Abiding in His Shadow: The Secret to Real Protection

🎵Outro Music Plays🎵 Good Morning Victorious Living Family! Hi, I'm Christi Overton-Johnson. I'm your host of more Victorious Living. And today I am coming to you bright and early. Actually the sun is coming up. I just got back in the car after being at the gym. So I've been trying about three months now. Getting up and praying and then coming here. Sometimes coming here first so I get awake. So that I can concentrate when I'm praying. And it's been a good rhythm. And I'm telling you exercising, moving releases endorphins which make you happy. So if I'm a little over the top this morning, forgive me. Hey, I just had something funny happen. First of all, usually I'm coming to you from various locations. Or from my home or hotel room or somewhere where I'm traveling. Today I'm coming to you from my car. And I have not done any recordings I think for you. My IFAM, my incarcerated family from my car. But this is where I spend a lot of time. This is my second home. And especially when I lived in Florida. I lived in this house, in this car. I've had it about six years, seven years actually. And I got pulled over one time going to Jacksonville, Florida. I was headed to the jail there to minister. And I got pulled over because I was going a little fast in this car. And he pulled me over, believe it or not, for reckless driving. He said I was too close to the Mack truck and I was weaving in and out of traffic. I don't believe that.

But anyway, so we pulled over on I-95. And the officer has to come to the passenger side because of the crazy traffic. And he's like, where are you going? And I said, I'm going to jail. And he looked at me kind of funny. And I said, well, I'm going to minister in jail. He goes, well, ma'am, you better slow down or you're actually going to be ministering from inside of jail. And so I told him, yes, sir. I learned how to say that in the South. I was raised in the South. And he looked down and there was a banana pelt on the whole front seat, just like it is now, which is covered with stuff. And I had been traveling for days from prisons to jails and things. And there was a banana pelt laying there. And he says, ma'am, are you living out of your car? And I said, no, sir. So anyway, we talked for a few minutes. And he gave me a warning. And he says, now, I want you to slow down or next time you're going to be ministering to people from inside the jail for real. And I was like, yes, sir. So I bring up that banana peel, banana story because just right then coming out of the gym, I almost slipped on a banana peel. And when I got out of the car to go in, I stepped on something and about went down. I was like, what was that? That was gross. And then coming out, the sun was out and I saw that it was a banana peel. And I've always wondered why on commercial, not commercials, but cartoons, you would see that people are slipping on banana peels. I'm like, they're not slippery. Well, let me tell you, when a banana peel has deteriorated and the juices have congregated together, a banana, rotten banana peel is very slippery. And I'm sure it didn't help that it's 20 some degrees right now. So I have a lesson for you.

First of all, don't step on banana peels. Second of all, exercise. Okay, we've already learned that. It releases endorphins. You can do that wherever you are. Even if you are in solitary confinement, you can do jumping jacks. You can run in place. You can walk around. Something to get your blood flowing and keep your mind active. And that is very, very important. You can do push-ups. You can, if you can't do a whole push-up, bend your legs, put your knees on the floor and do what they call girl push-ups. Ain't no shame in that game. Maybe you can't even, you can do dips on your chair. All sorts of things. I've actually thought about having my friend JC Almanza do an exercise program for you guys. Let me know if you'd like that and maybe we can get that on there. okay but here's my lesson when I came out of the car when I came out of the gym and I was headed to my car I noticed my car which had been housed in a garage and it got down I think to about 21 last night and it's been raining so any car in a garage my car you can see has absolutely nothing on the windows the only thing is fogging up a little bit from the inside right now just because it's warm in here and it's cold out there but all the other cars had ice all over them because they weren't sheltered you could see just a little bit of scrape on the windshield where they had you they shouldn't have done this and this is because we don't get a lot of ice here they'd use the windshield wipers to scrape it off which I've heard you shouldn't do because you can break break the blades or mess up the blades but anyway maybe you can write and teach me on that too we don't get a lot of ice and snow here in eastern North Carolina just enough just enough to teach me a lesson this morning that being sheltered

is good and there's a verse in Psalms I don't have my Bible with me but in Psalms 91 it says that if we shelter abide under the shelter of the Almighty so just like my car abided in my what do you call it in in my garage yeah it's early I told you those who shelter under the shadow of the Almighty they will be protected they will be protected it talks about in the Bible and and we know this that God talks about gathering his children holding him under holding them close like a like a mother I don't know if it was a mother eagle or whoever keeps their little eaglets close and shelters them from harm there is safety in the shelter of the Almighty you don't have to get iced over you don't have to be exposed you come and you get sheltered in him you are under the shadow of the Almighty and there's protection there it's when you come outside of that shelter that you get in trouble so let's talk about like an umbrella let's say it's raining outside like it was yesterday I had an umbrella and I put up that umbrella and I was sheltered under the umbrella from all the rain and I can't stay dry everybody including my husband he was walking beside me but he wasn't coming under there he's getting soaking wet it was cold he looked miserable I'm like come under the umbrella like now I'm alright it's like oh you're not you're getting wet but I was under the shelter of the umbrella I want to ask you today are you sheltered what are you seeking shelter in who are you seeking shelter in are you sheltered under God's presence under his power are you sheltering under his provision under the mighty hand of God that that mighty hand can protect it can provide it can give you everything that you need or are you sheltering in the world are you trying to find protection in the world you know I imagine in the darkness of prison you know I know there's there's realms of having to the worlds of having to have protection I've never been in a gang but I've learned it a little bit from my friends who have been and the stories that I've been able to write and understanding that there is this this order of protection and then there's this way of having to find protection by being assembled with a particular gang or group whatever that might be and they become your family and they become

they've got your back and you've got their back and there's protection there there's also war there there's also things that are hurtful that are happening in that type of protection when you seek protection and money in the world I know I've you know I'm not the only one of us salt protection in a big bank account makes you feel safe but the reality is anything that we are seeking protection from that's not God is a faulty system now I'm not saying run out and run run out of your gang I'm not saying that I God needs if God is calling you out. He will show you a way of order to do that. So that's not what I'm saying. He will give you a plan. He will give you the courage. He'll give you the moment. I know that because I've read enough stories and I have interviewed enough people to know that there's order to that. And God will, when there's His order, there's a protection. So what are you seeking protection in today? And anything that's not God is temporary. It's faulty. It will leave you iced. And I look at the cars around. I imagine there's many cars that were dead this morning because their batteries were drained in the cold. Many tires had lost a lot of air. I had to get my airs pumped up the other day because of the cold and because of the weather change and my car wasn't being sheltered properly and taken care of properly. And so where are you finding your shelter? Where are you abiding? Where are you living? Is it a place that it's under the covering of God? I encourage you and I implore you, means I beg you, to read Psalms 91. And I wish I had my Bible here right now, but I don't. And I wish I had it memorized. This is why you need the Word of God memorized, but I don't. But it's, you know, it talks about there's protection there. There's provision there. Though a thousand may fall by your side, 10,000 by your side, no harm will come against you. Talks about that as you're walking, you won't even stumble. You will have provision there. Read it. Read Psalms 91. The person who takes shelter in the Almighty is the one that is sheltered, the one that is close to his voice, the one that is close to his arm to be held close and to be hugged and to be cared for and tended to. But to do that, you've got to draw close. But the great thing is the Bible says when you draw close to God, he draws close to you. When you seek him, when you look and to come under his shelter, he will be there and he will find you. And so today, run to the shelter

of the Father and abide there. Don't just drive in and drive out, you know, live there. The one that abides under the shadow, shadow of the Almighty, they will find peace. They will find protection. So that is my encouragement today from the gym or from the parking lot of the gym. Don't step on banana peels. Get your exercise on and shelter yourself under the Almighty, the power of the Almighty God. Stay close. Stay in the warmth of his presence. Stay close so he can provide. Stay close so you can hear his voice. It's because it's a still voice. It's a whispering voice often. Sometimes he'll be loud and he'll shake things up. But generally it comes when we sit there in his presence. And I have not been good at that lately. I have so not been good at that lately. And I am taking January to really try to reposition myself in the garage of God, in the shelter of God and not just throw up prayers. God helps us to help get on my knees and linger there and to stay there and to live there in a mode of conversation, in a mode not just of talking, but listening, of listening. And I pray, God, let me, can I just pray for y'all? Father, I just pray that you would help us to draw close. Teach us, Holy Spirit, how to abide. Teach us how to linger in your presence. Teach us how to shut off the distractions of the world and to shelter ourselves under your mighty protection, under your wings of love. Father, we often find protection in people. We often find protection in money and in power and position. But God, anything that's not our sheltering in you and finding protection in you and trusting in you, Father, it's faulty and it's earthly and it will not stand the test of time. It will fail. Eventually, it will fail. Father, think about money in a bank. All it takes is the computers to be wiped out, and it's gone. And that's a real, a real threat. You think about the viruses that came through, and we were finding protection, and we just get a virus, and we lose our health. Father, people, we look for protection in them, but maybe they pass, or maybe they get overtaken, or maybe they aren't who they said they were in the first place, and maybe they really, the only back they got is theirs. And they're using us, Lord. And so I ask you, God, to show us and reveal to us the things and the people and the places that we are sheltering ourselves in that are faulty, God.

Lord, as I looked at those cars today that were covered in ice, covered in ice, they were frozen solid because they weren't sheltered in a garage, Lord. May that not be our lives. May our lives be ones that are sheltered in you. They are sheltered in you, God. We draw close to you, and your word promises that you will draw close to us, and we will find comfort in the warmth of your presence. We will find courage in the warmth of your presence. We will find power in the warmth of your presence. Father, I'm talking to a brother right now who's in solitary confinement, and he is there, and he is isolated, but he is sheltering in you. And he's in the shelter of the Almighty, in the shadow of the Almighty. He is finding protection. He is finding your warmth. He's finding the words that give him power. He's finding healing. He's finding deliverance, God, from the things that keep putting him there. He calls out to you right now, and you're giving him peace. Father, the woman right now who feels like she's lost her mind, and has been told she's lost her mind, Father, in the presence of God, in the shadow of the Almighty, in the shelter of God, there is healing. There's healing for the mind. Snuggle up close, my daughter. Call out to me, and I will restore every part of you, for I do not give a spirit of fear. I do not give a chaotic, disturbed mind, a mind of chaos. I give a mind of order. I give a mind of love. I give a sound mind. I give a mind of peace. I pray that over you, my sister, today. To the gang member who is seeking and living in the shadow of a gang leader, Lord, may you speak to them today, and show them how trustworthy you are, and how you, unlike man, will not fail them.

Father, you don't slumber. You don't sleep. Those people we put our trust in, at some point, they've got to slumber and sleep. They're going to kick their shoes off and slumber a little bit, and they're going to put their head down, and they're going to sleep, and their eyes are going to be off us. And, Father, they can't be faithful 100% of the time, even if they tried. Father, but you can, because you see all things. You know all things. You understand us, God, better than anybody, and you care to understand us. You care, God, to know who we are, because you created us. We're your sons and your daughters. So, I thank you for the sound minds you're giving today, God. I thank you for the peace that you're giving. I thank you for the revelation that you're giving. God, you're giving me revelation, right here in this parking lot of who I need to put my trust in, and it's you. It's you. Father, help us make Psalms 91, as they read it, come to life. And we're going to put it up on these slides, so that you can see it. Psalms 91, Father, help us to run to you and shelter and live and abide in the presence of the Almighty. Not just stay there for five minutes and leave, God, but to linger there, and to walk with you as we get up from our prayer, and we say, God, walk this yard with me. Walk through this life with me. Hold my hand, Holy Spirit, and I will abide with you. I'm listening. Who do I run to, God? Who do I associate with, God? Give them the wisdom that we need today. They need, I need. Help me in this ministry, God. Who to align with, who not to align with. Father, we love you and we pray. We thank you in Jesus name. Amen. I plead the blood of Jesus over you and your children. Thank you for joining me here. I'm sorry I'm crazy looking, bad head and all and I just so much I love y'all and I'm just not worried so much about what I look like. I just want to bring to you the goodness, the reminder of the

goodness of God and I'm gonna close out with that song. I love you Lord, oh your mercy never fails me and all my days I've been held in your hands. From the moment that we wake up until I lay my head, I will sing of the goodness of God. All my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able, oh I will sing of the goodness of God. I love your voice. You have led me through the fire and on darkest nights you are close like no other. I've known you as a father. I've known you as a friend and I have lived in the goodness of God. It's talking about living, abiding in the shelter and the shadow of the Almighty. I'm gonna go a little long, a little lower because I was a little high. Because all my life you have been faithful. All my life you have been so, so good. With every breath that I am able, oh I will sing of the goodness of God. Because your mercy, your goodness is running after, it's running after me. Your goodness is running after, it's running after me. With my life laid down, I'm surrendered now. I give you everything because your goodness is running after, it's running after me. Because your goodness is running after, it's running after me. Lord we abide in you. With our lives laid down, we're surrendered now. We give you everything. Your goodness is running after, it's running after me. Father, run after us today as we run towards you. May we collide with your spirit, God. Make yourself known to us today. Comfort us in your presence, Lord, for you are the comforter. Give us your peace, Lord, for you are our peace. Save our souls for you are our savior. In Jesus' name, amen. Okay, read Psalms 91. It's going to be on the screen. We love you and we're praying for you and we're rooting for you. Don't forget to write to us. You'll see at the end of this program, you'll also see the slides. Don't forget to write to us. Don't forget to call us on your dime. We can't take collect calls, but 352-478-2098 during Eastern Time working hours and Mr. Pat Avery will take your call. And Mr. Pat is one person, so if he doesn't take it, then keep trying back because he might be on the phone with somebody else. But his greatest heart's desire is to pray with you and minister to you as he's a pastor. He's a pastor. That care line is very dear to us and we want to make it available to you. So we love you. Remember

if you write to us, we can't, and even if you call Pat, we can't get involved with cases and we can't call loved ones on your behalf. We're there to talk with you and to pray with you and to encourage you. And God bless you. Hope you take advantage of those things. We love you. Bye-bye. Thank you for watching our broadcast. Are you an incarcerated brother or sister who needs encouragement? Write to us at Victorious Living Correspondents, P.O. Box 2751 Greenville, North Carolina 27836. Or email us at Hope at VLMag.org. To view Victorious Living magazine in its entirety, please have your chaplain contact us at 352-478-2098. us through our website at vlmag.org. We are happy to provide our Victorious Living magazine free of charge, in bulk, with or without staples.