The picture that comes to my mind as I write this is of the whole earth, shaking like there’s a form of earthquake, then there’s this person who is aware of the shaking but seems to be unperturbed; amazingly, the shaking does not take him down. Sounds like the character of the hero in your favorite movie, right? Well, the whole world has seemed like a movie for some months now. The advent of a pandemic from the beginning of the year 2020, has been the kind of disruption we have heard of in history, read in fictional novels and seen played out in movies, but never knew we would be experiencing.
There is a shift from life the way we have always known it and it is because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Things are not normal and the cause of the abnormality is still shaking the whole world; governments are shaken, businesses are shaken, the economy of the entire universe is shaken, religious organizations are shaken. Even if you knew that this was going to happen, how does anyone prepare for such? Even if you knew that your county would get hit and quickly left for another country, most countries are affected and most people want to be around family at times like this. Even if the governments knew there would be a virus affecting the world, they wouldn’t be able to create vaccines without having a sample of the exact virus, since it’s a novel one.
This gets us to remember that the only truly safe place is in God not in government, above not abroad, in His presence not in what you have in the present.
Nothing in this world is stable.
I believe that the most crucial question that a Christian wants to ask at this time is “What does God say about times like this and how do I thrive in it”. Previously, I wrote an article that will greatly influence how you see oppositions and storms.
While this article is not intended to focus on the different ways the Bible talks about the shakings in the world and what they mean, I will mention briefly, a few verses that show that such things will happen, but will quickly move on to show you the purpose of this post, which is “how you can stand in spite of a shaking”.
The advantage of fore-knowledge is preparation. No happening in the world takes God by surprise and while believers may not understand everything and have all the answers, they can have peace and wisdom to live above the limitations that such events pose. God prepared us in His Word for times like this and this is why from childhood until old age, we are repeatedly enjoined to study our Bibles every day. Also, remember that this present imperfect world is not our home, we are only journeying through it. Jesus told us in John 14: 2, 3;
“My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (NIV)
Here are some Bible verses that tell us about unpredictable times in the world:
- Luke 21:11;
“There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.” (NIV)
- Hebrews 12:26;
“At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.” (NIV)
- 2 Chronicles 7:14;
“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (NIV)
Bible Promises for Unstable times
While the Bible contains several predictions and information about things that are not pleasant happening in this imperfect world as a result of the fall of man, the Bible is not called the Good news just for the sake of it but because it also assures us that when times are dark, a Christian would be fine:
An example is in Isaiah 60:2:
“See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.”(NIV)
Another example is inPsalm 91: 3:
“Surely he will save you from the fowler’s snare and from the deadly pestilence.” (NIV)
Also look at Malachi 3:17;
“They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them As a man spares his own son who serves him.” (NKJV)
Scriptures like these should be our confession now more than ever because we activate God’s Word in our lives by putting them on our lips (Joshua 1:8).
How to survive Unstable times
I could choose to simply mention some relevant scriptures and you will see clearly how instructive they are, but I deem it fit to explain further just to ensure that the reader and I are on the same page.
There is a word that is instructive for every season of life, whether stable or unstable, and that word is Abide. I will highlight this in the context of the Scriptures.
Abide
While Christians mostly confess Psalms 91 for protection, it is a greatly instructive passage as well, from which you will discover how what you do can produce a desired outcome.
Psalm 91: 1-3;
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.”
Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler
And from the perilous pestilence.” (NKJV)
The instruction for obtaining every benefit in Psalm 91, is stated in the first line- to dwell in the secret place of God.
Simply put, a person abides under the shadow of God or becomes joined to him and enjoys the benefit of such, by dwelling in His Secret Place, also known as His presence.
What is ” Abide” about?
Abide means obedience, conformity, oneness, unity, continuity, to dwell, to yield. How many times have you thought that God’s expectations of you are difficult to attain? It’s because you have been trying to fulfill them in your strength but the way to go about it is to dwell in His secret place.
The story of the fig tree that did not bear fruit in Luke 13:6-9, comes to mind. The owner was going to cut it off because it did not bear fruits and only gave it a little more time to produce fruits and otherwise, it would still be cut down. The way to bear fruit is to abide.
John 15: 4 says;
“Abide in Me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me” (NKJV)
There is a distinction between those who serve God and those who do not. However, if a believer walks in disobedience, he sets himself up against the benefits he could otherwise get.
Benefits of Abiding
1.) Trust:
“I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.” ( Verse 2)
Trusting God is easy when you know Him and you cannot know God without relating closely with Him by dwelling in His secret place.
What has trust got to do with turbulent times?
Psalm 125:2;
“Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
Well, need I say more?
2.) Faith: At times like this, the devil’s tool of attack is fear and you cannot to afford to operate in fear. If you dwell in God’s secret place, you will not be afraid;
Psalms 91:5-6;
“You shall not be afraid of the terror by night,
Nor of the arrow that flies by day,
Nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness,
Nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. (NKJV)
3.) Protection
Psalm 91: 7 says;
“A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.”
Also verses 9-10 say;
“Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
10 No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;”
Because you dwell in the secret place, no evil will befall you and no plague will come near your home, is that a WOW or what?!!!! I will just take a pause from this writing to dance at the promise of God in this Scripture.
I’m back and I’m still excited.
4.) Wisdom and Knowledge: You need superior thought to produce ideas that will get you above the storms.
“I will set him on high, because he has known My name”.
The superior thought that will set you on high, will come from the presence of God. Your life, family, health, finance, business, career will not drown, but will soar above the storm. May you receive insight for digging out treasures of darkness ans hidden riches of secret places in Jesus name. I have seen people testify of promotions, uncommon increase in this season. Indeed when others say there is a casting down, you will say there is a lifting up.
Check out this Scripture also;
Isaiah 33:6;
” Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, And the strength of salvation; The fear of the Lord is His treasure.” (NKJV)
So, somehow, God has embedded everything that you need to maintain stability in this world in just one thing- maintaining an active relationship with Him.
Psalm 91 Verse 14 says;
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name.”
This verse reveals that to dwell in the presence of God, is to set one’s love on God and to know Him. The use of the word “Because” implies that the attached phrase is the reason for the preceding benefits and since we already know that the reason is that a person dwells in God’s secret place, having the second phrase of a reason can only mean that the two phrases are saying the same thing. The secret place is actually a place of love, not works. What God seeks is a love relationship, a willingness on your part to know Him more, a desire for His presence and obedience to His will
Setting your love upon a person leads to greater intimacy. Acts of loving God will include singing love songs to Him (worship), communicating with Him (prayer), studying His love letter (the Bible), and doing what pleases Him (obedience).
God can protect anybody, including non-Christians. However, God will preserve any believer that comes under His purview this way, because He is bound by His Word.
John 15: 9-11;
“As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My father’s commandments and abide in His love” These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full”. (NKJV)
Set your love upon God.
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