27/09/2025
Week 1: Jesus, My Shield
Pastor Reynold Lim
Genesis 15:1 – After this, the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward” (NIV).
The phrase “do not be afraid” shows that God understood Abram’s apprehension. Abram had just defeated a large army made up of an alliance of four kings (Genesis 14:14–16) and rescued his nephew Lot from captivity. He feared these kings might return to seek revenge.
God’s way of calming Abram’s fear was to remind him of who He is: “I am your shield, your very great reward.” Abram needed protection, and God assured him that He Himself was Abram’s shield and protector. Abram did not have to fear the four kings, for God’s protection was sufficient.
As pastors and full-time workers, we too face moments of doubt, fear, and uncertainty. God’s declaration of Himself as Abram’s shield is also His assurance to us of His safety and protection. His promise is not limited to physical protection but is a reminder of His everlasting faithfulness. Like Abram, we are called to refocus on God, our shield, and to stand firmly on His promises.
Every promise of God rests on four pillars of His character:
• His justice (Deuteronomy 32:4)
• His holiness (Leviticus 19:2)
• His grace and goodness (Ephesians 1:7)
• His truth (Numbers 23:19)
Proverbs 30:5 declares: “Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him.”
At the same time, Abram also needed assurance of reward. He had just turned down a great offer of wealth from the king of S***m (Genesis 14:21–24).
After the battle against the four kings (Genesis 14:15–17), Abram was met by two kings: Bera, king of S***m, and Melchizedek, king of Salem. Bera offered him all the spoils in exchange for the people, but Abram rejected this offer. Melchizedek, on the other hand, blessed Abram, gave him bread and wine, and Abram responded by giving him a tithe of the spoils.
When God told Abram, “I am your very great reward,” He was assuring Abram that he had not lost anything by refusing the king of S***m’s wealth. Instead, God Himself would be Abram’s reward—far greater than any earthly riches.
Likewise, as pastors and full-time workers, we too have made sacrifices for God’s sake. Yet we can be confident that we are not on the losing end. God would more than repay all that we have given—our time, our resources, and our families’ sacrifices—for the sake of His kingdom. “For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do” (Hebrews 6:10).
Let us also take comfort in Psalm 84:11: “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless” (NIV).
Above all, Jesus is our shield of salvation. “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:21, NLT). As our Shepherd, He provides safety and care (Psalm 23).
Because Jesus is our shield, our faithful service, our wholehearted devotion, and our loving sacrifice all have eternal worth. El-Shaddai, the All-Sufficient God, “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:20–21). Amen.
Prayer Points:
October 1:
Pray that God would be the shield and great reward for pastors and full-time workers who serve Him wholeheartedly, so they would be fearless in all circumstances. (Genesis 15:1)
October 2:
Pray that the Lord would be the strength and shield in whom pastors and full-time workers can trust for help in times of need and trouble, so that their hearts may leap for joy and sing praises to Him throughout their lifetime. (Psalm 28:7)
October 3:
Pray that the Lord would be a shield to pastors and full-time workers, that they may lift their heads up high with confidence and assurance in the face of tremendous pressure and opposition as they carry out God’s agenda in their churches and communities. (Psalm 3:3)
October 4:
Pray that as pastors and full-time workers walk blamelessly before God, that He would be a sun and shield to them, bestowing His favor, honor, and every good thing in Him. (Psalm 84:11)
October 5:
Pray that pastors and full-time workers would learn to take refuge in the flawless Word of God, allowing it to be a shield over their lives. (Proverbs 30:5)