The Goodrich Mill Pond was covered with a heavy blanket of wintry frozen snow and thick ice. Forlorn fishing shanties littered its frozen tundra. Bordered by cottages, homes and my family’s church with the stained-glass image of Lord Jesus watching over, the pond was empty, all the town at noon lunch. In the brisk cold I scampered, slid and played, left alone, at age four.
Piled high nearby, almost as high as my young body was a fluffed up snowpile, standing as if a monument, a sign. A delightful thought entered my mind, “Run and jump!” (Mark 9:21-25)
Without caution or consideration, without a warning, in ignorance, I catapulted forward, booted feet first, my snow-suit bound body of baby weight following like gravity into quicksand, into a great augured hole of frigid water waiting to swallow a child whole in a wet watery grave.
That snowpile was a warning to all who passed that a large fishing hole lay underneath.
In this time of crisis, we hear many voices telling us what to do, what to think and even what to believe. But there is only one Truth, and He is God, Who sees all things, both good and evil when we cannot. We must seek Him in all things because He is our only true Protector.
The hedge of God is five-fold:
First, we are in the Hand of God the Father. Lord Jesus said, “My Father, Who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.” (John 10:29) This applies to believers. Even in death we cannot be taken from God. We are His. He is faithful.
“My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.” (Psalm 63:8) Hold on to God with all your strength. Do not leave Him. (2Thessalonians 2:1-3)
Second, we are in the Hand of Lord Jesus. He said, “ I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.” (John 10:28) He is equal with God the Father; They are One. (John 10:30) Both hold us by a hand. In the hand of God means “under His protection.”
Yet, once again, we have a duty to cling to Him: "The Lord said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” (John 10:27) The voice of The Lord comes through the presence of Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, or through another believer who is a vessel carrying the Spirit-led message. You need to pray and then wait for an answer from God. Know Him. Know Him well. Read the Gospels everyday.
Third, we are protected by Holy Spirit. Lord Jesus said, “ I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever.” (John 14:16) The Helper is Holy Spirit, God Himself. He empowers us to live Godly lives by sealing our spirit (Ephesians 1:13) and keeping us alive in Christ. Without His presence, we are powerless. Through Him come the gifts of the spirit. (2Corinthians 12) Through Him we are able to stand. (Zechariah 4:6)
Once again, we must do our part: “Put on the full armor of God.” (Ephesians 6:10-18) Utilizing these sources of God’s power, we can stand against the schemes and plots of the enemy.
Fourth, we are protected by the Blood of Jesus. Lord Jesus is God. His Blood is God’s Blood. It provides forgiveness of sin. (Matthew 26:28) The sin is wiped away and forgotten. Without the Blood, our sins lead us to death, early death, or for those who will not believe, Hell. (Romans 6:23) You can either accept Lord Jesus’ payment for your sins, or pay for them yourself, it’s your “wage.” Pray regularly The Lord’s Prayer. (Matthew 6:9-13)
The Blood of Lord Jesus provides deliverance from satan. “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8)
We must take this Word and act on it; Lord Jesus said, “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” (Luke 10:19) To trample is to step on to destroy with our feet. Our feet are shod with the sandals of peace. We do not fight as others do, but with the Word of God. We pray against and for exposure of schemes; we pray for enemies. Using the Word of God is as a sword coming out of our mouths. (Revelation 1:16) God works when we pray.
In End Days, Daniel wrote, “but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” (Daniel 11:32) They shall trample the works of the enemy.
The Blood of Lord Jesus provides protection. One must plead the Blood over a situation, a person, or a place. In the Old Testament the Hebrews were instructed to brush the blood of a lamb upon the lintel and posts of the door to their home, preventing the intrusion of the spirit of death. (Exodus 12:1-13) Obedience to God saved their children’s lives.
In the same way, we must take the Blood of Jesus, which is the Word, because He is the Word (John 1:1) and speak it over (plead it) a home, a person, a business, a church, a situation. He is Life (John 11:25) and His Word is Life. (John 6:63) Do this will save your children’s lives.
We are surrounded by God’s holy angels. Psalm 91:11-12 states, “For He will give His angels charge concerning you, to guard you in all your ways. They will bear you up in their hands, That you do not strike your foot against a stone.”
Lord Jesus warned, “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in Heaven continually see the face of My Father Who is in Heaven.” (Matthew 18:10) Angels who watch over the little children report in regularly to God the Father.
We may call upon the Lord to send His angels to help us, just as Lord Jesus could have. (Matthew 26:53)
That day that I went down into the frigid waters was extremely traumatic. At the last second my arms splayed out to each side, as they would if I were making a snow angel. This miracle stopped my descent. How did I know to do that? I don’t know. I didn’t. Only God could have helped me. Somehow I managed to pull my water laden suit, boots and body out with a young child’s strength. Another miracle. I walked away, up an incline to my aunt’s home. A third miracle. I never grew ill from the event. A fourth miracle.
Only God’s protection kept me. I believe the Word of God, His angels watched over me, a little one, and bore me up with their hands. His angels that knew me continually saw the face of God the Father in Heaven. And in my family, my grandmother carried the mantle of faith. It is likely that she kept me in her prayers.
Are you using the Word of God and His five-fold hedge of protection for your family and yourself?
Do you have a testimony about how God save you or your child?
(C) 2020 Kelly Jadon
