"The Overshadowing of The Lord
Releases Favor and Influence"
Keith Miller, Amarillo, TX
The Elijah List
He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Psalm 91:1
Life is hectic; there are deadlines to meet, long to-do lists to check off, places to be, problems to solve, and obstacles to overcome. It is easy to get caught up in it all and to become overwhelmed or stressed by our obligations, lack, worry, and challenges.
This is not good, because such things can make us feel separated from God, who is our refuge and fortress (see Psalm 91:2). Such feelings will not lead us to victory, will not produce the blessings, and will not help us one iota (please read the entire chapter of Psalm 91). (Photo via Pixabay)
To dwell in the secret place of the Most High is to rest, remain, and stay there. Every moment we are there, God is overshadowing us with His protection and glory. We are, therefore, constantly living under an open Heaven where everything becomes possible, where we are protected from dangerous and destructive circumstance (spiritual and natural), and where spiritual and natural blessings and promises manifest. Whenever we are in that awesome place of abiding relationship with the Lord, we are assured that He is overshadowing us, truly dwelling with us in prolonged habitation.
Overshadowed By the Holy Spirit
In Acts 4:29-31, the Believers gathered in one accord and prayed for more boldness to speak His word and for His hand to heal and perform signs, wonders, and miracles.
It says the Holy Spirit came and dwelt in that place, shaking it, and overshadowing Peter, transforming his ministry style so that, wherever he went, the overshadowing of the glory of the Lord followed him. Such a tangible presence of the Lord rested upon him that people brought the sick and laid them in the street so that Peter's shadow would fall on them and they would be healed (see Acts 5:15).
Life Under His Wing
Job knew what it was to live under the shadow of the wing of the Almighty. It was a powerful place of anointing – an incredible place! He walked in favor, immense blessings, and protection, and he even awoke in the friendly counsel of God. In the following passage, we see that the shadow of God's wing is a very powerful, comforting, and fruitful place to be! Those who have been there once will crave to be there again. And those who have never been there will be enticed by this passage to long desperately to experience life under His wing. Hear Job's account of his nesting days: (Photo by Robert Bartow "Wings" viaelijahshopper.com)
"Oh, that I were as in the months past, as in the days when God watched over me; when His lamp shone upon my head, and when by His light I walked through darkness; just as I was in the days of my prime, when the friendly counsel of God was over my tent; when the Almighty was yet with me, when my children were around me; when my steps were bathed with cream, and the rock poured out rivers of oil for me!
"When I went to the gate by the city, when I took my seat in the open square, the young men saw me and hid, and the aged arose and stood; the princes refrained from talking, and put their hand on their mouth; the voice of nobles were hushed, and their tongues stuck to the roof of their mouth. When the ear heard, then it blessed me, and when the eye saw, then it approved me; because I delivered the poor who cried out, the fatherless and the one who had no helper.
The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; my justice was like a robe and a turban. I was eyes to the blind, and I was feet to the lame. I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case that I did not know. I broke the fangs of the wicked, and plucked the victim from his teeth" (Job 29:2-17).
Read it again. How would you like to experience life like that? How would you like to cause the widow's heart to sing for joy, to be feet to the lame, to be a father to the poor? How would you like the power to break the fangs of the wicked and actually pluck the victim from the enemy's teeth? How would you like to awaken every morning and receive advice and strategy, formulas and solutions, and revelation into key areas? How would you like to receive answers to mysteries that confound the world?
Mighty Things Ahead
His overshadowing releases fresh favor to walk paths we've never tread and to influence spheres we've never impacted before.
Suddenly, we might have opportunity to speak wisdom to a government official, which causes that official to overturn an ungodly decision or action. Or, God may give us the key to inspiring New Agers to seek God. Or, God may use us to release destiny in families in a way that impacts their extended families and their children's children's children's children. Or we may have newfound boldness to literally pluck the innocent out of the fangs of death. I'm sure we would all like that kind of anointing! (Photo via iStock)
I'm going for it! I want to experience more than just a few breakthroughs; I want to see entire families set into the order of divine justice, living not as victims in the fangs of death but as overcomers in the victory of the Lord!
I want to see an outpouring of righteousness, of God's justice in the land. I've been blessed to be part of five great outpourings, and I've seen great and marvelous things, but I want more than that! Yes, I want to see His righteousness poured out!
How about you? You were born for this moment! You are alive for such a time as this!
Psalm 91 starts off with a powerful revelation: "He who dwells...." It's not just anybody, not all, but, "He who dwells...shall abide under the shadow of [My wing]." Some have seen His habitation, and they have made a habit out of dwelling in His place. These ones His wings will cover. Upon these ones, His blessings will manifest.
Among us, there are those who prefer to ascend into the hill of the Lord and those who prefer to stand in His holy place (see Psalm 24:3). Some have traveled through the outer temple court, through the inner court, and into the Holy of Holies. They've experienced God, are touched by Him – but then whoosh, out they go. These are the ascenders who come for the touch and then leave.
But there are others who won't leave that place for anything. They say, "I'm not leaving this place! I'm staying, abiding, and dwelling, because I have been given the priestly blessing. I wear the garment of salvation for glory and for beauty. I have unlimited access, and I, therefore, will stay right here in the habitation of God's glory!"
As Believers, we wear purified, priestly garments that cover our flesh, garments made "for glory and for beauty" (see Exodus 28:2, 40). We wear the beauty of His holiness upon us! We have that garment! And being fully clothed in it gives us access to the secret place of His presence. Jesus has made us priests and kings in the Kingdom (see Revelation 1:5-6).(Photo by Kevin Moffatt "Heaven's Delight – John's Joy" via elijahshopper.com)
In Job 29:6, Job recalled the days of his prime when the friendly counsel of God was over his tent. Imagine waking up and seeing He's there! Imagine awakening with God over the tent! This is what happens when we remain in that Holy Place, aligned with Him and His thoughts. This is what it means to walk in the glory of His presence.
The glory doesn't lift but rests and settles upon us, in our wakefulness and in our sleep. It fills us afresh with the fatness of the richness of His oil – to the point that our lips cannot help but speak of His lovingkindness. Just as David did, we will praise God because, even when we are lying down at night, we cannot help but meditate on His glorious ways (see Psalm 63:1-2, 5-6).
Become a Gate
By abiding in the dwelling of the glory, we become gates who have the potential to see multitudes get delivered, healed, and born again. We have the potential to lead thousands upon thousands of people into the inner court. There revelation of the Word as more than simply a good teaching floods their hearts and becomes the very essence of their DNA, causing them to worship because of the vastness of the God they had never known before. Suddenly they understand, as the Illuminator illuminates the truth, ringing it true to their hearts, and they are flooded with praise, saying, "Oh! How majestic are You and Your ways, O Lord! Under the shadow of Your wing, I am protected."
In the abiding place of His presence, deep calls to deep and Spirit calls to spirit, telling of the reality of how big God really is. The impossible floods the heart, mind, and imagination with possibility, with the reality that He knew us before we were born, called us, and fashioned our days for us. Let us all pray, "Teach me Your ways, O Lord. Let me know You and Your ways." Let us purpose in our hearts to be overshadowed and to dwell in the secret place!
Enjoying Our Resurrection Life
This anointing also destroys yokes and removes burdens. When Jesus called Lazarus to come forth in John 11:43, Lazarus was resurrected and alive, but Jesus then followed up by saying to those there, "Loose him." He did this because Lazarus was still bound hand and foot with grave clothes, and until they came off, he could not fully enjoy resurrection life.
When we are under the anointing, our grave clothes are loosed! By and by, we no longer see ourselves as other people say we are, but we see ourselves in the revelation of who Christ says we are! Habitually dwelling with Him brings this about! (Photo by Kevin Moffatt "Come Out!"via elijahshopper.com)
Once we are through the gate named Christ and in the Holy of Holies, once we are clothed in righteousness, we don't have to go back to the outer court or the inner court; we can remain in there. Through His Blood, He made the way and made it possible.
When He sees us garbed in our priestly garments, He doesn't see the mess; He sees glory and beauty. It's the right place to be!
If we enter into a beautiful house but never get past the foyer, we won't ever really enjoy or appreciate the house. In the same way, as we enter the Lord's presence, He will turn on every light in welcome. In Psalm 85:9, it says the Lord has saved us so His glory may dwell in our land; this means, those who are born again should be spreading and manifesting His glory.
We must first experience victory in the Lord ourselves, and this victory happens when He overshadows us with His wings as we abide in Him. In that dwelling place, we experience the Spirit of burning, which releases the spirit of judgment and a canopy of glory, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night (see Isaiah 4:4-5).
Let's pray right now, "God, I give You permission to burn up everything that keeps me from learning to dwell with You." Now confess it often, "My heart is to dwell with You!"
Prayer
Father God, I thank You for all the people reading this article. I decree and declare over their lives that they are covered by the cloud of glory! Now, Father, I ask for the overshadowing of the glory realm. I decree that they are walking in the strength and stature of Christ in them, that each one carries the weighty presence of the Lord. They are not satisfied just to touch the Holy Presence now and then, not content for a visitation here and there, but are earnestly seeking the habitation of Your glory resting upon them. I ask for all who have ears to hear to know a new and greater degree of Your tangible presence in their lives and in their households. I pray that the beauty of Your glory will even be seen by their children and their children's children.
God, release that fire and help us in every area where we are not making Your presence our habitation; bring us into alignment. Help us to know Your truth in our inward parts so that we may walk in a greater degree of Your glory. Make us beckoners who will see hundreds and hundreds set free in the mighty name of Jesus. (Photo by Jennifer Page "His Flame" via elijahshopper.com)
Friends, I pray that each of you diffuses a greater fragrance of Christ's victory wherever you go and that He would surely overshadow you so that all you come into contact with would encounter His holy presence. I pray that you would become peacemakers and that you would release the priestly blessing everywhere you go. It is a whole new day. We are shucking off shame and condemnation. We are breaking out of doubt and unbelief. We are not just going to touch the glory, but we will abide and dwell in the secret place where nothing can touch us because we are protected under the shadow of His wing.
Let the fragrance of Your holy presence be upon Your people, Lord. Anoint them with fresh, fragrant oil! Wherever they tread, Lord, in coming days, I pray that their thoughts and minds will be with You, that they will tread as gatekeepers in the house of God, that as they open up the gate for the King of glory, it will release a blessing of the spiritual rain of Ezekiel to bring breakthrough, righteousness, peace, and joy. May they bring salvation, the victory of the justice that Jesus delivered at the Cross, and Your victory!
You have an invitation to not only dwell with the Lord and continually experience the magnificence of His presence, His protection, and His many blessings, but to also draw close to His heart and develop a life of communion together. Such a mutually abiding life requires a decision on your part, a resolve and perseverance. I highly recommend memorizing the entire sixteen verses of Psalm 91 for further encouragement. The vastness of God is beyond your understanding. Press into it right now!
Keith and Janet Miller
Stand Firm World Ministries
Stand Firm World Ministries
Keith and Janet Miller minister throughout the U.S. and internationally, across denominational boundaries, with a vibrant teaching, preaching, and ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit, seeing entire cities and regions impacted by the glory of the LORD! Keith and Janet have founded and pastored a church. Keith is also a conference speaker, and he and Janet are regular guests on Christian television.
They have put together Apostolic Revival Teams to see entire regions powerfully impacted with a fresh anointing, fresh oil, and an increase of a deeper passion for JESUS. Keith and Janet's hearts are to see God's people released and walking in their destiny for the LORD, to see the advancement of the Kingdom of God through each person's life, and the effective working of HIS mighty power through the Believer's life.
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Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the Harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." Matthew 9:37-38 NKJV
With that sense of urgency, Jesus isn't going to thrust us out ill-equipped. No, He's going to give us His effectual wonder-working power and authority to help us bring in the harvest quickly. He's going after the harvest, and He's empowering us for it!
