Finding Protection Under the Shadow of the Almighty
In times of uncertainty and challenge, where do we find true security? The answer lies in making God our dwelling place and living under His protective shadow. This isn't just a poetic metaphor—it's a practical reality that transforms how we navigate life's storms.
What Does It Mean to Dwell Under God's Shadow?
Living under the shadow of the Almighty means making God our home, our primary place of refuge and security. Just as Israel experienced God's presence through the cloud by day and fire by night in the wilderness, we too can experience His constant protection and guidance.
The cloud provided shelter from the scorching sun and guided the people where they needed to go. The fire offered warmth, protection, and direction through the night. When enemies pursued Israel, that pillar of fire positioned itself between God's people and their attackers, providing supernatural protection.
Where Is God's Protection Found?
Following the Cloud
Protection comes from being exactly where God wants us to be. Israel had to follow the cloud—they couldn't stay behind or run ahead. Similarly, we must:
- Go where He says to go
- Do what He says to do
- Stay when He says to stay
The key question we must ask ourselves daily is: "Where is the cloud in my life today?" In our decisions, relationships, and future plans, we need to discern where God is leading.
Hearing the Shepherd's Voice
Jesus describes Himself as the Good Shepherd who feeds, guides, and shields His sheep. His sheep hear His voice, know His voice, and follow Him. The challenge many face is gaining confidence in recognising God's voice above the noise of daily life.
When we truly hear from God, we should respond with the same immediacy as Abraham, who acted on God's word the very next day. Faith comes by hearing God's word, and when we know He has spoken, we have the faith to act on whatever He's asking us to do.
Does God Promise a Problem-Free Life?
The Reality of Adversity
Jesus was clear: "In this world you will have trouble." Modern Christianity sometimes falsely promises that salvation eliminates all problems, but this isn't biblical truth. God doesn't promise the absence of adversity—He promises His presence through it.
Psalm 23 illustrates this beautifully. The shepherd leads us through the valley of the shadow of death, not around it. He prepares a table before us in the presence of our enemies, not in their absence. The promise isn't that we won't face challenges, but that we won't face them alone.
Victory Through Adversity
Jesus concluded His warning about trouble with hope: "Take heart, for I have overcome the world." When we follow the Shepherd, we move from strength to strength and glory to glory. All of God's promises are "yes" in Christ Jesus, and as His people, we say "yes and amen" to every one of them.
How Secure Are We in God's Hands?
Jesus makes an incredible promise about our security: "I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand."
Romans 8 reinforces this security, asking: "If God is for us, who can be against us?" Nothing—not tribulation, distress, persecution, or any other created thing—can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus. We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.
What Allows the Enemy to Cause Oppression?
When We Let Him
God has given us weapons for spiritual warfare and armour for protection. We have the sword of the Spirit, the power of praise, and the authority to bind and loose. The enemy can only oppress us when we allow it by failing to use these God-given tools.
We overcome Satan by testifying about what the blood of Jesus does for us. When we resist the devil, he flees. But this requires us to actively engage in spiritual warfare, not passively hope problems disappear.
When We Remove Ourselves from God's Protection
We have a choice in our relationship with God. While we're secure in the Father's hands, we can choose to step out of that protection through sin and rebellion.
Sin separates us from God—not permanently for believers, but it can create distance in our relationship. The basic definition of sin is rejecting God and putting anything else before Him. When we mess up, repentance and confession restore our fellowship with God.
What Influences Are Shaping Our Lives?
Choosing Our Partnerships
We must be careful about what we partner with in our thoughts and emotions. If we watch television more than we read God's word or spend time with Jesus, television becomes our primary influence. Most media is influenced by the spirit of this world rather than God's Spirit.
We can partner with wrong spirits—fear, blame, anger, unforgiveness, or accusation. These partnerships lead us away from God's protection and into spiritual vulnerability.
Learning from Elijah's Example
Even after his tremendous victory on Mount Carmel, Elijah fell into depression and suicidal thoughts when he partnered with fear instead of faith. This shows us that we're often most vulnerable after great victories.
We must break wrong partnerships and choose to partner with Jesus and His word instead of negative emotions or worldly influences.
How Do We Remember God's Faithfulness?
Joshua instructed Israel to set up memorial stones after crossing the Jordan River. These stones served as reminders of God's mighty acts, ensuring future generations would remember His faithfulness.
We need to establish our own memorial stones—testimonies of God's goodness, scriptures He's spoken to us, and records of His faithfulness. These help us remember the Lord our God, especially during good times when it's easy to forget our dependence on Him.
Life Application
This week, commit to making God your true dwelling place by asking yourself daily: "Where is the cloud?" Before making decisions, seek God's direction. Practice listening for His voice and responding with immediate obedience when you hear Him speak.
Examine what influences are shaping your thoughts and emotions. If you've been partnering with fear, blame, anger, or other negative spirits, break those partnerships through repentance and choose to partner with Jesus instead.
Set up memorial stones in your life by writing down testimonies of God's faithfulness and scriptures that have been meaningful to you. Review these regularly to remember His goodness.
Questions for Reflection:
- What influences am I allowing to shape my thoughts more than God's word?
- Am I confident in recognizing God's voice, and do I respond with immediate obedience?
- What memorial stones can I establish to remember God's faithfulness in my life?
- Are there any wrong partnerships I need to break in order to live fully under God's protection?