In my book, Embracing Your Freedom, I share a story of an Englishman who was a prisoner in a concentration camp in WWII. One day this young man read Psalm 91 and paused especially on verse seven: “though a thousand fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand, it will not come near you.” He cried out to God, “Lord, people are dying all around me. Will I die here too? I am young and still want to serve Your Kingdom while on this earth!”
At that moment the Lord spoke to his heart and said, “Rely on what you’ve just heard, and walk to your freedom.” The Englishman walked to the first gate. The German soldiers aimed their guns at him and said, “Where do you think you’re going?” He looked up at them and said, “I’m under the protection of the Most High.” The soldiers instantly straightened up, saluted, and let the man pass through the gate. The Englishman then came to the outer gate and the same thing happened again. The soldiers aimed at him and asked him where he thought he was going. When he explained that he was under the protection of the Most High, they too, straightened up, saluted and let him leave the prison camp.
That young man traveled the countryside and made his way back to England. He later found out that the soldiers secretly referred to Hitler as ‘the most high.’ The Englishman, though, was truly under the protection of the Most High God. He was the only prisoner to come out of that prison camp alive.
Do you feel like you are walking through enemy territory with guns aimed at you by the enemy of your soul? Do you feel the electricity in the air?
You are under the protection of the Most High God. Hear the Lord telling you, “Just keep walking.”
Psalm 15:2 says this:
Walk straight. Act right. Tell the truth.
I love the Message version of this verse because it reminds us to keep our head about us. Instead of being distracted by the sense of harassment all around us, we keep our focus, we behave as ones who belong to God, and we remember the truth. As we walk in the truth and apply God’s principals to our lives, we can know that we will come out the other side with our freedom in tact.
In the 1800’s, George Hodges wrote, “Undertake the duty, and step by step, God will provide the disposition.”
Excellent insight.
Some seasons of life call for sheer focus, discipline, and obedience, and the ‘skip to my lou’ moments seem far and few between. Even so, we must remember that God is on our side. These are the seasons that form character and forge a deep and maturing faith within us. Such times call us to reach up and grab hold of the promises of God because they’re ours for the taking.
In due time, the winds will shift, the clouds will break, and it will be a new day for us. Fresh joy and inspiration will be within our reach. With the wind at our back and our promised land before us, we will be glad that we diligently stayed the course and trusted in the Name of our Lord.
In the drudgery of everydayness and in the middle of our battles, it’s easy to forget that we are a sheer delight to God’s heart. He is watching us every moment, especially when the enemy presses in and makes his threats.
If you’re walking through a time that feels heavier than it should, wait on the Lord, He will renew your strength. See if this isn’t one of those times when to obey is to simply keep walking with your eyes fixed straight ahead on the One who went before you and made a way for you. God is the strength of your heart and your portion forever!
*WWII story referenced from Corrie Ten Boom’s book, “Clippings from my Notebook,” Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee
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