Recently I had an experience that revealed our Father’s great love, mercy, favor, and protection for His friends, disciples, sons, and daughters. As I was driving to meet someone, my mind wondered and I began to think think about how I had been doing everything I could to follow the Lord over the years, but had still made mistakes along the way. Immediately after that thought, the glory and fire of the Father was burning on my chest and heart. The Lord flooded my spirit with the account of Abraham and Abimelech from Genesis Chapter 20. My Father was comforting me as His son. His fiery presence and love moved me to tears. I understood instantly what the Father was conveying to me.
“NOW ABRAHAM journeyed from there toward the South country (the Negeb) and dwelt between Kadesh and Shur; and he lived temporarily in Gerar. And Abraham said of Sarah his wife, She is my sister. And Abimelech king of Gerar sent and took Sarah [into his harem]. But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night and said, Behold, you are a dead man because of the woman whom you have taken [as your own], for she is a man's wife. But Abimelech had not come near her, so he said, Lord, will you slay a people who are just and innocent? Did not the man tell me, She is my sister? And she herself said, He is my brother. In integrity of heart and innocency of hands I have done this. Then God said to him in the dream, Yes, I know you did this in the integrity of your heart, for it was I Who kept you back and spared you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not give you occasion to touch her. So now restore to the man his wife, for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you will live. But if you do not restore her [to him], know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.” (Genesis 20:1-7 AMPC)
Abraham was a friend of God and was searching for a city that had Heavenly foundations. He was following and seeking the Lord with all his heart. This drew the favor and attention of God. Many others during that time were not seeking God and therefore did not have access to God’s favor and protection. Since Abraham had made a decision to go all the way with Lord, the Lord held Abraham in high regard and protected Abraham even when he made a poor decision.
The Lord is a shield to those who are following Him as disciples and becoming His friends. Abraham shouldn’t have told Abimelech that Sarah was his sister. Abraham was moved by fear instead of faith. Yet the man who was being made into the ‘father of faith’ was not perfect and missed the mark. The ‘good Father’ and the ‘righteous Judge’ was immediately there as a shield for Abraham and Sarah. The Lord threatened Ablimelech’s life if he didn’t return Sarah to Abraham right away. The Lord knows how to get results and protect His plans and purpose. The Lord protected Abraham and Sarah from Abraham’s mistake. The Lord would not allow His eternal will (which would come through Abraham’s seed) be destroyed because of Abraham’s bad decision.
How many of us have made mistakes as we are journeying with the Lord? The Father and Judge has been there for us, and will be there for us as we continue on the journey. We can’t fear making mistakes. We must trust in the Lord’s ability to keep us from mistakes, and know His goodness as ‘the Protector.’ The Father is maturing us so that we will not make poor decisions in the future, and imparting His wisdom to us. He is with His chosen ones as He was with Abraham:
“And they wandered from one nation to another, From one kingdom to another people, He allowed no man to oppress them; He rebuked kings for their sakes, saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm.”” (Psalms 105:13-15 AMP)
The Lord is going to release His eternal plans and purpose through many of His sons, daughters, disciples, friends, and anointed ones during these final years of this age. None of us will be perfect in the journey, and the Father releases us from that pressure. He is here as a shield to protect us and keep safe His purposes that He desires to fulfill through us. The Father and Judge will protect His plans He has predestined to accomplish through you. Keep following and pursuing the Lord.
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14 AMP)
-Ty Unruh (2023)
