Protected!

I was going to a birthday party. Like any great Pappy, I stopped on the way to the party to get my grandson, Elijah, a present for his first
birthday. He was at the age where he mimicked sounds. If you asked him, “What
does a doggie say?” His reply was “Arf.” 
How did he get to be so cute?

As I walked into the little toy area of a drug store, I spotted
the perfect toy. A drug store doesn’t have a really big toy section I found
out. But here it was: a cute, fuzzy, battery-operated puppy. A long cord was
attached to the toy, with a small box on the other end. It had two buttons on
it, to make the doggie bark and walk. Now this was a cool toy! It was well
worth the $5.99 price tag.

A little while later, when Elijah opened it, he was so
excited. Because he is a little genius, he learned how to push the correct
buttons very quickly. He pushed one to make the puppy bark and one to make it
walk. It was by far his favorite gift and he dragged it with him everywhere.

However, as I watched him play with the toy, I became
concerned about the cord that attached the doggie to the little control box.
Several times Elijah got tangled up in the cord. My immediate fear was that he
could be harmed if the cord wrapped around his neck. I dug the box out of the
trash and read the outside. It said, “Recommended for 3+ years of age.”
Now I had a dilemma.

How could I take the toy away from the birthday boy? Simple.
I waited until he took a nap, and I confiscated the dangerous toy. Protecting
my grandson took precedence over his happiness with the toy. And the amazing
thing is, he doesn’t even know I protected him. He may never know. He, in fact, never missed the toy. But
regardless of how he would react, his protection from harm and trouble was
paramount in my mind.

In Psalm 32, David declares to the Lord: “You
are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble” (v.7,
NIV). Then in Psalm 61:7 he writes, “Appoint your love and faithfulness to protect him.”

Dozens of times in the Psalms alone, David acknowledges
God’s protection. Make no mistake about it. The Lord God is our protector. He
goes before us to make the crooked places straight. He is our rock, our
fortress and our deliverer. His shield
surrounds us. “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.” (Psalm 9:9, emphasis
added).

Please do not miss this: It is His love and faithfulness that protect us. Our happiness is not as important
as our protection. His hand of protection is over us, even when we don’t
realize it.

For instance, we may have had a flat tire, and that may have
protected us from danger ahead. Or perhaps we missed an appointment, but that
protected us from a bad situation. Even a broken relationship that we simply
did not understand may have been a means of protecting us from what was to
come. If we walk in the Light of His Word, our way is protected. We are covered
in perfect love and
covenant faithfulness.

This week as you walk the path of your Christ journey,
acknowledge His protection. Thank Him for it, even if it is not readily
visible. Trust that your times are in His hands. Continue steadfastly, praying
and believing. If you sense trouble coming, run into His shadow. Find refuge in
Him as your stronghold.

The storms will blow. That is inevitable. Trials and
temptations abound. Satan came to kill, steal and destroy. Remember this: Your protection is more important to your Heavenly Father than your
happiness. Be strong and of good courage. The Lord your God is with you—everywhere
you go. And you are
protected; I promise.

PRAYER POWER FOR THE WEEK OF 1-23-2012

This week thank God
every day that He is your hiding place and a refuge in times of trouble. Thank
Him for His continual protection over you and your loved ones, and that He is
with you everywhere you go. Remember the persecuted church around the world,
and continue to pray for Israel’s protection. Thank Him for His mercy on our
nation and cry out for repentance and revival to spread across the land. Pray
for unity among believers and for a release of concerted prayer for our
national, state and local leaders, the upcoming elections, a harvest of souls,
and a return to honoring God as a nation and as individuals. Psalm 32:7; Psalm
9:9; 2 Chron. 7:14

To enrich your prayer
life and learn how to strategically pray with power by using appropriate
scriptures, we recommend the following sources by Apostle John Eckhardt: Prayers that Rout Demons, Prayers that Bring Healing, Prayers that Release Heaven on Earth and Prayers that Break
Curses. To order any or all of these click here.