The Antidote for Anxiety and Depression: Trust in Abba Father’s Care – Pt 53
My Eternal Papa: My Perpetual Protection!
The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.
– Deuteronomy 33:27
I was raised very sheltered and over protected so as a child and youth I was not allowed to have friends or to go out. When I was sent out, whether it was to school or the shop or by my mother I was expected to go straight and return without idling. If I didn’t return in the time expected of me, I was beaten. Therefore, I was afraid to talk to people. I was well-mannered so I greeted people along my journey but I didn’t stop to have conversations with anyone, even if someone had initiated a conversation, I ignored him or her and continued on my way. I was so preoccupied with thoughts of getting back home on time that often times I passed persons on the way and didn’t see them or remember to say hello. For this reason, many people said that I was fresh and I thought that I was better than others. This is so far from the truth and quite the contrary, I had no such thought of myself as I had always esteemed everyone else above myself. I had no self-esteem, no self-worth, no confidence and I was extremely shy. I thought that there was a label on my forehead that read, “sexually abused, stupid girl, ruined, crazy, et cetera”. Therefore, when persons looked at me, I was so afraid that’s what they were seeing, the label on my forehead and that thy were judging me by it. Hence, I couldn’t bear being looked at so I cried every time persons stared at me. I often wondered, what exactly was my family trying to protect me from why I was so sheltered and over protected? When I was being abused in the very home that should have been my safe space.
Nonetheless, I have a Saviour in whom I find protection. The Word of God says in Deuteronomy 33:27 that, “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.”
To me this is very comforting to know that, “The eternal God is thy refuge…” God is Everlasting, He is Your Eternal Papa and your Everlasting Papa is your Perpetual Protection. Therefore, His protection is sure. In yesterday’s devotional I mentioned that He is Faithful and promises He WILL protect His own. Today I would like to emphasize that this promise is one you can hold on too with confident trust in Him because of who He is. Not only is He your Faithful Father, He is also your Eternal Papa and Perpetual Protection. He is your everlasting asylum and in Him, in His presence you can dwell forever in safety. There is nothing to fear in His presence but His peace floods your soul like a river. Your Eternal Papa doesn’t only just protect you, He himself is your Perpetual Protection.
In addition, it is very comforting to also know that, “…underneath are the everlasting arms…” Your Eternal Father, your Perpetual Protection is holding you up with His everlasting arms. He will never let you hit rock bottom no matter how many times you fall. Neither does His arms get weary of holding you so He will never let you go. You are safe in His everlasting arms forever as long as you remain there.
Finally, it is very comforting to also know that, “…he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.” Your Eternal Papa is so Mighty that even though His everlasting arms are underneath you always, he has the power and authority to drive out your enemy form before. He has also allowed you to share in overcoming your enemy when He says “…Destroy them”. He knows that you have the ability to destroy your enemy because He has given you His power and authority as well as the keys to the kingdom. In Matthew 18:18 He declares, “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” This therefore means believers that you have in your possession all that you need to defeat your enemy while you remain safe in your Faithful Father’s, Eternal Papa’s and Perpetual Protection’s everlasting arms.
Multiplied Blessings!
MY PRAYER FOR TODAY
Daddy I worship You with every fibre of my being today and always. Thank You for being my Eternal Papa and Perpetual Protection. Thank You for upholding me with Your everlasting arms, driving out and equipping me with power and authority to defeat my enemy. I boldly declare today that I will dwell in the presence of the Lord forever and find fullness of joy so that I would continually be strengthened. I declare that even though I may fall I will not hit rock bottom because my Eternal Papa’s everlasting arms are underneath me, therefore I triumph over my enemy always. I pray this by faith in Jesus’ mighty name with thanksgiving. Amen!
