angels charge over us to protect us & to watch over us.

                                  a. That's divine safety & protection.

                        3. Turn to HEB 1:14

                                  a. Angels are there to watch over us who are Christians, but this V says that the angels are sent forth to minister to those that SHALL BE heirs of salvation.

                                  b. God in His foreknowledge knows who will receive the Lord Jesus Christ.

                                           i. Those that WILL RECEIVE Jesus as Lord, will have angels sent forth to minister to them because they will be an heir of salvation.

                                           ii. My store (car accident) (Carol & Tony's daughter)

                                           iii. The 20th Century translation says “The angels minister to those who are destined to obtain Salvation.”

                                           iv. The William's says, “who are going to be possessors of Salvation.”

              D. Go back to PSA 91

                        1. These promises can only come to pass in your life by meeting the condition.

                        2. The condition is found in V 9.

                                  a. The word “Habitation” means “dwelling place.”

                                  b. You have to become a lover & a seeker of God's throne.

                        3. The Lord has to have 1st place in your life.

                                  a. You have to have a desire to be with Him more than anyone else.

     III. The 3rd group of promises is found in PSALM 91:15-16

               A. The rule for receiving the last set of promises is found in V 14.

                        1. 1st of all He says, “because he hath set him love upon Me.”

                                  a. MARK 12:29-31

                        2. To love God with all of one's heart is far above all else & meets all of His requirements.

              B. In (Psalm 91:14) it gives us a 2nd rule, it says “He hath known my name.”

                        1. The word “known” means “to know by experience.”

                                  a. Not to just know about Him, but to truly know Him.

                                  b. (Philippians 3:10) says, “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection.”

              C. (PSALM 91) is full of the blessings of God, but the rules or conditions must be kept to reap its promises.

                        1. Practice them until they become a habit.

                        2. Seek to abide, obey, & above all else, love Him with all your heart.

WOLCC Sun AM 5/16/93