Tuesday, 15 September 2020
Title: God’s Protection Against Satan’s Deception
By: Pastor Isaac Yim

Psalm 91:11-13

Psalm 91 is a beautiful Psalm that promises God’s protection in the midst of danger. Christians are not sheltered from dangers and sufferings but God promises to help us whenever we are in the midst of danger and suffering.

11 For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.
12 On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread on the lion and the adder; the young lion and the serpent you will trample underfoot.

This morning, I experienced the coolness of God’s protection under the shadow of a big tree at the burial of our beloved brother Ho Wing Loon. Family members and friends were seated under the tree in the coolness of the morning. Before long, the sun shone through the dark clouds and it was hot. Thank God that under the shadow of the big tree, we enjoyed the cool breeze of God’s presence and blessings as we bid farewell to brother Ho Wing Loon.

“Under the shadow of the Almighty God” is about the protection and covering of God in the midst of the cunning ways of Satan – like the fowler who ensnares us and the pestilence like Covid-19 all around us. In the midst of all these, God is our Refuge and our Fortress.

The world we are living in is not a playground, but a spiritual battlefield planted with spiritual land mines. Paul in Ephesians 6:12 (NIV) says, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” We are urged to put on the whole amour of God to stand firm against the assaults of Satan. Psalm 91:11 says, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.” Here God sends angels to be our powerful spiritual allies in the spiritual battle. The protection of the angels is for “He who dwells in the shelter of the Almighty God” (Psalm 91:1) and also “…. for all who love me I will rescue him, I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name” (Psalm 91:14). This means that when you put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus, He promises to guard and to protect you.

The Messianic part of this Psalm 91:11-12 was misquoted and misused by Satan in the temptation of Jesus in Matthew 4:5-7.

5 Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.
6 “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:

‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’”

Satan twisted and quoted out-of-context, leaving out the words, “… to keep you in all your ways.” To ward off Satan’s trap, Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test’” (Matthew 4:7). We must resist the temptation to take scripture out-of-context to mean whatever best serves our selfish purposes, but to rather allow God to teach us its meaning within its original context.

Satan is the serpent in the Garden of Eden, or the roaring lion waiting to devour; and Jesus has already crushed Satan at the Cross of Calvary. He will trample them – the serpent and the lion – under His feet. His death and resurrection give us His authority to walk over Satan. If we are in Christ, we can walk in Christ’s authority and trample Satan underfoot.

Prayer for today

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for You have great power in overcoming death. You have triumphed over Satan – Your enemy and ours – by dying on the cross, then rising in three days as You said You would! We are grateful forever, and we love You forever! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

星期二，2020年9月15日
标题：上帝的保护抵挡撒旦的诡计
作者：严以撒牧师
翻译：陈晓佩姐妹

诗篇 91:11-13

诗篇91篇是一首美丽的诗篇，应许在危险当中有上帝的保护。基督徒并不被庇护不遭危险和苦难，但是上帝承诺每当我们处于危险和苦难当中，祂会帮助我们。

11节 因他要为你吩咐他的使者，在你行的一切道路上保护你。
12节 他们要用手托着你，免得你的脚碰在石头上 。
13节 你要踹在狮子和虺蛇的身上，践踏少壮狮子和大蛇 。

今天早上，在我们亲爱的Ho Wing Loon弟兄的葬礼上，我在一棵大树的荫庇底下经历到上帝的保护的一阵凉快。清凉的早上，家人和亲友们都坐在树荫下。不久之后，太阳穿过黑云照射就热起来了。感谢上帝，在与Ho Wing Loon 弟兄道别的同时，我们在大树荫蔽下享受着上帝同在的凉风和祝福。

“在全能上帝的荫下”是指在撒旦的狡猾伎俩当中，上帝给与的保护和掩护－ 就像猎人诱捕我们和新冠疫情环绕着我们一样。在这一切当中，上帝是我们的避难所和堡垒。

我们所居住的世界不是一个游乐场，而是一个埋着属灵地雷的属灵战场。保罗在以弗所书 6:12 说：“因我们并不是与属血气的争战 ，乃是与那些执政的，掌权的 ，管辖这幽暗世界的 ，以及天空属灵气的恶魔争战 。”我们被敦促要穿上上帝所赐的全副军装，站稳抵挡撒旦的攻击。诗篇91:11“因祂要为你吩咐他的使者，在 你行的一切道路上保护你。”在这里,上帝差派天使作我们属灵争战里的强大属灵盟军。天使的保护是给予那些“住在至高者隐密处的“（诗篇91:1）和 “ 。。。他专心爱我，我就要搭救他。因为他知道我的名，我要把他安置在高处 。”（诗篇91:14）。 意思是当您把信心放在主耶稣里，祂承诺会守护和保护您。

这部分的弥赛亚诗篇（91:11-12）在（马太福音4:5-7）耶稣受试探时被撒旦错误引用和滥用了。

5节 魔鬼就带他进了圣城，叫他站在殿顶上，

6节 对他说，你若是神的儿子，可以跳下去。因为经上记着说，主要为你吩咐他的使者，用手托着你 ，免得你的脚碰在石头上 。

撒旦扭曲并断章取义地引用，略去了这些字，“。。。在你一切的道路上。”为要避开撒旦的陷阱，耶稣回答他，“经上又记着说，不可试探主你的神。 ”（马太福音4:7） 我们必须抗拒把经文断章取义以满足我们私欲的诱惑，而应该让上帝教导我们其根据上下文的原意。

撒旦是伊甸园里的蛇或是那吼叫、等着吞吃的狮子；耶稣已经在各各他的十字架上粉碎了撒旦。祂将践踏他们 － 那蛇和那狮子 －在祂脚下。祂的死和复活给了我们权柄彻底地击败撒旦。如果我们在基督里，我们就可以行在基督的权柄里并把撒旦践踏在脚下。

今日祷告

感谢祢，主耶稣，因为祢伟大的能力胜过了死亡。祢已经战胜了撒旦 － 祢的仇敌，也是我们的仇敌 － 借着十字架上的死，然后如祢所说第三天复活！我们永远感激祢，我们永远爱祢！奉主耶稣的名。阿们！