Leon Fontaine - No Deadly Thing, Part 1
Now I want to begin to talk about supernatural protection. The favour, the blessing of God. The Bible promises us in Mark 16, no deadly thing shall hurt you. And so I added some things there because the Bible means every area. So I said it's time to recognize nothing that you drink, eat, breath, absorb, or are irradiated with will hurt you. We live in a world where we're becoming very aware of all the different things that are deadly. It's not just things you drink. In those days poison was usually put into liquids which is why all the kings had a cupbearer. And he would taste the drink before the king would get it because that's how they would poison him.
Today, there's poisons will take you out 20 years from today. There's things that you can absorb. You'd be irradiated by. That you could be eating, drinking, etcetera. And so we need to speak out the Word of God, especially I love Mark chapter 16 where it talks about that no, anything you drink no deadly thing is going to hurt you. Now Psalms 91, it says there, "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress. My God, in Him will I trust". I'm so thankful for good government. I'm thankful for good healthcare. I'm thankful for great expertise all through our world. When it comes to roads and bridges and houses and heating, there's so much wisdom. But I don't put my trust in anything by people. I first put my trust in the Lord. And this Psalmist is saying, "It's my God, in Him will I trust".
Now, I want you to notice that David is saying here something very important. He is saying, "I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge. He is my fortress". Refuge, the word refuge is talking about a place that you can go to, to get away from a storm, to get away from danger. Now the word fortress means whether it's a huge castle, a huge fortress, from amazing gigantic attacks. It doesn't matter if it's a quick place of refuge to get away from an attack, or if it's a fortress that's something huge is coming after you. The Bible is saying, "I will say God protects me. God is my refuge. God is my fortress". It is important to be speaking the Word out loud. You cannot walk in the favour and the blessing of God if you are not going to speak these words and His promises into this world. This world needs to hear your voice speak to it, mountains, trees, storms, evil spirits, angels. Everything that is on this planet needs to know the words that you speak. The words that you speak, those words are the prophecy of your future. The Words that you speak, those are what the enemy has to listen to and the words that you speak are creative power.
Jesus spoke His power. God spoke His power. And you and I are made in the likeness and the image of God. So David says, "I will say". Who? "I will say". Who's speaking? You better be speaking. You'd better be praying in your prayer closet and declaring your future. Verse 3 in Psalms 91 says, "Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence". It's comparing the enemy here to a fowler. A person who captures birds. He snares birds. And the only way to snare a bird is got to be done quickly and suddenly because they can fly in and fly out so quickly. In Ecclesiastes 9:11 and 12, it talks about this kind of a person. And it says, "I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favour to men of skill. But time and chance happeneth to us all. For man also does not know his time like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare.
So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them". The devil's being compared to a fowler. There are times when suddenly something happens. Suddenly the enemy tries to capture you, steal from you, destroy and take. And the Bible says here very clearly that He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler. These things you're not aware of. These things that happened so quickly and you go, "What is going on? Where did that come from? How can this happen to me"? You need to know, our God is there and He's going to deliver you. There's no way the enemy can sneak up and take you out from behind. He is our rear guard. In the King James, He's re-reward. Here in Ecclesiastes 9:11, it says time and chance happens to everybody. Well, I've got news for you. The Bible teaches us that the favour of the Lord is upon me. And that Word chance means opportunity as well.
So time and opportunity. What the devil means for harm as he comes in to quickly snare you and capture you. Your finances, your health, your relationships, family, kids. Whatever he's trying to do. It's going to simply open up an opportunity for God to take you further, higher, more blessed, stronger, with more confidence than ever before. Because the world, we know that time and chance happens to everybody. But in our world we declare that the Word promises you and I that God looks after us and the favour and the blessing of the Lord is ours. Now in verse 3 of Psalms 91, it talks about the snare of the fowler and then it talks about the perilous pestilence. Now pestilence is disease that is catchy. Whether it's viruses or something that just moves from person to person. This infectious disease in the Bible they called it pestilence.
And I want you to know that in this verse, it says even if he's using pestilence. This infectious disease, a virus. Whatever it is to try to come in and to take you suddenly unawares. The Bible is promising you and I that God protects us. He helps us to stay away from the snare of the fowler, to stay away from the sickness, the disease that it could be sweeping. In the Old Testament you can find many times where all of a sudden a sickness, an infectious disease would just blast through thousands of people. And you and I need to know, that it is the Word of God. That we need to know what the Word says when it comes to pestilence, disease, infectious disease, viruses. The Bible is very clear that the Lord is our refuge. He will save us and keep us from there.
In verse 4 of Psalms 91, it says, "He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge. His truth shall be your shield and buckler". It is crucial for you and I to recognize that the truth of God's Word is greater and higher than any truth that this world would try to bring. And so we always seek God first. As I was reading this yesterday again. Just meditating on it to minister. This vision, this picture just erupted on the inside of me. And as the angels of God just filling the skies with their wings out, locked wing to wing just protecting you. You know, in the old days, whenever they would fight, and they would have shields and swords. And they had a move that they would do to lock their shields into place. That old movie that we, that many men enjoyed on called, "The 300". Where as they were fighting, if there was an attack coming at you, they would teach the army to quickly get the first group and get their shield on the bottom and bam, bam, bam, bam. And you see a solid wall of shields that was going to stop what the enemy was trying to do.
As I was reading this and it says, "Under his wings". I thought, "Well, under his wings, his angels which are more than the people on the planet". Can you just see them protecting and covering you and I. He is our shield and buckler. What is that? A shield is the big, long shield they would use to protect their whole body. And the buckler was more of the small shield they would use in close hand to hand combat, and he used both. The little things God protects you. The big things God protects you. It is showing you and I in as much picturesque speech as the Word can. Listen, recognize that you're protected. That God is with you. Praise the Lord!
Psalms 91. Let's go to verse 5 and 6. It says, "You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, or of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that stalks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday". You know what these verses are just saying? That God's got the 24-hour clock covered. Nighttime, daytime, noontime, pestilence, arrows. It doesn't matter what projectile is coming your way. Whether it's an arrow, or a bullet, or a missile, or whatever is going on. You and I are to live with courage. It says that we are not to be afraid. Fear will always cause you to make wrong decisions. Fear will always cause you to let go of your faith and your confidence. Therefore we've got to remember. Do not be afraid. You can see arrows flying around. You can see pestilence that walks during the darkness. You can see destruction everywhere. Looking on with your eyes and the Bible says do not be afraid.
I want you to know that whatever goes on around us, that there is the favour and the blessing of God. Do not be afraid. All right, let's go on to verse 7 and 8. "So a thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand. But it will not come near you. Only a spectator shall you be, yourself inaccessible in the secret place of the Most High, as you witness the reward of the wicked". I've got news for you. People can have a strong faith until they see others begin to fail or fall. There's something about Christians they need to grow up a little bit. When we try to use our faith, someone will always say, "Oh, I knew so and so and they tried that faith stuff and you know". And they'll tell you a story after story. The Bible goes far beyond that and says, "Even if you're seeing with your own eyes, the thousand fall with that thing. Even if ten thousand at your right hand fall".
It says you do, you declaring yourself a spectator not a participant. Every time sickness, disease, and attack and whatever's going on. You just need to look at yourself. I'm a spectator. I can, I know I'm on a fallen world and health things are going on. I declare myself blessed, walking in the favour of God, and a thousand fall around me from whatever is going on. I declare that I'm in the secret place of knowing Jesus. I am in Him and I'm not going to be worried. Stop looking around, "Well, so and so tried that. I heard about so and so". I don't care who you hear about. Me and God have an agreement through the blood in the cross of Jesus Christ. And I don't look at my Jesus through you. And you don't look at the promises of God through me.
I don't care how many people fail, fall, can't get things through. It doesn't matter. You are not to look at others. You are to look to Jesus as the author and the finisher of your faith. It doesn't say look to Jesus as the author, and then check out what anyone else is doing, and the finisher, if you can have your faith. A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand may fall at your right hand. It says be a spectator. Look on with your eyes and believe and know at that heart level. It's not coming near me. It's not coming near my home. You know, when you go to the book of Matthew. Matthew 4:4, it says here, the enemy came to tempt Jesus. He hadn't eaten for weeks. And the enemy said, "Turn these loaves into bread". He's being tempted. Pressure is being put on Jesus to make a decision.
Have you ever been pressured to make a decision? Never give in to pressure. In this world, we're going to have trouble. In this world, we're going to have pressure. In this world, things are going to push at us. Jesus simply answered him with the scriptures and said, "It is written, 'A person does not live on bread alone but by everything God says, every Word that comes out of God's mouth". Deuteronomy 8:3 is where we got that one. If Jesus needs to speak the Word of God out loud, you will. The Bible says the enemy took Him up unto a high place and said, "Hey, you know, if you jump off here, the angels will catch you. The Bible says that they will, and then everyone will know who You are. Man, you could really accomplish what you want to do". And again Jesus said, "It is written, 'It says in the Scriptures do not test the Lord your God.'"
According again from Deuteronomy. And the devil takes Him again and says, "If you'll bow down to me, I'll give you all this". And what does Jesus do? He says, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and Him alone". It says, "Shall you serve". If Jesus needs to speak the written Word out loud, then you need to speak the written Word out loud. Now, if you are just say, "Well, I meditate on it. You know, I just pray with my mouth closed". No. There is something about you and I that we need to speak the written Word of God. It's kind of like seeds. Seeds are great in the package. But if you want those watermelon seeds to become watermelons, then you are going to have to plant them in the ground. The speaking of God's Word is through this teaching in Psalms 91. We must speak. We must say. We must recognize that this world was created by spoken words, God's. And this world is governed by spoken words. And you and I need to speak the written Word, the promises of God.
Psalms 91:9, it says here, "Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place. There shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your tent". I want you to notice something here folks. It does not say that they'll be no evil befalling this world. It doesn't say there's no evil befalling people you know. It doesn't say there's no evil be falling neighbors. It says, "There shall no evil befall you". It says, "No plague, no calamity shall come near your house, your tent". The Bible is very specific, very particular. The Bible says that in this world there will be trouble, pressure, persecutions. It says in Isaiah, we talked about this in the first session. That there will be darkness on this world, gross darkness on the people. But it says, "Upon you the glory of God, the light of God, the presence of God is arising up on you".
So we know that around us things will happen, things you don't like, things you don't want. You can't pray for someone else and force God into their world. But you can stand and declare the goodness of God in your life. It says here. I want to remind you. "Because you have made the Lord your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling place, there shall no evil befall you, nor any plague or calamity come near your home or tent". What a powerful, amazing promise from God. In Psalms 118:8 and 17, listen to this as I read you the Word.
You know, you need to treasure God's Word. When you come and listen to the preaching of the Word, you need to play and listen the messages. So that you can hear the Word being taught. It is God's Word that takes root in your heart. You know, in the Old Testament, whenever they would open up the written Word. They would open there and everybody would stand to their feet. I mean, you just see a million people stand to their feet as they would read the Word of God. Today, you know, PDF, whatever. We got all these versions of Bible sitting, gathering dust in our offices and all this stuff on our, you know, our phone. I got Bibles on my phone. And somehow we've lost an awe and the respect for the written Word of God. That written Word of God is the software for your heart. That written Word of God can be spoken. And the spoken Word will begin to control mountains and demons and giants and storms. It declares and prophesies your future, for your family, your marriage, your health, your career, your generations. We've got to recognize.
Now, listen to this portion of Scripture and I got to hurry. "It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust and take refuge in the Lord than to put confidence in leaders. All nations, the surrounding tribes, compassed me about, but in the name of the Lord I will cut them off! They compassed me about, yes, they surrounded me on every side, but in the name of the Lord I will cut them off! They swarmed about me like bees, they blaze up and are extinguished like a fire of thorns. In the name of the Lord, I will cut them off! You, my adversary, thrust sorely at me that I might fail and fall, but the Lord helped me. The Lord is my strength and song. He has become my salvation. The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tents and the private dwellings of the uncompromisingly righteous.
The right hand of the Lord does valiantly and achieves strength. The right hand of the Lord is exalted. The right hand of the Lord does valiantly and achieves strength. I shall not die but live, and shall declare the works and recount the illustrious acts of the Lord". Man, the Bible is jam packed. And here's the thing. It's no good sitting in the Bible for you. It's got to renew your mind. It's going to come out your mouth. It's got to get planted in your heart. It's going to be taught to your spouse, your kids, your grandkids. It needs to be preached from pulpits. It needs to be on airwaves and TV and radio and shared in a Spirit Contemporary way with your neighbors. There are so many powerful answers. It is the fear of the Lord that is the beginning of wisdom. And that word fear, it doesn't mean to be terrified of Him. It means to be in awe.
Your mouth is hanging open at the greatness of God, His Word, and what He has prepared through Jesus for you to live in. It just requires you to make some choices. Get up, believe, and let's live in a way that we can touch this world, love this world, be salt and light to this world, because eternity is crucial. The 80 to a 100 short years you have down here, doesn't mean a thing compared to we are making decisions on where we spend forever. That is why we must stand strong for Him. Love the world around us. Speak truth, absolutely! But in love. Meaning, while you speak truth, we value people politically. While we speak truth, we value the people we've talked to in healthcare. While we speak truth, we value in business. In every area of your life, let's be followers of Christ. Let's get the Word out of the wonderful gospel Jesus Christ.
Father, I thank You today for every person who is listening. I pray that we would make a decision to walk with wisdom, to gather all the necessary faction and not be disturbed. I pray that we would know who we are. That the miraculous power of God keeps us, blesses us. Father, I pray that we would share this beautiful Jesus. Everyone, everywhere we go. That while the world is freaking out, fainting out, anger, separation, conflict. That your church will rise up in unity, in love. I pray strength upon every person listening to me. I command the spirit of fear bound and broken. And I thank You that we don't have the spirit of fear but of power and of love and of a sound mind in a disciplined nature. I declare that over Springs Church. And Father, our families and over every person listening who wants that to be in agreement. I stand with them on that in Jesus' name.
If you don't know Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you're listening to this and you say, "Man, I need Him". Then just say right now:
Jesus, come into my heart. I give You my life. I'm following You for the rest of my days. Thank You. I choose to be born again by the Spirit of God.
Welcome to the family of God. That's how wonderful and how amazing it is.