6-25-20 Under the Shadow of the Almighty
Under the Shadow of the Almighty :: By Candy Austin
“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1 KJV).
Our Life Group who are also Bikers recently rode out to a certain Women’s Shelter that our Group has been Sponsoring in recent years. This Shelter houses quite a few Women and Children who are seeking Help and Healing from a Life of Drugs, Alcohol, Trauma, and Abusive Relationships. Our Life Group gave these Residents a Pizza Party for a time of Learning about their Program, Listening to the Women’s Testimonies, and, finally, a Tour of the Facility.
One of the Testimonies stood out to me because some of the things this Lady (we will call her ‘Lady M’) said related to my Healing Process experience. Lady M talked about her coming to this Facility due to needing help in getting out of an abusive relationship which came about by the trauma of losing her parents at a young age. About having to go live with her grandmother in her younger years, even though her grandmother was a Godly influence, the trauma in her life drove her to make many bad decisions.
She explained how coming to the Shelter in the past year had helped her in many ways. Lady M said that by agreeing to stay, she chooses to abide by the Rules, to Complete their Educational and Ministry Programs. Programs that are designed for the Residents’ Healing Process and to help Prepare them for getting back into the Real World.
She also shared that this was not a ‘Short Term’ Facility like most Programs that expect one to be ‘Drug and Alcohol Free’ within 30 days, or even 3 to 6 months! Instead, this is actually a ‘Long-Term’ Program (a year or more) with a Higher Success Rate to better ensure that one does not ‘fall back’ into the Addictions that brought them there in the first place!
The part that related to me was when Lady M said that just because they are in this Facility does not mean they go out to Work right away, but that one has to have time to become Mentally and Emotionally stable before getting back out into the workplace. Lady M also said that the Shelter was her ‘Sanctuary’ where they are surrounded by Scripture on every wall, have Counselors and Ministers to Pray with and Advise them, and that it is basically like they are in a “JESUS BUBBLE” as she called it.
She also said her best friend at the Shelter is farther along in the Program and has already been working. Her friend advises her that she will need to be well-prepared because the moment she is back out in the world is the moment the Devil will attack!
Lady M also explained how they all had scheduled chores to do, like cooking and cleaning for the many Residents there, which helps to prepare them for real life. Things that also assist them in becoming equipped are Classrooms, Work Programs, a Computer Center, a Nurse Clinic, Exam Rooms, an Exercise Room, a Prayer Room, and also a Chapel! The Testimonies from these Ladies were really positive, and we were impressed at how much assistance they were able to get there.
One older Lady talked about being Homeless for much of her adult life and how she thought that she was not worth anything; but after being there since February, she is starting to believe that GOD loves her and that she is worth something again!
Needless to say, this visit left a Lasting Impression upon me. Like I mentioned earlier, the part that resonated with me was in the Healing Time that these Ladies needed. In recent years, I needed Healing Time in my ‘Sanctuary’ too. My Home also has Scripture on just about every wall. I am Forever Grateful that ABBA FATHER gave me the Opportunity to Stay Home when I needed it the most!
The Time I had Included the Daily Reading of GOD’S WORD, Hours on End of Listening to various YouTube Pastors preaching, Gleaning Information from the Rapture Ready Site, and the Special Treat which is Jan Markell’s Program every week because she has ‘Her Finger on the Pulse of End-Time Events’ – all of which was not only Time Well Spent, it actually Aided in my Healing Process. And More Importantly, it Gave me a Reason to Look Up by Keeping my Spirit Looking Forward Towards Our Blessed Hope!
Here are some Excerpts elaborating on what Dwelling in the Secret Place of the Most High and Abiding Under HIS Shadow means:
From Gotquestions.org: “What does the Bible say about the value of a secret place?”
Psalm 91:1 gives us a good illustration of the value of a secret place: “He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (KJV). Think of the secret hiding places we enjoyed as children. Imagine being ten years old and finding a secret hiding place under the stairs or in the honeysuckle bushes. You slipped inside, and it felt magical! You felt safe and protected from the world. You imagined that you could live there all the time and no one could find you. Often, you invited your best friend to share it with you, because secret hiding places are better shared with someone you love and trust.
That is the picture the psalmist is painting in Psalm 91. God has a secret hiding place, and He invites each of us to join Him there. Notice that He does not invite us to visit. The promise is to those who “dwell” there. To “dwell” means we live there. It becomes our address. God invites us to pack up and move to His secret place. To do so we must walk away from the clamor and enticements of the world. We must be willing to quiet our hearts before Him and allow Him to investigate those inner recesses we reveal to no one else. Secret places imply honesty and trust. We cannot join God in His secret place unless we are willing to be transparent and honest with Him.
There is great benefit from dwelling in “the secret place of the Most High.” When we choose to leave behind the world’s delights in favor of a lifestyle of spiritual devotion, God draws near in new ways (James 4:8). We begin to see our sin the way He does (Isaiah 6:1–5). Time spent in the presence of God reveals our true thoughts and selfish motivations that might otherwise escape unnoticed. From this secret place, the fruit of the Spirit takes root and grows (Galatians 5:22). We start to see our lives from an eternal perspective. Earthly frustrations lose significance.
We do not have to neglect our responsibilities or relationships to dwell in this secret place. The key to moving there is a total surrender to the Holy Spirit and the will of God for our lives. This decision dominates our actions and changes our outlook. As we obey, God meets us in His secret place (see John 14:21). He teaches us and encourages us to remain. Our continual choice to surrender fully to Him results in His continued strength to do so. If our lives are to bear lasting fruit, the power to bear that fruit comes from time spent with Him in the secret place (John 15:4–5; 1 Corinthians 3:14–15; Psalm 92:12–14). – Source
So, for those who have been Deemed ‘Unworthy’ by the World and ultimately have been Called to this ‘Secret Place of the Most High,’ this is for you! It should Touch you to Realize how ‘Worthy and Special’ you are to GOD for THE CREATOR OF ALL THE UNIVERSE to Care Enough to Want to ‘Spend Time Alone’ with you! If only we would Abide in HIM. To do this we must Love, Trust, and Surrender to JESUS. Only then will we find this ‘Sweet Hiding Place’ under the ‘Shadow of the ALMIGHTY’ where no Evil can Invade, Interrupt, Take Away or Destroy!
Until Next Time… Maranatha!
JESUS = WAY, TRUTH, LIFE
*Ambassador For Christ in All I Do
*YouTube Channel: All For Christ (Sign Language/Voice Ministry)
*Instagram: ambassadorforchrist07
*Occupation: Sign Language Interpreter Sub//Highest Calling of Wife, Mother, & Keeper of the Home
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