Psalm 18:2–3 NLT: “2 The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. 3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.”
Five Steps to Letting God Arise as Your Protector

1. Lift up your eyes: PERSPECTIVE

• Psalm 121:1–8 NLT: “1 I look up to the mountains— does my help come from there? 2 My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! 3 He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. 4 Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. 6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. 7 The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. 8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.”

2. Cry out to God: PRAYER

• Pray for His protection. Cry out to the Lord.
• Psalm 34:6 NLT: “6 In my desperation I prayed, and the Lord listened; he saved me from all my troubles.”
• Psalm 34:17 NLT: “17 The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles.”
• Pray for His will to be done.

3. Stay under His protection: RIGHTEOUSNESS

• Righteousness is a status.
• Righteousness affects how we live .
• Psalm 34:15–16 NLT: “15 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right; his ears are open to their cries for help. 16 But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth.”

4. See the hand of God: ANGELS

• Psalm 34:7–8 NLT: “7 For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him. 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!”
• Psalm 91:11 NLT: “11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.”
• 2 Kings 6:17 NLT: “17 Then Elisha prayed, ‘O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!’ The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.”
• Angels guarded Israel from Pharaoh, killed 185,000 Assyrians, guarded Daniel from the lions, and guarded Peter from the guards.

5. Trust Him no matter what: SOVEREIGNTY

Psalm 18:1–30 NLT: “1 I love you, lord; you are my strength. 2 The lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. 3 I called on the lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies. 4 The ropes of death entangled me; floods of destruction swept over me. 5 The grave wrapped its ropes around me; death laid a trap in my path. 6 But in my distress I cried out to the lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from his sanctuary; my cry to him reached his ears. 7 Then the earth quaked and trembled. The foundations of the mountains shook; they quaked because of his anger. 8 Smoke poured from his nostrils; fierce flames leaped from his mouth. Glowing coals blazed forth from him. 9 He opened the heavens and came down; dark storm clouds were beneath his feet. 10 Mounted on a mighty angelic being, he flew, soaring on the wings of the wind. 11 He shrouded himself in darkness, veiling his approach with dark rain clouds. 12 Thick clouds shielded the brightness around him and rained down hail and burning coals. 13 The lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals. 14 He shot his arrows and scattered his enemies; great bolts of lightning flashed, and they were confused. 15 Then at your command, O lord, at the blast of your breath, the bottom of the sea could be seen, and the foundations of the earth were laid bare. 16 He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters. 17 He rescued me from my powerful enemies, from those who hated me and were too strong for me. 18 They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress, but the lord supported me. 19 He led me to a place of safety; he rescued me because he delights in me. 20 The lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence. 21 For I have kept the ways of the lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil. 22 I have followed all his regulations; I have never abandoned his decrees. 23 I am blameless before God; I have kept myself from sin. 24 The lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence. 25 To the faithful you show yourself faithful; to those with integrity you show integrity. 26 To the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd. 27 You rescue the humble, but you humiliate the proud. 28 You light a lamp for me. The lord, my God, lights up my darkness. 29 In your strength I can crush an army; with my God I can scale any wall. 30 God’s way is perfect. All the lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection.”