Psalm 91 Prayer and Promise of Protection

I like to have a clear understanding of the fastest route from Point A to Point B.
In this case, Point A is fear and anxiety; Point B is resting in a bubble of protection provided by my Heavenly Father.
The Bible tells us that “fear brings torment.” — 1 John 4:18
Fear is never from God since He is described as “perfect love” and according to 1 John 4:18, “perfect love casts out fear.”

As a believer, you have access to the perfect peace of God. If you’re not experiencing this peace, don’t get down on yourself or think you aren’t saved.
We are all growing in the knowledge of God and the understanding of what is rightfully ours as believers.
We are also all growing in our ability to quickly recognize when there is an intruder (like fear) trying to occupy our thoughts and get us to accept it.

Side note: Did you know that most of the enemy’s tactics involve the introduction of thoughts that he tries to get you to accept as your own? It’s true! Thoughts and ideas come at us all day, every day. It’s our job to “take every thought captive.” (2 Corinthians 10:5)
I like to picture it as being the bouncer of my own brain.
When a negative or fearful thought tries to slide in the door, I stop it, “Hey…not so fast,” and check it’s ID.
“Hello thought. Are you peaceful, lovely, pure, full of hope, victory and love? No? Oh, I’m sorry / not sorry, you are not welcome here. Get out.”
It really is as simple as “thinking about what you’re thinking about.”

We are called to guard our mind and our thought life.
Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
The word heart in this passage is the Hebrew word “leb” which means “inner man, mind, will.”
We aren’t supposed to allow our thought life to run in any direction.
Why?
Because thoughts are things. Thoughts produce results.

How a Thought Becomes a Thing

Everything we do begins as a thought. Maybe the thought is connected to something we just heard, like a news report telling us that a highly infectious illness is sweeping over the country (that would be weird, right? lol) or maybe the thought is connected to a person. We see someone we’ve have an unresolved issue with and just the sight of them introduces negative thoughts to our mind.
While it’s still just an introductory thought (just hit your brain and is waiting to see what we will do with it) we have complete control.
We have the ability to say, “No. I’m not going there. I’m not going to open the door.”
That’s how God wants us to handle negative thoughts.
Do not entertain it.
Do not allow it to have access to you.

If you do allow it in, and this is done by taking that one thought and building it into a personal movie, then it does become your thought, your dwelling place, and potentially your future,
Here’s an example.
You hear the news report about the sickness and you take the following steps in your mind:

1. You envision the sickness sweeping over millions of people.
2. You then envision the sickness getting to you, maybe at the grocery store or while you’re at a family get together.
3. Next you envision yourself with symptoms. Oh gosh, you can almost feel them, right?
4. Next you envision yourself in the hospital, family around you, everyone sad.
5. Next you think about the people you’ll leave behind, what your sister might say at your funeral, what long term effect your absence from this world might have on your children.

Wow. We got a long way in under five minutes, right?
That’s exactly what the enemy wants to happen.
Those 5 thoughts listed above are just an example, but I’m sure they paint a picture of what “accepting a thought as your own” looks like.

Once the thought is accepted and you’re dwelling on all the reports, guess what happens next?
Fear and anxiety will get an opportunity to take root and you’ll start talking about the problem.

Once a thought is accepted and progresses into fear-filled words, the enemy doesn’t even have to do anything.
Why?
Because your words are powerful and creative.
Your words create your reality. Proverbs 18:21 tells us, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”
What if we really BELIEVED that?

Have you ever heard yourself say something like this, “Well, this sickness is coming my way and I really need to protect myself because I catch everything that comes along.”
You actually just UNprotected yourself with those words.

Thoughts become things when we accept them as our own (instead of bouncing them out of our brain) and then they become words…and then our words create our reality.
It’s really that simple.

Best Way to Fight Negative Thoughts

Remember at the beginning of this article I said I always want to know what the quickest route from Point A to Point B is.
Here’s the secret:
Along with thinking about what you’re thinking about, it’s vitally important to fight off negative thoughts and fears with the Word of God.
Hebrews 4:12 tells us, “The Word of God is alive and active, sharper than any two edged sword.”
The Word of God is your weapon. When you declare the Word of God (out loud) into your situation, you are accessing what is rightfully yours and turning things around in the spiritual realm.

Whenever I am attacked in a certain area, I find my Scripture, my promise of protection, health, provision, victory or deliverance (there are promises of God for every situation. Most of the time I find more than one Scripture (a whole list) and I will read them out loud (mixing them with faith because I believe the Word is truth), and then I sit back assured that my situation is under the protection of God. Whether I see or feel a change immediately or not, I will still keep thanking God for His promises and EXPECT the results to manifest in the natural realm.

Psalm 91 – Your Promise of Protection

Psalm 91 is a great place to start. Read the entire Psalm out loud. Read it slowly. Think about what you’re saying.
Look up certain words if you need more understanding.
I use BibleHub for word studies. It’s really easy. Just find the Scripture and hit the word Lexicon and you’ll have the true, Bible definition of each word.
It makes a real difference in your level of understanding.
And don’t forget to ask God for wisdom when you read the Word. He promises to give it to us liberally! (James 1:5)

Here are the words of Psalm 91 written out for you and personalized so you can read it like a prayer.
At the bottom of this post is a Youtube video I created so you can listen to Psalm 91 being read over you!
I hope all of this good news has been helpful!
Remember, every thought is not your thought and you are the bouncer of your own brain!

For more clarity on what your authority as a believer is and how to understand what is rightfully yours according to God, read my post called God is not Dysfunctional.

Psalm 91 – Your Protection:

1 Because I dwell in the shelter of the Most High
I will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in Him I will trust.”

3 Surely He will save me
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover me with His feathers,
and under His wings I will find refuge;
His faithfulness will be my shield and buckler.

5 I will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at my side,
ten thousand at my right hand,
but it will not come near me (or my family).
8 I will only observe with my eyes
and see the reward of the wicked.

9 Because I say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
and I make the Most High my dwelling place,
10 no harm will overtake me,
no disaster will come near my tent.
11 For He will give His angels charge over me
to guard me in all my ways;
12 they will lift me up in their hands,
so that I will not dash my foot against a stone.
13 I will tread on the lion and the cobra;
I will trample the great lion and the serpent.

14 “Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges My name.
15 He will call on Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life I will satisfy him
and show him my salvation.”