P s a l m 9 1 : 7 - 9

• Lord’s of the Earth by Don Richardson • Circular Walls• Walls of Refuge• Cities of Refuge• Used to explain the Gospel• Redemptive Analogy• That is what it is like when we are in the Lord’s

refuge. • We are safe and secure there, but we have to go

there to experience its benefits. • We must run and jump inside the wall in order to

receive God’s protection.

• Today, we are going to look at—Our Refuge.

• This will illustrate the Lord’s willingness to protect you in the Last Days.

• You do not have to be afraid of what is coming upon the earth.

• Soldier’s Psalm• Iraqi War—Sgt. Leslie King

• The entire first year of my deployment to Iraq, there was a very tangible sense of the protective covering of God’s Hand. We had not lost a single soldier—no one in the company had been hurt; in fact, not any one I knew in any personal way had ever been harmed . . . Emotionally, I felt no loss of life impact that usually results from action . . .

The prayer covering of my church and my family gave me a totally different battle experience. It wasn’t because we hadn’t seen danger, because we had, but there was a pervading sense of security over us on the battlefield.

We had been through [combat situations] without a scratch and had felt peaceful and protected the whole time. It was so real to me that I would even stand in front of one of my buddies when I would see him in danger. The protection was so real that I could almost reach out and touch it!

But, that changed in April. It felt like the covering was lifted. I could sense danger around me. Then, we began to lose soldiers, our food and water rations were cut dramatically, and our time was extended. When I got to a place where I could call home, I asked what was going on? They investigated and found out that my picture had been taken down at church and the people had stopped praying thinking we had won the war.

• They immediately put the picture back up and continued praying. From that moment on, no one else was killed and the protective covering returned!

• The impact of praying Psalm 91 is almost tangible that we can reach out and touch it.

• WW II Volunteer for dangerous missions• Capt. Jed Wentz in Afghanistan

Psalm 91:1-6 – 1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him. 3 For He will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with His feathers. He will shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. 6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

• We have learned several things from Psalm 91:1. He who dwells in the Secret Place2. I will say . . .

• These 2 points are the conditions that we must meet in order to release the protective power that is found in the rest of the Psalm.

3. I will deliver you . . .– from the trap of the trapper– from deadly pestilence

4. Under the protective wings of a mother hen you can seek refuge

5. His faithfulness is our shield [invisible] and bulwark [discernment].

6. Do not be afraid of . . .– Terror of what man can do to you– Arrows—intentional attacks– Pestilence—sickness, air borne diseases and

contaminated water– Destruction—natural disasters

• The Lord thought of everything. • Psalm 91 is a preventative measure that God has

made available to believers against every evil known to man.

• Nowhere else in Scripture are all the protective promises found in one place to offer total protection for living in this world.

7 A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but it shall not approach you. 8 You will only look on with your eyes and see the recompense of the wicked.

• Why have we been given this promise? • Look at verse 9: For you have made the Lord, my

refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.

• This is a restatement of the conditions of this Psalm. • Not every believer will receive the benefits of this

Psalm, only those who have chosen to believe and confess the promises found here.

• It is like the mother hen. • God stretches His wings and offers protection, but

we must run to Him first.

• This is an awesome promise—thousands falling around you—whether from war, famine, natural disasters or sickness, but it will not come near you!

• Think of the Bubonic Plague of the Middle Ages where nearly half of Europe died.

• Today, think of the fear of the Swine Flu or some of the more dreadful epidemics.

• But, God promises that it will not touch you!• Let me repeat it—the ball is in your court! • You can either run to the Lord’s place of refuge in

faith or you can passively live your life not realizing that you can do something about it.

• When I think about 1000’s dying around me, it reminds me of the End Time events.

• It reads like something out of the book of Revelation.

• It is like the Pale Horse: Revelation 6:8 – I looked up and saw a horse whose color was pale green. Its rider was named Death, and his companion was the Grave. These two were given authority over one-fourth of the earth, to kill with the sword [war] and famine and disease and wild animals. (NLT)

• A thousand may fall at your side and ten thousand at your right hand, but you will only look on . . .

• That word only is powerful here. • You will only look on. • You will not participate in nor experience the affects

of war, famine and disease.• The list of the promises in Psalm 91 also remind me

of the signs that Jesus gave about the end times. • Look at what Jesus says in Matthew 24. • He had just told the disciples that the temple would

be destroyed, which was about 40 years later.

Matthew 24:3 – Later, Jesus sat on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. His disciples came to Him privately and asked, "When will all this take place? And will there be any sign ahead of time to signal Your return and the end of the world?"

• In essence, they were asking, When are You coming back and what are the signs that will lead up to it?

• This is the question that many of us are asking. • He didn’t say it was going to happen on September

27, 2010, but He gave certain signs that would lead up to His coming.

• A good way to understand this is picture yourself standing on top of Snowshoe Mountain.

• From your vantage point . . .

• He gave the mountain peaks, but he did not fill in the valleys.

• The key to understanding the signs He lists is verse 8: All these are the beginning of birth pains. (NIV)

• The 9 months of pregnancy is the present age since the Day of Pentecost to the 2nd coming.

• When do the birth pains become more intense and more rapid?

• At the end right before the birth. • Many state that all of these events have been

happening since Jesus spoke these words. • Yes, but no generation has experienced all of these

signs simultaneously like the generation since WW II.

• We have entered into the period where the contractions are starting.

• How far out is the birth? I do not know, but I believe we are near the end.

• Let’s look at how Jesus answers this question and see how it fits into Psalm 91.

• It looks as if the Lord had our generation in mind when He inspired the Psalmist with Psalm 91.

4 Jesus told them, "Don't let anyone mislead you. 1. The Spirit of Deception • This is definitely the spirit of the age we live in.

• Those who do not know the Word and the Holy Spirit will be deceived in this hour.

• Many know the letter of the Word, but they do not know the Holy Spirit.

• What did the Lord shows us about deception in Psalm 91?

1. He will deliver us from the trap of the trapper.2. He will be our bulwark/tower. • He will give supernatural discernment to those

who are listening.

5 For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Messiah.' They will lead many astray [deception].

2. False Messiah’s • Since Jesus, there has been at least one false

Messiah every century.• Now, there is an explosion of false Christ’s. • Sun Myung Moon, David Koresh, Jim Jones, and Ron

Hubbard. • The rise in false Messiahs is just preparing the world

for the worship of the Antichrist in the End Times.

• Psalm 91? • He who dwells in the Secret Place of the Most High. • This speaks of 3 things:1. Protection2. Provision3. Relationship• This is a relationship. • If you know Jesus, you will know the real One from

the imposter.

• Don’t be deceived! • A true believer will know when Jesus returns. • Why? • All we will have to do is to look up and see Him

coming in the clouds. • If someone claims to be the Messiah, and he did not

split the eastern sky, he is false! • Jesus warns: DO NOT BE DECEIVED!

6 And wars will break out near and far, but don't panic. Yes, these things must come, but the end won't follow immediately. 7 The nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other.

3. Wars & Rumors of Wars (cold wars)

• VIOLENCE: I would like to add that there seems to be a dramatic increase in violence in general.

• Everywhere we look there are violent events taking place.

• Several facts about war:1. There has not been a single day since WW II or the

rebirth of Israel that the world has not known war.2. Over 50% of the world’s scientists are involved in

weapons research. 3. The massive arms buildup in the Middle East from

oil money, Russia and China is setting up the world for the Battle of Armageddon.

• Psalm 91? • The Entire Psalm! • A thousand may fall at your side . . .

• By the way, it is not because of Israel that all of these bad things have increased.

• But, when the rebirth of the nation of Israel took place, the devil knew his time was short and he rages (Rev. 12:12).

• Jesus said that when the fig tree buds, you will know that the end is near.

• When Israel (the fig tree) became a nation, the devil knew that this was the final generation.

7b and there will be famines, pestilences and earthquakes in many parts of the world.

4. Famines

• Deserts are increasing at an alarming rate.• Too many children go to be at night hungry.• Many blame Global Warming . . .

Revelation 6:5-6 – 5 When the Lamb broke the third seal, I heard the third living being say, "Come!" I looked up and saw a black horse, and its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard a voice from among the four living beings say, "A loaf of wheat bread or three loaves of barley will cost a day's pay. And don't waste the olive oil and wine."

• The Black Horse represents famine which is prevalent today.

• A man will have to pay a day’s wage to just buy a loaf of bread!

• Only the U.S.A., Canada, Argentina and France are able to feed themselves and have enough to share with others.

• Despite all our technology, we are not able to feed the world even though we should be able to do so.

• Psalm 91?Psalm 91:15-16 – He will call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble [famine]; I will rescue him and honor him. 16 "With a long life I will satisfy him and let him see My salvation." (NASB)

• You will not die from famine but will live a LONG, healthy life.

5. Pestilences • As we have learned in our study of Psalm 91, these are

deadly diseases—AIDS, cancer, heart diseases, strokes, flu’s, malaria, plagues and etc.

• If you think about it, it is logical that Jesus would lump famine, war and disease together.

• Disease and famine often follow war. • The World Health Organization has reported that there

are so many new infectious diseases that they are having trouble keeping up with them.

• They have no known treatments. • This is coupled with new super bugs which are now

resistant to antibiotics.

• Psalm 91? • Remember this is the one evil that God states twice

in this Psalm for emphasis. • 3b – He will deliver you . . . from deadly pestilence.• 6a – You will not be afraid of . . . the deadly

pestilence that stalks in darkness (diseases usually sneak up on you).

6. Earthquakes or this is a reference to all natural disasters.

• Just this year alone we have witnessed massive earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, China, and Indonesia.

• There have been great loss of life in each of them.

• Psalm 91? • [You will not be afraid of] the destruction that lays

waste at noon. • These are natural disasters—floods, tornados,

hurricanes, tsunami’s, earthquakes & etc.• You do not have to be afraid because the Lord

promises to protect you in the midst of natural disasters—even if a thousand are falling at your side . . . it will not approach you!

• Each sign Jesus predicted is found in Psalm 91.

Psalm 91:9 – For you have made the Lord, my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.

• This is a restatement of the conditions of the Psalm.• All of this is available if you have made the Lord

your refuge and dwelling place. • Remember the word for? • It means what preceded and what follows are linked

together.• Because you have made the Lord your refuge, you

will only look on with your eyes . . .

• Sad to say, many believers will get to heaven and find out that the Lord had made all of this protection available for them, and they failed to claim them.

• Don’t let that be you!• Why be afraid of the End Times? • Time to jump inside the Walls of Refuge!

P s a l m 9 1 : 7 - 9