Joseph Prince - Live Loved, Favored, and Secure
You know, we are, increasingly, we are living in dangerous times. The apostle Paul puts it this way, «The Holy Spirit speaketh expressly that in the last days, perilous times shall come». Perilous means danger. Danger. The word «danger,» peril. Dangerous times will happen. When I look at my son, just the other day I was looking at Justin during my vacation with my family. I was looking at Justin, I was looking at the television and up came some news about the world and he was playing with his toys. And again, it’s bad news, you know? Most of the time, you know, people, you don’t have to watch news all day. You can just watch the headlines; after that, it’s all repeat. It’s just repetition after that. They interview this person and I’ll guarantee you, for every person that says this, another person has an opposite point of view.
Don’t waste your time. Your time is precious, amen? They’re not giving you any money for that. But when you watch, you are definitely somehow promoting that. But don’t allow negative news to come into your spirit. So when I was watching that, I looked at my son and what the world is coming to, you know? And the Bible is saying that perilous times shall come. And I look at my son, he’s oblivious to all this. Isn’t it wonderful for us to know that we have a God who watches over us? Amen, Psalms 91 says: «He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty». Psalms 91 is in the Word of God. You know, when you bring Psalms 91, you tell people that… they ask me things like, «Where do you find God’s protection,» you know?
I tell them, «Psalms 91». And they look at you kind of incredulous, they kind of look, as if Psalms 91 is not in the Word of God. But it is, friend. And it tells us we can have protection in every area of life. Even the times of the day, whether it’s day or night, it says you should not be afraid of the terror by night nor the arrow that flies by day, amen. «There shall no evil happen to you,» amen. No evil and no plague, no disease will come near your dwelling. You know, in Psalms 91, you have the names of God five times, the number of grace. You have, «He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High, Elion, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty». Almighty there is Shaddai.
«I will say of the Lord, Yahweh,» the Lord, «He is my refuge and my fortress, my God,» Elohim. So you have four there. And God doesn’t stop on a four, number of creation. He stops at a five. Where do you find five? Right at the last verse. «With long life will I satisfy him,» God says, «And will show him my salvation». Show them the verse. «With long life will I satisfy him, And show him My,» in the Hebrew, Yeshua, the name of Jesus, amen? The name of Jesus, salvation. How many of you know that we praise God for the protection and for the deliverance that he gives us, that we are aware of? But many a times, the Lord has protected us more than we know. The Lord has delivered us more than we can tell, amen. Just before we arrive to the danger, you know, we thank God when we are in trouble, he delivers us out of it, then we praise him. But for those troubles we never got into, we don’t praise him for it.
So there’s every reason to praise the Lord. Now we have this idea that, you know, Christianity is like this. One day, we start off like this. We got born again, praise the Lord, but we are born again to start a journey, okay? And one day, we’ll reach the finishing line. Now this is religion, people. What God has done actually is not even this natural after the flesh things. Let me just blow your mind a little bit, okay? God has taken us straight from the starting point and put us here in the finishing line. And where it’s finished, where Jesus says it’s finished, there we start, this is our position. Colossians 2: «You are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power». You are complete in Christ.
So in other words, we think that many a times, we think that our Christian walk is a walk where one day we will achieve completion in Christ. But God is saying, no. The moment you are born again, you are complete in Christ. Now our understanding is playing catch-up. It doesn’t change the fact that you are complete in Christ. If you look up the word «complete» here in the Greek, it is the word «pleroo». And pleroo, the first meaning is liberally supplied. Liberally supplied. So right now, you are in this place, complete in Christ. There’s nothing that you need. You are complete in Christ. You lack for nothing. The Bible doesn’t say you will be complete one day. It says you are complete in him, in Christ, who is the head of all principality and power, amen, you are complete.
«But Pastor Prince, you don’t understand. I have this symptom in my body». Then that calls for what? A realization that you are complete in Christ. So this is a lying symptom. I’m liberally supplied with healing and health. I have it now. I’m not trying to get it. So there’s a world of difference between this posture, this position of knowing and resting and sitting down. I’m complete in Christ. And this pain is trying to tell me I’m not. But I already am. So this is a lying symptom and I reject it and I don’t care how long it is, I’ll outlast this symptom. Because God’s truth is the truest reality, the greatest reality there is. Can I have a good amen, people?
It makes a world of difference compared to this, than this posture of, «Oh no, I’m being attacked in my body. But I know there’s healing available for me. And I’m going to get this healing,» all right? «I’m going to do my best to get this healing,» amen. And you can even take Communion to receive healing as opposed to you are taking Communion but it’s just bread and a cup, amen. It doesn’t transmute into the real body of Jesus. There’s a dangerous teaching there. All right, but you must understand this. You are already healed. I’m taking it to declare my faith. To proclaim I’m already healed. It’s a world of difference compared to «I’m trying to be healed». This produces stress and strife. This produces rest and peace. Can I have a good amen?
When you find your position, you find your possession. Your position is your possession. Even under law in the Old Testament, all right, before I come to the Old Testament, I want to finish the dwelling in Psalms 91, then we have this. «No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling». «Come near your dwelling,» yes, Lord, amen. Now, your dwelling is a different word here. So you have yashaf, he who dwells in a secret place. You have Ma’on, the place of safety. Now you have your tent. This word in the Hebrew is ohail, which is a tent, a nomadic tent. And now it’s your family. No plague will come near your family. No evil befall you. No plague will come near your dwelling, your ohail, your tent. Your entire family is under this. Can I have a good amen?
Now even under law, back under law, God says if you keep all my commandments, all right, and you do them, which no one can. The Bible says, «For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse. For it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who continues not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.'» The moment you start on the ground that you are justified by the law or you can receive your blessings from the law, you are under the curse… why? You must continue in all things and no one can.
So by the same token, the moment you take a position on the grounds of receiving the blessing by keeping the law, you are under the curse because you must keep all or else you come under the curse. And the law is no respecter of persons, okay. But grace, the Bible says the law is not of faith but we are justified by faith, amen? But even then, in the Old Testament, God says, «If you keep all my commandments,» all right? «If you keep all my commandments,» and God knew they can’t, but there’s a promise to come, God says, «I will set you high above». God will set you high above. High above. God will set you high. Position before blessing. Position before possession. «I’ll set you high above. And all this blessing shall come upon you and overtake you».
The Lord will set you high above and all this blessing shall come upon you and overtake you. So before all the blessings come upon you and overtake you, the Lord will give you a position. Do you know that their dream is our reality? Today we are seated with Christ far above. Far above all principality. That is set high above all nations of the earth. We are set high, far above! If it says far, it’s good enough. If it says above by itself, it’s good enough. But no, it says, «Far above all principality and power and might and dominion and every name that is named not only in this world but in the world to come». Can I have a good amen? Praise the Lord.
The Bible says we start here. Christianity doesn’t begin with D-O. It begins with D-O-N-E. It begins with done. Finished! We are complete, not going to be complete, amen. Now, walk in the Spirit. Walk in that completion, amen. We don’t walk to be complete. We walk in that completion. Can I have a good amen? So you come to the sense that you are full, that you are filled. You don’t come to the sense of emptiness. And this is what it all comes down to, the practical part, okay. You need to remember that before you go out to face the affairs of life and the fight of life every single day, you need to spend time with the daily devotional of Joseph Prince. Praise God, hallelujah. I recommend that because I know what I wrote, okay. So you need to spend time feeling, all right.
Now I’m careful about using the word «feeling». But when feelings come, celebrate them. But we live by faith. But God wants you to feel secure. You are seated with Christ. Never leave the house feeling vulnerable. And all the media today, all right, the bad news and all that in the media today and everything that you read in the magazines and papers and what the world is coming to and all that, leaves you with feeling vulnerable, feeling unprotected, feeling like something bad can happen anytime to me or to my family. That feeling is not from God. God wants you to leave your house feeling loved, totally loved, seated with Christ, completely protected, liberally supplied, highly favored. You are in that place.
Now, being conscious of who you are and where you are seated, you go out and face the affairs of life. Even a simple thing like correcting your children, for example. You can come with a sense of emptiness, a sense of like, I’ve got to do this and you are doing it after the flesh and the result is never good, amen. But if you come with a feeling that I’m loved, but I need to correct my son on this, all right? You come with a sense of God is with you, amen. You’re not alone, praise the Lord. And you come and correct him in that spirit, it’s going to be good. Are you listening? The number one technique, or tactic, of the enemy today, the devil, is trying to leave seeds of insecurity, a feeling of vulnerability, a sense that anything bad can happen.
And that’s why I thank God for Psalms 91. Thank God for Psalms 91, amen. You are in that place of security. You are in that place of complete protection. You are deeply loved, highly favored, and you are restful, amen? So friend, God wants you to know that you are completely protected. You are loved. And the more you realize it, and sometimes you will feel the emotions of security. Enjoy it. You’ll feel love, enjoy it. But don’t depend on your feelings. This is not a feeling. You understand? This is not a feeling thing. Your feeling can go up and down, but God’s Word remains the same, amen? And that’s why when it’s darkness all around, you gotta trust the Word of God.
The Bible says you are seated. The Bible says you are loved, amen. Repent, change your mind. Remember from where you fell. Get back into this place. Have a sense that you are loved and enjoy the feelings of security when it comes, all right? When you feel it but don’t depend on it, but realize that you are in this place. Can I have a good amen? «Well, Pastor Prince, all that is well and good». Let me finish the verse before you talk, okay? «Those who are planted in the house of the Lord Shall flourish in the courts of our God».
So when you’re planted in the house, the Hebrew word, bayit, in the intimate place, you are seated with Christ between the cherubim in the most intimate place with Christ, in the house of God. If you are planted there, planted means what? You are rested, planted. There are people who are not planted. They are like a rolling stone or a rolling moss, you know. It’s like rolling tumbleweed or whatever. But they are not planted. They can be planted in the secret place of the Most High. Be rested. Be settled that God loves you. That sense of security, that sense of love, being watched over, God so close to you, is how Christianity begins. We should have taught this to our people. It’s the difference between praying for victory and praying from victory.
Some people, they pray, they see God up in the heavens up there, in the clouds somewhere. And I’m on earth here and I’m praying and I’m bombarding the clouds into heaven. Hopefully God will hear my prayer. But actually, you are seated at his right hand. You don’t have to pray hard. You don’t have to pray soft or loud. You just pray and talk to him. And know that you have influence with him who loves you. That’s how you pray. That’s why don’t rush to pray for someone. Before you pray for someone, know that you are close to God. You don’t have to spend your first 5 minutes trying to get close to God.
You are close to God. I said, you are close to God. You are seated with Christ and you are praying. Once you have the consciousness, then you pray for the person or you lay hands on the person, okay? And you pray out of that closeness. You pray out of a sense of God loving you. That is the prayer that avails much. As opposed to, I’ve gotta pray hard. This idea of praying hard. Give me a verse that says pray hard. There’s no such thing in the Bible. It is not praying hard. Sometimes this closeness with God might translate he gives you a feeling of his burden and you become intense. That’s different. But you are still conscious you are close to him. You are seated with Christ in the heavenly places, amen? And this thing cannot be maintained by one sermon.
Now you say, «Well, I got it. I got it down to a pat, man. All right, I know from now on, I’m going to feel secure. I’m gonna…» No, friend, you need to refresh yourself every single day. Tell the Lord, «Thank you, Lord, I’m liberally supplied. Thank you, I’m highly favored, I’m deeply loved,» amen? And the Bible says, back to Psalms 91, oh by the way, you’re planted, what’s going to happen with you outside there, out there in the workplace, out there in the fight of life? «You will flourish in the courts».
The courts is outside there. In the planting, in the house of the Lord, there’s no natural light in the Holy of Holies. Do you know there’s no natural light? All the light in the Holy of Holies is the Shekinah glory of God which is brighter than the light of the sun, inasmuch as the light of the Creator is greater than his creation. But out there in the courts is natural light. In the tabernacle of Moses, out there is natural light. You are in a sad case if you depend on the success of your life or your blessings, or your family, on natural light provided by science that is ever variable and changing. Go into the Holy of Holies and sit in the light of God. Can I have a good amen?
Psalms 91. Okay, go to that verse because you made the Lord your habitation. Yep, «No evil shall befall you, No plague will come near your dwelling». Now I understand whenever you preach this, there are people who say, «Well, Pastor Prince, I lost a loved one». And I empathize and I feel for you, I’ve lost a loved one also. I’ve lost loved ones and I know how it feels like. When I lost my father, that very same Sunday, I was still preaching and I felt like crying while I’m preaching. When Wendy lost the baby before Justin, I felt like crying while I’m preaching, all right. But you know, the Word has to go out. I know how it feels like. I still have to trust the goodness of God, amen?
But we are growing in this. But please don’t penalize the church for preaching to you divine healing and divine protection. Don’t penalize the church by saying, «Well, this happened to my loved one and you preach that God protects». Will you do that in another church that preaches, «You know what? Sometimes God takes, sometimes God heals, sometimes God doesn’t take you home,» you know? Do you go there and tell them? They are playing it safe, and you don’t penalize them, amen. Right? They have it, I mean, they play it safe. They play it, you know, they have it covered in both ways so they can never, never be implicated. But we are telling you, rise up to your birthright. Find out your inheritance in Christ. What has happened has happened. In fact, there’s no death for the Christian. To die is gain.
The first thing you experience, your loved one experiences when he step out of the body and his heart stop beating, because the body is only a house you live in. The first thing your loved one experiences is perfect happiness that will never be taken away from him or her. Never again! Perfect happiness! And they feel so free and so happy! But they look at you and you’re crying! I understand God allows us to cry, but remember this, those tears are for us, for the temporary separation. You know, they will say, «Don’t cry for me». Yeah, it’s not Argentina, okay, all right? Amen?
In closing, I just want to tell you that there are people who will try to use apostle Paul as an example and all that, and this is the example I’m using. At the end of Paul’s life, when the time came for him to go, this is what he said, 2 Timothy 4: «For I’m already being poured out as a drink offering». He says, «I’m like a drink offering and I’m empty. I’m all poured out,» he said. «And the time of my departure is at hand». So it’s time to go to the heavenly airport. The time of my departure is at hand.
Look at what he says, «I have fought the good fight,» past tense. «I have kept the faith. I have finished the race». It’s all done, it’s all done. «Well, Pastor Prince, why didn’t Paul want to live to an old, good old age»? Paul told you earlier, right? We read, «I’d rather be with Christ». And for him, his body is so full of resurrection life, for him to die of disease and all that, is quite difficult for Paul. The fastest way is to look at the guy carrying that chopping axe, smile at him and say, «Jesus loves you,» and take off at the departure. But not until he said, «I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith».
I’m bringing this to a close. Watch this. «For all our days», Psalm 90 is the Psalm of Moses in the wilderness. When the children of Israel were going in the wilderness round and round because they rebelled against God, rejected his inheritance, refused to possess their possessions and they wandered. And it says, «All our days have passed away in Your wrath». That is the indicative word. They were under God’s wrath in the wilderness, okay? «The days of our lives are seventy years; And if by reason of strength they are eighty years».
And I’ve heard people quote this verse, but actually this verse is for people under God’s wrath. We are not under God’s wrath. And the next verse confirms that, «Father, who knows the power of Your anger? For as the fear of You, so is Your wrath». Friend, when Jesus died on the cross, he carried all our sins and God unleashed all his wrath upon his holy Son, all right, who became sin for us on the cross so that today God has no anger towards you. And it was God who sent his Son for this purpose. What a great God with the love by which he loved us, amen?