“The Lord is a warrior” (Exodus 15:3). I love that verse. God is a fighter, and a valiant one. God never loses a battle against an opponent. His perfect record still stands today, and will continue forever.
This is such encouraging news! Because we have weak spots, we face constant fears, we can be subjected to powerful enemies, and our sinful failures bully us.
God is not your enemy
So, when God fights, is he fighting for you or against you?
Does he ever hurl thunderbolts at you because he is burning mad? Does he concoct some kind of witch’s brew of circumstances to curse you because you’ve been bad? Will Jesus’ nostrils flare, eyes squint, and fists squeeze tight for another fight against you today—a fight he’d rather avoid but you leave him no choice. You’re a sinner.
That’s how it feels sometimes, I know. That’s even what you can hear from social media posts and maybe even a preacher.
Let me be clear. God has plenty of enemies, but as a believer you are not one of them. Think about this. How does the Bible describe believers?
You are God’s child. You are a saint. You are a new creation. At your baptism, God moved into your life and the Spirit of Jesus Christ lives in you. You are his temple. You have risen from spiritual death and the risen and living Jesus is the Lord of your identity and purpose. He comes to save, not to condemn
God is on your side
God will never back down from a fight when he must stand his ground, defend his truth, or protect you from an enemy. He is a warrior, a deliverer and a protector.
Jesus is King. He is almighty. He is not scared of storms in your life, circumstances you cannot control, or even your sins. He rules these.
God is on your side. “God is for us” (Romans 8:31). He conquers your sins. He fights your fears. He defends you against all evil. He puts the devil in his place. But he doesn’t fight you. He is not against you, but for you.
“The Lord is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies” (Psalm 118:7).
Your Lord God fights for you, not against you, and he never loses a battle. He wants you to fight, too, but never against him.
PRAYER: God, you are on my side. You don’t fight me, but fight for me. And you never lose a battle. Give me courage to fight, too, but never against you. Deliver me from my enemies in your perfect wisdom and work. I am on your side. Amen.
FURTHER MEDITATION: Here is a song by Christian artist Kari Jobe called “You Are for Me” https://youtu.be/6d9Lkgy-Nkc.