In the situations and circumstances we face, it is easy to let fear dominate our entire lives. I am so thankful the Word of God assures us that we do not have to fear. Fear and faith cannot reside together. If you are in fear, you are out of faith.
It is important to conquer fear. It paralyzes and enslaves us and causes us constant worry and turmoil. God never intended for fear to shackle us. In fact, when writing to Timothy, Paul said, “God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love, and of a sound mind” (2 Tim. 1:7).
Fear used to dominate my life, so I understand the trauma one goes through when dealing with it. The scriptures I stood on to conquer my fear are in Psalm 91 (NKJV). I make it a practice to claim the promises in this psalm every day.
We have to continually inhabit that secret place in God. It cannot be a temporary dwelling; it must be our permanent residence.
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust’ ” (Ps. 91:1–2). What does it mean to dwell in the shelter of the Most High? It means to live in constant communion with God and place Him first in our lives. If we want the benefits of Psalm 91, then we must practice what is written.
So many times, Christians neglect their relationship with God until a tragedy or crisis occurs. Then they run back to the shelter of God. We should not live that way. God never said to visit Him once in a while. No, He said, “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High.” We have to continually inhabit that secret place in God. It cannot be a temporary dwelling; it must be our permanent residence.
When we have that kind of relationship with our Heavenly Father, we can boldly claim that He is our refuge and fortress. In times of trouble, we can run to God confidently, knowing He will take care of us.
Psalm 91:3–4 says, “Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler.” I had read these verses often and heard ministers describe the way a mother hen protects her chicks. However, because I was not raised on a farm, I had never seen this.
Over the years, many ducks have made the Rhema park their home. Several years ago, geese were eating the baby ducks. So our maintenance staff placed the mother duck and her babies in a pen until the ducklings were old enough to protect themselves. One afternoon my husband said, “Let’s check on the baby ducks.” I had not seen them yet, so I was excited.
As we pulled up in the car, I could see the ducklings playing and got out of the car to get a closer look. As I approached the pen, the mother duck sensed what she thought was danger. She frantically gathered the ducklings under her wings. I watched in utter amazement as she covered those ducklings so quickly I could not see any of them. Seeing Psalm 91:4 visibly illustrated made an indelible impression upon me. Now I can imagine that whatever comes my way, my Heavenly Father so covers me with His protective arms that the enemy cannot find me.
Psalm 91:10–11 proclaims, “No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.” When symptoms try to fasten themselves on any member of my family, I quickly tell the devil, “You cannot put that symptom on us. I have already claimed that no plague can come to our family.”
The crowning promises in this psalm are verses 15–16, “He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.” I encourage you to take these promises, confess them each day, believe what God has said, and watch them become a reality in your life.
Author
Lynette Hagin
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