Category Archives: Protection

Bible, Choices, Distractions, God's Will, Godliness, Obedience, Protection, Salvation, Scripture

DON’T EVEN SAY THEIR NAME

ZECHARIAH 13:2

“‘And it will come about on that day,’ declares the LORD of armies, ‘that I will eliminate the names of the idols from the land, and they will no longer be remembered; and I will also remove the prophets and the unclean spirit from the land.’” 

If I told you right now to not think about ice cream, what are you thinking about? Ice cream! You can’t help yourself. When a thought is planted in your mind, your mind just goes there. I have a friend who is an Illusionist. He is good at this. He will have you thinking he can read your mind, but all he is doing is planting thoughts in your head which lead right to what he wants you think. Pretty smooth.

The Lord, through Zechariah, is telling the people He does not even want the names of the false gods mentioned in the land. He is going to remove all mention of them to prevent the people from going towards them. Along with that, He is also going to remove all the false prophets who played into the craving of the people to “know their future.” The Lord is going to clean house.

APPLICATION

We have a practice in my ministry which we teach men who have an addiction to pornography or another unhealthy practice. We teach them to amputate this source. Just like a diseased or damaged arm or leg that has to be removed to protect the rest of the body, we have to amputate those things in our life that lead us astray. We can’t even give them a thought.

2 Corinthians 10:5 tells us to take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ. That’s the idea here. We must destroy any concept of this wrong thinking. That may mean some radical changes in your life. It may mean giving up certain types of movies or television programs. It may mean eliminating some friends you hang out with. Remember – amputation is about saving yourself.

When I think back on my decisions after coming to Christ, I had to stop hanging with some of the crowd I had been running with. I knew where that would lead if I did not make some changes. Is there something in your life that you need to amputate? Don’t wait. It will not bring your closer to Christ. Just the opposite! Cut it away now!

Father, help me rid myself of any “idols” or “false prophets” who only want to drag me down.

Standard
Abiding, Advocate, Battles, Bible, Defense, Enemies, God's Will, Protection, Provision, Rescue, Salvation, Scripture

THE HAND OF GOD

ZECHARIAH 12:5

“‘Then the clans of Judah will say in their hearts, “The inhabitants of Jerusalem are a strong support for us through the LORD of armies, their God.”’”

There are times in our lives when the only way to explain something is to say, “God did that.” I have shared many times about my disease, Amyloidosis, and my two stem cell transplants (2010 and 2020). The only way to explain my healing is God’s hand was in it. He gave the doctors wisdom. He used the treatment to give me a “remission” from this disease for a while. I know He was the one who did that. There is no doubt.

I love this verse today in Zechariah. The “clans of Judah” refers to all the tribes. They all will realize on that day when Jerusalem is defended against their enemies that it was God’s hand and not theirs that did it. The “LORD of armies” did it, not their army. And by coming together and depending on Him, they will be successful.

APPLICATION

Guess what? Nothing’s changed. Isaiah 26:12 is a favorite verse of my boss. In the NIV it says, “LORD, you establish peace for us; all that we have accomplished You have done for us.” Isn’t that exactly what Zechariah is saying in verse 5 above. If we are honest, we will admit very quickly that anything that is good in us is just Jesus. I know that is true for me.

Yet, God continues to work in and through us to accomplish His will. As the writer of Hebrews closes his letter in Hebrews 13:20-21, he says, “20 Now may the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, that is, Jesus our Lord, 21  equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.”

One day, when I reach heaven, I will find out just what the Lord saw in us that moved Him to redeem us. We are His creation, the work of His hands. I get that. But our flesh is so corrupt and wicked outside of Christ. Only by Him working in us can we be made into a useable vessel, fit for His kingdom work. Praise Him!

Father, I know it is You Who works in and through me. I praise You for finding me worthy to be used by You.

Standard
Advocate, Bible, Blessing, Covenant, Deliverance, God's Will, Protection, Safety, Scripture

TABLES TURNED

ZECHARIAH 12:2

“‘Behold, I am going to make Jerusalem a cup that causes staggering to all the peoples around; and when the siege is against Jerusalem, it will also be against Judah.’”

Have you ever intended to pull a prank on someone that backfired, and you ended up being the one pranked? It can happen. It is also possible that those nasty words you use against someone will come back to haunt you. Ricochets aren’t good. They can bring great harm on others and yourself.

Here in today’s verse, Zechariah begins his latest prophecy. Jerusalem is described as a cup which is now causing those who have been against her to stagger. We are seeing that today in the land of Israel. All around her, literally surrounding her, are nations that want to wipe her off the map. But God has caused them to be staggered. Beware to all those who oppose her.

APPLICATION

You can’t read this verse without looking at Isaiah 51:21-23.

“21 Therefore, listen to this, you afflicted, who are drunk, but not with wine: 22 This is what your Lord, the LORD, your God Who contends for His people says: ‘Behold, I have taken from your hand the cup of staggering, the chalice of My anger; you will never drink it again. 23 I will put it into the hand of your tormentors, who have said to you, “Lie down so that we may walk over you.” You have also made your back like the ground, and like the street for those who walk over it.’”

Zechariah has said almost the same thing. What do I get from this? God has His children’s back. We would do well to remember that. If we have evil intent against another believer, beware. God is their protector. And if others are trying to cause you harm, trust in the One Who has protected His children.

If you are like me, I have been the victim of some pretty harsh things in my life. When you choose to do what is right, you will anger some other people. Sometimes those are even other believers. 1 Peter 4:19 says, “So then, those who suffer according to God’s will, should entrust themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.” Can you say you are doing that.

I praise You, Father, for having my back and seeing me through life’s challenging moments.

(Praise the Lord for His faithfulness to me. This is blog #2800. God is so good!

Standard
Abiding, Advocate, Battles, Bible, Blessing, Choices, Consequences, Danger, Evil, God's Will, Obedience, Protection, Scripture

YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN

ZECHARIAH 11:10

“‘And I took my staff Favor and cut it in pieces, to break my covenant which I had made with all the peoples.’”

I have had numerous experiences dealing with youth who refused any correction, who refused any counsel. They were determined to do their own thing. When these youth would threaten to run away, I always told them that I could not stop them from doing that. But if they did, I would not be able to protect them. They would be on their own, susceptible to all the evil that was in the world just waiting to attack.

Today’s verse has God saying about the same thing to Israel. His staff of favor was being cut in pieces. He would not continue to protect and show favor to them because they were choosing to go after other gods. They were forsaking Him. How horrible that must have sounded to the people. They had crossed the line with God. They would now feel the wrath of their enemies which had been shielded by God up to now.

APPLICATION

You may have heard it explained this way. As believers, as long as we abide in Him, as long as we follow the Master, His “umbrella of protection” is over us. Nothing can touch us unless it goes past Him first. This is not to say we won’t face hard times or tragedies. But knowing He allowed it should give us faith to carry on.

Read these words of Peter in 1 Peter 4:12-13. “12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed.”

That is the key. We need to stay close to Him to receive His protection. We do not want that staff of Favor to be lifted. But also, when we do face hardships, remember He is there. If you have wandered from the Truth, return to Him. If you are abiding but going through a hard time, trust Him. He is there. Don’t forget that. He is there.

Lord God, I praise You for Your abundant grace and mercy. Forgive me when I wander from Your embrace.

Standard
Abiding, Bible, Consequences, Danger, Devil, Evil, Protection, Refuge, Scripture

A LION’S ROAR

ZECHARIAH 11:3

“There is a sound of the shepherds’ wail, for their splendor is ruined; there is a sound of the young lions’ roar, for the pride of the Jordan is ruined.”

There is something majestic about a lion as it struts around. Until you are close to this animal you can’t picture its true size. And when they roar, it can put cold chills up your spine. I would hate to have to live among them. You can’t trust a lion not to attack. Lions do what lions do.

You may not think about lions being a part of the Jordanian landscape. They aren’t now, but they were up until around the 12th century. When the people were taken into exile, the forest of Jordan were left uninhabited. The lions moved in this shady area to avoid the heat of the desert. Their roars would have been a common sound in the area, another reminder of God’s judgment.

APPLICATION

We all have reminders of our sins. Some of those reminders leave scars. Others are just memories of our disobedience and subsequent consequences. We may not have lions move in and roar, but we have the enemy to deal with every day. When we are not living for Jesus, we leave ourselves open to the attack of forces of darkness.

James 4:7 tells us, “Submit, therefore, to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” 1 Peter 5:8-9 remind us, “8 Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 So resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brothers and sisters who are in the world.”

Will you heed those warnings? Or will you allow the lions to move in and roar all around you? I prefer to live without the lions, please. I only want one lion around me. That is the Lion of Judah – Jesus. His roar will be heard around the world one day when He returns with a shout! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

Your roar, O Lord, strikes fear into the enemy but joy into the hearts of Your children.

Standard
Abiding, Bible, Devil, Evil, Lies, Protection, Safety, Scripture

WANDERING SHEEP

ZECHARIAH 10:2

“For the household idols speak deception, and the diviners see an illusion and tell deceitful dreams; they comfort in vain. Therefore the people wander like sheep, they are wretched because there is no shepherd.”

If you have never seen the picture of the sheep who was lost for six years and grew over sixty pounds of wool, you can click on the link below and see some images (the link is safe). Pretty amazing. This sheep was safe under the care of the shepherd but ran away and had no one to keep him safe. As a result, he grew so much wool that he could barely walk or graze.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/search/images?p=pic+of+sheep+lost+and+not+sheared&fr=yhs-invalid&imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sun-gazing.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F06%2F32f23f2f3f2f23f-600×344.jpg#id=7&iurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sun-gazing.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F06%2F32f23f2f3f2f23f.jpg&action=click

The Lord is warning the people of the dangers of idol worship which would cause them to wander from their shepherd. He is that shepherd. He is the one who can guard, guide and graze them. They become wretched when out from under His care, just like the sheep you saw above. That Hebrew word “wretched” can mean “in trouble” or “afflicted.”

APPLICATION

Oh, what a picture this verse paints for us. I am reminded of Isaiah 53:6. “All of us, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the wrongdoing of us all to fall on Him.” That’s us! We wander and then can’t figure out how things got so bad. If we had just stayed put.

Why do you wander? We believe the lies of the evil one. He tells us we deserve a little “me time,” that we don’t have to constantly submit to God. The devil whispers little ideas in our ears. Our flesh is ready to hear it, UNLESS we are surrendered to God’s will.

I know I have to constantly surrender my will to His. I could slip away so fast. I could be just like that overweight, fluffed up sheep. I may think I want my own way, but I soon yearn for the protection and intimacy of my Lord. Where are you today?

Father, keep me close and guarded. I desire that from You.

Standard
Abiding, Angels, Battles, Bible, Defense, Enemies, Fortress, Protection, Rescue, Scripture

BOW BENDING

ZECHARIAH 9:13

“For I will bend Judah as My bow, I will fill the bow with Ephraim. And I will stir up your sons, Zion, against your sons, Greece; and I will make you like a warrior’s sword.”

In past years, I have attempted some archery hunting. Now, when I say “attempted” I mean I wasn’t successful in my hunt. I do not use a regular bow or combine bow when I hunt. I use a crossbow. Mine requires a “cocking rope” to draw back the bow in order to place the arrow (or bolt which are like small arrows made for crossbows). On one trip, I forgot my cocking rope. Try as I might, I could not draw back the bow without it.

God is saying here that He will be the one to draw back the bow and defend His children. I have mentioned one of my favorite verses is Exodus 14:14, “The Lord will fight for you, while you remain silent.” God is going to “stir up” Zion. He is going to “make you like a warrior’s sword.” In other words, get ready. Tests and battles are coming. But God has their back.

APPLICATION

He will defend us, or He will equip us for battle. He will never send you in a battle that you cannot handle. With God at our side, no one can defeat us. David’s Psalm 18:2 gives us a great picture of that. “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my savior, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Is that your position with God right now? Is He your stronghold. O dear brother or sister, I pray you are resting in that. I pray that you know God has your back. I pray you know that He is fighting for you daily. Without God’s defense, we would be sitting ducks for the enemy. Most of us couldn’t hold off an infant demon on our own.

If there is one thing I have learned from my study of the Word through Every Man A Warrior, it is that I am living in a spiritual realm that is only visible through spiritual eyes. I now see the enemy at work in places I would have never seen him five years ago. God’s Word has opened my eyes. Be aware of your enemy, beloved. But be more aware of God’s warring angels there to intervene at God’s beckon call.

Father, thank You that You prepare me and accompany me into battle. You are Jehovah Nissi.

Standard
Abiding, Bible, Danger, Defense, Deliverance, Enemies, Faithfulness, Hiding, Neighbors, Protection, Salvation, Scripture

PASS RIGHT BY

ZECHARIAH 9:8

“But I will camp around My house because of an army, because of him who passes by and returns; and no oppressor will pass over them anymore, for now I have seen with My eyes.”

When I was a child, I used to play hide and seek with my siblings and neighbors. It was so great when you had a great hiding place where they could not see you. They would walk or run right by you and never see you. You were safe in your hiding place. You could watch them running to and fro, and as long as you were quiet, they would never see you.

The Lord is telling the people that the enemy that is coming on the surrounding lands (it would be Alexander the Great of Persia) would pass right by them. They were safe. All the work they were doing on the temple would stand. This enemy hoard would not descend on Jerusalem. God says, “I will camp around My house.” Nothing was getting past him.

APPLICATION

Isn’t it great to know that He is still defending us today? Psalm 91:4 tells us, “He will cover you with his pinions, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness is a shield and buckler.” Or how about Psalm 124:1-3? “1 ‘Had it not been the LORD who was on our side,’ let Israel say, 2 ‘Had it not been the LORD who was on our side when people rose up against us, 3 then they would have swallowed us alive, when their anger was kindled against us;’”

Our defender is our God. But you have to be up under His wings. He has to be your refuge. That means you have to recognize and accept Him as Savior and Lord. You can’t JUST believe there is a God. You have to believe in His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Once you do that (confess and believe), He is forever your defender.

Now, back in that hide and seek game as a child, I was eventually found or had to come out. That wasn’t a permanent hiding place. It was only good for that game. And once that hiding place was found, it was no good anymore. God’s “hiding place” for us is eternal. He will forever defend and protect what is His. And His we are!

Hide me in Your hiding place, O Lord. I know I am secure there.

Standard
Affliction, Battles, Bible, Danger, Enemies, Fighting, God's Will, Persecution, Protection, Safety, Scripture

IT DOESN’T LOOK GOOD

ZECHARIAH 9:5

“Ashkelon will see it and be afraid. Gaza too will writhe in great pain; also Ekron, because her hope has been ruined. Moreover, the king will perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon will not be inhabited.”

I have had some tough experiences. Let me explain. I have shared with you in the past about my two stem cell transplants. Well, with the first one, I didn’t quite know what to expect. It was a new experience. But when I found out I had to have my second one, I knew what was coming. I could see the days of nausea and sickness. I knew I would be weak and fatigued. I knew what was headed my way. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

Asheklon, Ekron and Gaza knew what was coming. They had heard of Tyre and Sidon’s fall. They knew the invading power was headed south towards them. The Lord says in today’s verse that they would “be afraid,” “writhe in great pain” and their “hope has been ruined.” There was no escape. They must have felt completely helpless. Can you imagine how they felt, looking each day to see if the armies of the enemy were approaching?

APPLICATION

Thanks be to God we don’t have to worry about that as believers. Sure, the enemy is always attacking us, but he is already defeated. Our victory is rooted in Jesus. Our tower of refuge is our God and Redeemer. The enemy’s fiery darts may come, but with our shield of faith and battle armor, he cannot make a dent. Jesus defends us.

How do I know that? Because the Bible tells me so. I love Psalm 23. Don’t you? It says in verse 4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.” He is always with me. God has my life in view. He can see enemies coming long before I can.

That is why I don’t worry about the enemy. God has it all under control. If the enemy strikes me, it is only because the Lord has allowed him. And if God has allowed it, then with His strength I can handle it. Look up Philippians 4:13. When things don’t look good, look up. He is there – always.

Your vision is trustworthy and sure. I know You are watching over me.

Standard
Abiding, Battles, Bible, Enemies, Fortress, Protection, Scripture

FORTRESSES DO NOT DEFEND YOU

ZECHARIAH 9:3

“For Tyre built herself a fortress, and piled up silver like dust, and gold like the mud of the streets.”

My house has windows and doors that lock. I have a motion light in the back that will come on if someone approaches my house at night. But all the locks in the world cannot protect me if someone really wanted to get in. You may have heard “locks only work on honest people.”

Tyre built an impressive fortress. Look at how it is described.
“The walls, 150 feet high and of breadth proportionate, compacted of large stones, embedded in gypsum, seemed to defy an enemy who could only approach her by sea. In order to make the wall twice as strong they built a second wall ten cubits broad, leaving a space between of five cubits, which they filled with stones and earth.” But even that could not keep away God’s judgment.

APPLICATION

What have you placed your trust in? Are you trusting those locks on your house to protect you? Are you trusting in guns and ammo? There is only one true source of protection. Psalm 61:3-4 says, “3 For You have been a refuge for me, a tower of strength against the enemy. 4 Let me dwell in Your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of Your wings.”

Isn’t that beautiful? You may never see the stones and gates of God that protect you and your loved ones, but they are there. Then why do I get attacked by the enemy all the time? That’s a very good question. Have you read Job lately? Why did God allow Job to be tested so much? God wants to refine us and make us pure. That requires some fire.

I don’t like the tests and trials that God allows, but I do like the results. Every time God has taken me through a trial, and I have trusted Him, I come out better. I come out hardened for battle. I come out further prepared to take on the challenges of my enemy. Who are you trusting? What are you trusting? I pray you are trusting the One who is trustworthy.

Thank You, Lord, for defending me. I rest in Your strength.

Standard