Saturday 7 May 2011

God is for me

When I cry out to You, Then my enemies will turn back; This I know, because God is for me. In God (I will praise His word), In the LORD (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? - Psalm 56v9-11

These are scary days. I spoke with a pastor friend last night who is going through a very through a very tough time with his church and some people in it. It seems like no matter where we turn or how we try to serve we run in to opposition. We expect that opposition to come from the outside, but sometimes we get hit by it from the people and sources and people we would least expect it.

This is tough. Most of us don't like conflict. We like things to go along peacefully and amicably. It would be wonderful if we could just go through a peaceable and quiet life without fears or opposition.

But that is not how it works. When we try to serve God and please Him the great enemy himself will oppose us at every turn. He will fight us tooth and nail. He can even turn our friends against us. Our enemy is not them, our enemy is not even the lost who oppose us. Our enemy is the wicked one, the old dragon, Slewfoot, 'ye olde deluder Satan,' the devil, the accuser, the adversary, the evil one, the father of lies, Lucifer, the serpent, the tempter, the wicked one, and the enemy of all righteousness.

So what do we do in the face of this great ancient enemy? We say with David, 'When I cry out, my enemy will turn back, this I know because God is for me.' The thing Satan most desires is for us to sense despair and defeat.

We need not give in. The great liar will one day be defeated. If God is for is, and He is, who can stand against us?m, our enemy is not even the lost who oppose us. Our enemy is the wicked one, the old dragon, Slewfoot, 'ye olde deluder Satan,' the devil, the accuser, the adversary, the evil one, the father of lies, Lucifer, the serpent, the tempter, the wicked one, and the enemy of all righteousness.

So what do we do in the face of this great ancient enemy? We say with David, 'When I cry out, my enemy will turn back, this I know because God is for me.' The thing Satan most desires is for us to sense despair and defeat.

We need not give in. The great liar will one day be defeated. If God is for is, and He is, who can stand against us? 

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