Devotions
Prosper under God’s protection
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence. – Psalm 91:1-3 (NIV)
I watched a historical
drama based on a true story about the Tang dynasty. The king had a fallout with
the Prime Minister, who decided to kill him. He lured the king outside the
palace for a hunting party and laid several traps to kill him all over the hunting
area. The Prime Minister reasoned that if one trap does not work, the other
will not fail. By pure coincidence, the king’s men saw the PM’s henchmen when
they left the camp at night to lay those snares and decided to follow them to
see what they were doing. When they realized that they were plotting to kill
someone, most probably the king, they went behind the henchmen and deactivated
one trap after the other. The following day the Prime Minister, so confident in
his evil plan, was surprised to see the king back unharmed; he racked his brain
for an explanation of what happened but could not get any. On the other hand,
the king was completely oblivious of the dangers he escaped, thanks to divine
grace.
I must admit it, I like
watching a lot of historical drama; it is my hobby, my weakness. Though it may
seem like a waste of time, I learn a lot from them. This particular story left
a profound lesson in my heart. When I watched its unfolding, I could picture
how things happen in the spiritual realm. I saw the devil laying traps
everywhere to ensnare God’s children. I saw innocent believers wandering around
without any idea of Satan’s plan to destroy them. Then, I saw the work of God’s
angels delivering His people from the devil’s plan. The Bible says, “The angel of the Lord encamps around those
who fear him, and he delivers them” (Psalm 34:7 NIV). When Moses set out of
Egypt with the children of Israel, God told him, “See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and
to bring you to the place I have prepared.” (Exodus 23:20 NIV). The devil
always watches, lying in wait for any opportunity to kill and destroy you, but
when the day ends, he realizes that you are still there, standing, praising
God, and serving Him. What happened, he asks his demons, why did none of the
traps work? It is because God’s protection is around you, as long as you remain
in Him, hidden under the shadow of the Almighty. He always sends His angels
ahead of you. When I was watching that drama, one verse came to mind that says,
“we have escaped like a bird from the
fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped” (Psalm
124:7 NIV).
You have no idea how
much of God’s protection you enjoy. You might not know how many snares you
escaped, how many accidents you avoided or how many diseases you didn't get or
were healed from before you even realized that you were sick. Maybe the devil had
planned to kill you at once this year. It is not because he did not try; it is
only because all his plans were foiled by the mighty hand of God, who has the
last word on your life. Our God is mighty to save. If you did not take the time
to thank Him for your well-being this year, please do. By doing so, you will
prosper under his protection this coming new year too. Meditate on Psalm 91,
remember all his benefits (Ps 103:2), and give him a peace offering, not only
at this time because it is the end of the year and the beginning of a new one,
but every time you remember how the Lord has been gracious to you. Enter the
year 2026 with the song of praise of Psalm 124 and say, “If the Lord had not been on my side when the [devil and his] people
attacked me, they would have swallowed me alive when their anger flared against
me; the flood would have engulfed me, the torrent would have swept over me, the
raging waters would have swept me away. Praise be to the Lord, who has not let
me be torn by their teeth. I have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken, and I have escaped. My help is in the name of the
Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:2-8 Paraphrased). May you
prosper under God’s protection this new year of 2026.
Posted : Dec 29, 2025