"If you make the Most High your dwelling  . . . then no harm will befall you . . . for he will command his angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways" (Ps. 91:9–11). Wow, a host of holy helpers watching over me as I clean the gutters on a slippery roof? You bet! A "traffic angel" cruising alongside my daughter's car on her first solo drive? Absolutely—if I dwell in Him, if I trust Him, if I follow His will and ways.

These are the promises. But let's be real. Bad things happen to good people. We walk in an imperfect world—through adversity or infirmity, evil does touch our tent. And when it does, we must accept that God allows trials, even Satan's testing (see 2 Cor. 12:1–10), to deepen our trust and strengthen our faith in Him. In the face of pain, we can only reaffirm Ro. 8:28 and pray for grace to face the trial and peace in the midst of perplexity. Ultimately, it's in God's hands: He may not relieve your suffering. But He will deliver you from falling prey to emotional fear or the accusations and oppression of the enemy.

There's more: "Because he loves me," says the Lord, "I will rescue him  . . . for he acknowledges my name" (Ps. 91:14). When the oppressive waves of the world and the devil pound up against you, He is your only safe place. Camp out on this promise, call on His name, and watch for either a change in your attitude or your perception of the circumstances.

While watching and waiting on the promise, Jesus' priestly prayer of John 17 is like an insurance policy: "Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name . . .My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one" (Jn. 17:11, 15). This prayer enables us to stand up to the denizens of darkness that beat at our door and say, "I've got coverage!" Our victory is sealed in the virtue of the names of the CEO of the Cosmos, Yahweh, and His Son, Lord Yeshua, the King of kings.

Child of God, this promise, this prayer, give us firm footing. That's what we need when we find ourselves gripped with fear or worry in the night, agonizing over a wayward child, thrown off course by tension in the home, plowed under by discouragement, or immobilized by a voice that says, "Who are you to attempt great things for God?"

Beloved, cling to the promise and the prayer. God would have us learn to discern the wiles of the wicked one and call more quickly on the name of the Lord for help.