Do you feel like you are in a battle right now?
Do you need a bible reading plan to battle that fear?
We have just finished our scripture reading/writing plan for Easter and Lent. During that time we have been flung straight into a pandemic that is changing our whole way of life. BUT God's love for you has not changed, nor has His plans for you. He has plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope - Jeremiah 29:11.
I thought it would be an awesome idea to study Psalm 91 and a few other bible verses to encourage us for 16 days to bring us up to the end of April. I asked the wonderful community in Scriptural Grace for their favorite verses at the present time that they hold onto. They have been included in this scripture plan.
I have also prepared a free download for you to keep on your phone, a list of scriptures, a personalized prayer of Psalm 91, a page of journal prompts - very useful as you study, write, and pray through these verses. If you have access to a printer, print these resources out. There are some journal cards too that you can write bible verses on to keep in your bible or place around your home to help you memorize them.
Psalm 91 is packed full of promises for everyone that knows Jesus as their Lord and savior. The promises in this psalm are for everyone who is in a relationship with God.
The psalm begins with a promise to those who remain, inhabit, and abide in the hiding place or shelter of The Most High God, of protection.
Praying Psalm 91
Here is Psalm 91:
Psalm 91 New Living Translation (NLT)
Psalm 91
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty. 2 This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God, and I trust him. 3 For he will rescue you from every trap and protect you from deadly disease. 4 He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. 6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness, nor the disaster that strikes at midday. 7 Though a thousand fall at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not touch you. 8 Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are punished.
9 If you make the Lord your refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your home. 11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go. 12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone. 13 You will trample upon lions and cobras; you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!
14 The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me. I will protect those who trust in my name. 15 When they call on me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honor them. 16 I will reward them with a long life and give them my salvation.”
The key to God's protection in Psalm 91 is to sit (rest) in Jesus' finished work on the cross. This imagery is so rich right now as we have just celebrated Resurrection Sunday- Easter!
" He who dwells in the secret place of The Most High shall abide under the shadow of The Almighty. Psalm 91:1-2. Let's unpack this verse a bit.
He who dwells - The Hebrew word for this phrase is 'yashav' which means to ' sit down '. God is telling you that you dwell in safety when you sit down and rest in Him.
During this time of crisis or others in the future, remember that you can sit down and rest because of Jesus' finished work on the cross. Jesus paid for mine and your protection.
The verses in Psalm 91 are packed full of incredible truth. We might not always get the sense that everything in our life is in good order and that disaster will not come to our door but God is always there with us and we can always run to Him for shelter.
I found this incredible testimony of D.L Moody that was written by Warren W. Wiersbe :
ENCOURAGEMENT FOR DIFFICULT DAYS By Warren W. Wiersbe In 1892, after a year of intensive work in Great Britain, D. L. Moody sailed for home, eager to get back to his family and his work. The ship left Southampton amid many farewells. About three days out into the ocean, the ship ground to a halt with a broken shaft; and before long, it began to take water. Needless to say, the crew and passengers were desperate, because nobody was sure whether the vessel would sink or not, and nobody knew of any rescue ships in the area. After two days of anxiety, Moody asked for permission to hold a meeting, and to his surprise, nearly every passenger attended. He opened his Bible to Psalm 91 and, holding to a pillar to steady himself, he read: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” Moody wrote later, “It was the darkest hour of my life … relief came in prayer. God heard my cry, and enabled me to say, from the depth of my soul, `Thy will be done.’ I went to bed and fell asleep almost immediately….” Well, God answered prayer and saved the ship and sent another vessel to tow it to port. Psalm 91 became a vibrant new Scripture to D. L. Moody, and he discovered, as you and I must also discover, that the safest place in the world is in the shadow of the Almighty.
Bible Verses about fear
I want you to remember that there is great blessing and protection when you seek God. When you sit in His presence and when you abide in Him you shall remain fixed and stable in the shadow of the Almighty - The Most High God.
This world is a dark place and a dangerous one but you carry God's light in you when you know Him as The Most High God and so you are not alone. And although God never says you won't face hard times, He does say He will be with you in them rescuing you.
Take a look at the free resource that you will find in the Resource Library - I couldn't resist - I had to use feathers in this printable / download ( Psalm 91:4 does mention feathers!)
Take Action :
Download the scripture verse list, journal paper, and the pretty Bible verse print HERE.
Find a quiet place with your cup of coffee, Bible, and a favorite pen.
Pray as you write your scripture verse for that day.
Ask God to reveal Himself to you and listen for the Holy Spirit to speak to you.
If you feel convicted of something- confess it and ask for forgiveness.
If you feel moved to worship - worship God! Just enjoy His presence.
Most important: make an appointment with yourself, journal, and God every day for your scripture writing time. I find it works best for me to do it in the morning. It helps me to gain ' God's perspective' on my day. But you do it in your own perfect time. The important thing to remember is to do it and if you miss a day - just double up the next one!
Join us in The Restoring Beauty For Ashes Facebook Group daily where we will be unpacking each verse in our daily devotional.
Before I finish this post, I thought I should show you how to pray Psalm 91. It sure is a powerful way to pray all sorts of protection over yourself, friends, and family. Just insert the name of the person you are praying for into the gap. You will also find a copy in the Psalm 91 resource.
Psalm 91 Personal Prayer
Dear Lord, may____ live in your shelter and rest in your shadow.
May____ declare about You: "He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; He is my God, and I trust Him."
Please rescue____ from every trap and protect___from deadly disease.
Please cover____with your feathers and shelter___with Your wings.
May Your faithful promises be____armor and protection.
Protect____from the terrors of the night, the arrow that flies in the day, the disease that stalks in darkness, and the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall flat at___side, though ten thousand die around___, may these evils not touch___.
Please open___eyes, and let___see how the wicked are punished.
May___make You__refuge and___shelter and may You let no evil conquer___or no plague come near___home.
Father, order Your angels to protect__ wherever__goes.
May Your angels hold____up with their hands so ___won't even hurt___ foot on a stone.
May___ trample upon lines and cobras and crush fierce serpents under___feet!
Fulfill Your promise to rescue____who loves You and to protect____who trusts in Your Name.
When ____calls on You, answer___and be with ___in trouble.
Rescue and honor____and reward____with a long life and give____Your salvation.
Amen.
You might also enjoy our Light In The Darkness Devotional ebook. You can check it out HERE
Let me know how you get on with writing out these scriptures. You can leave a message on this post, on our Facebook page or email karen@scripturalgrace.com. I want to get to know you more. So come on over to my Facebook page. You will find posts to encourage you as you grow in your walk with Jesus.
It's all about GRACE! xx Karen.