MY HELP COMES FROM THE LORD GOD

Proclamation:

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains; where does my help come from?  My help comes from The Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”  Psalm 121:1-2 (NIV)

Explanation:

The words of this psalm were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Bible scholars do not agree on the human author.  This is a psalm of ascent, one of the songs which the children of Israel sang as they came out of captivity in Babylon and later by pilgrims as they travelled up to Jerusalem to worship.  As they looked up, they could see the hills of Jerusalem in the distance.  The psalmist asks a rhetorical question, and then proceeds to answer it.  He asks, where his help comes from, but he knows that his help comes from The Lord God.  He knows that The Lord guides his steps and watches over him while he sleeps. (Psalm 121:3-4)  He will not let any harm come to him. (Psalm 121:5-7)  He watches over him whether he is coming or going. (Psalm 121:8)

Application:

All believers know that their help does not come from the top of the hills but from The Lord God who made the hills.  The Lord God guides, preserves, and protects us day and night. (Psalm 121:3-4)  He watches over us as we go in and out of our homes, and while we are in our homes. (Psalm 121:8)  He keeps a hedge of protection around us all day, and every day. (Job 1:10)  For this, we ought to be truly grateful and we ought to thank Him for it along with thanking Him for all of the blessings that He has bestowed upon us.

WE HAVE A HEDGE OF PROTECTION AROUND US

Proclamation:

"Then The Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job?  There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.'  'Does Job fear God for nothing?' Satan replied.  'Have You not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has?  You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land.  But stretch out Your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.'" Job 1:6-12 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God by Job himself.  He reports that one day the angels presented themselves to The Lord and Satan was there with them.  God asked Satan, who had roamed the earth seeking whom he may devour, "Have you considered My servant Job?"  Satan's reply was that God had put a hedge of protection around him.  He said that believers only faithful to God as long as they prosper, take away their prosperity and they will reject God.  Then God allow Satan to test Job's faith.  Initially, Satan was only allowed to mess with Job's possessions, later he would affect Job's health.

Application:
Satan could only attack Job because he had God's sovereign permission.  He could not penetrate the “hedge of protection” that God had around Job until God allowed him to do so.  That "hedge" is all God does to protect us, and all Godly people have a "hedge" around them.  Bad things can happen to Godly people, but it is only a test of our faith.  The Lord gives and the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of The Lord. (Job 1:21)  Satan's limited power is under God's omnipotent and unlimited power and control.  So, whatever you are going through, keep the faith, it's only a test.

We Need God More Than We Know

"The LORD protects the simplehearted; when I was in great need, He saved me."  Psalms 116:6 (NIV)

In this psalm of thanksgiving, King David said, God heard him (verses 1 & 2), God pitied him (verses 5 & 6), and God delivered him (verse 8).  He also said that God protects the simple.  The "simple" are (according to Matthew Henry) sincere, upright, without guile, and they are weak, helpless, and unable to fend for themselves.  David identifies with the simple hearted people.  He needed God's help, and  God protected him and saved him.

If we are honest with ourselves, we will admit that we are also weak, helpless and unable to defend ourselves against the attacks of the devil.  Even those of us who think that we are physically strong, and in good shape and good health, are saddened to learn that we really are very frail.  God can allow the devil to attack our bodies, just ask Job, and if we are not careful the devil will control our minds.  We need God's hedge of protection around us (Job 1:10), for only He can save us.  We also need God to save us from ourselves, so we do not become insincere, evil, and bitter.  We need to pray for God's help so that we can learn to focus on our beliefs and not our battles; our faith and not our foe; our protector and not our problem; and our Saviour and not our situation.

We Have A Hedge Of Protection Around Us

"Then The Lord said to Satan, 'Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.' 'Does Job fear God for nothing?' Satan replied. 'Have You not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. But stretch out Your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face.' " Job 1:6-12 (NIV)

God asked Satan, who roamed the earth seeking whom he may devour, "Have you considered Mys servant Job?" Satan's reply was that God had put a hedge of protection around him. He said that believers only faithful to God as long as the prosper, take away their prosperity and they will reject God. Then God allow Satan to test Job's faith. Initially, Satan was only allowed to mess with Job's possessions, later he would effect Job's health.

Satan could only attack Job because he had God's sovereign permission. He could not penetrate the hedge of protection that God had around Job until God allowed him to do so. That "hedge" is all God does to protect us, and all Godly people have a "hedge" around them. Bad things can happen to Godly people, but it is only a test of our faith. Satan's limited power is under God's
omnipotent and unlimited power and control. So, whatever you are going through, keep the faith, it's only a test.