Who Can Be Against Us?
“What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”
-Romans 8:31 |
The moment you choose to follow Jesus is the moment you choose to head down a path of persecution and worldly opposition (2 Tim. 3:12). Of all the promises afforded us by the Scriptures, none guarantee our life will be easy or comfortable but instead assure of just the opposite: “If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you,” was the warning of Christ to His disciples, yet they counted the sufferings of this present time unworthy to be compared with what they knew their Lord could offer (John 15:20; Rom. 8:18). We are told from the beginning exactly what we’re getting ourselves into by becoming a Christian and it should be anything but surprising when trouble comes our way.
Not only should we expect persecution, but we should follow the example of the apostles by learning to rejoice in them (Acts 5:41). Certainly the trial itself gives us no reason to be joyful, but the knowledge that we are living in obedience to the Scriptures and their Author in a noticeable way is reason enough to leap for joy (Luke 6:23). For each hardship, consider both the physical and mental sufferings of Christ which far surpassed what any of us are able to experience or imagine (Heb. 12:3). Did He agonize and weep? Of course! That’s never the problem, as long as we can pray the same prayer He did in the garden of Gethsemane: “Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.” (Luke 22:42) Nobody ever having prayed these words from their heart was given a heavier load than they were able to bear (1 Cor. 10:13).
It’s helpful when we understand that, just as no man can serve two masters (Matt. 6:24), it is impossible for a person to feed their soul while indulging their flesh. How many of us actually faced persecution when our soul was being starved of truth? In most cases it’s not until a person embraces things of eternal importance that they begin to encounter opposition, and so rather than despairing when rejected for your faith, learn rather to “rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” (Matt 5:12)
“Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”
-1 Peter 4:16
To answer the question Paul presented in Romans 8, if God is for us then technically a lot of people will probably stand against us. If a God of righteousness and truth calls you His child then don’t count on this world of wickedness and deceit to congratulate you for your newfound faith in Christ. The message of this verse is not that we’ll never face opposition, but that, if the Lord is our Shepherd, we have absolutely nothing to fear (Ps. 27:1). Who can take away your home, comfort, or possessions? Just about anybody. Who can take away your salvation? Jesus Himself answered this question in John 10:28 when He declared, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.”
Isn’t it great to know that God is on our side? More specifically, to know that He is for us? His thoughts toward us, according to the Psalmist, “cannot be reckoned up in order…they are more than can be numbered.” (40:5) The God Whom Scripture says neither slumbers nor sleeps relentlessly watches over His saints, counting their steps and directing their path in His wisdom and love (Ps. 121:4; Job 31:4; John 16:13).
This is the comfort we are offered by the Scriptures, not the false gospel of earthly prosperity often preached today. As a Christian, know that you will most certainly face the valley of the shadow of death and be forced to walk through the very midst of it (Ps. 23:4). “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (1 Cor. 15:57) To the Christian, death is only a shadow. Its sting does not harm us, for we are saved. Its victory is no more, for our Savior lives! No man has the power to lay anything to the charge of God’s elect and we can live in peace, knowing our eternity is safely held in the same hands which hold the universe (Rom. 8:33; Col. 1:17).
29 responses to Who Can Be Against Us?
Thanks for the encouraging post, Dakota!
And I hadn't thought of it until you said it, but those would be great verses to add to my list. :)
Amen! I just feel like posting the same thing right here!
I plan on adding Romans 8:31 when I get to it in my memorization of Romans, so I'll add 1 Peter 4:16.
Thanks!
Thank you! This was such an encouragement.
I just added Psalm 27:1, one of the verses that you posted.
Also, I would like to share two other encouraging verses: Psalm 56:3-4. It is: When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose Word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?
Thank you again! Amen.
thank you for posting this. It was very encouraging to me. I have wrote down all the verses and want to add any I do not already have to my memory verses. All very good verses to memorize. The one I took encouragement from today was John 10:28. He will not allow anyone to pluck us out of His hand. Amen and Praise God for that
Thank you again for sharing
AMEN, BROTHER!!! AMEN!!! You should try to get this published as an article in a Christian magazine! (Really, though!)
And we can thank the LORD that we do not have to go through half of what some people went through for their faith. Throughout the ages, thousands were brutally tortured in unimaginable ways for their faith in Christ. I also know that some of our members live in other countries (I'm in USA), so I do not know if they go through persecutions or not, but to anyone who may, I would plead with you to never abandon Christ!
Things future nor things that are now,
Nor all things below or above,
Can make Him His purpose forgo,
Nor sever my soul from His love.
~Augustus M. Toplady, 1700's
Thanks On-Christ-The-Solid-Rock-I-Stand! I actually write for the online Christian magazine, JournEzine, and this article will be published very soon under the "Daily Manna" section. I was recently invited to write for them and have really enjoyed it so far.
Thank you for posting this, Dakota. It is very encouraging to me.
Here is an encouraging verse: Psalm 32:7. It says, " You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance."
I plan on adding Romans 8:31. Thanks again for your encouragment!
I think God is calling me to be a forein missionary when I grow up, so please pray for me to be discreet.
Thanks for the encouraging post Dakota :)
PRAYER REQUEST !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE pray for the Duggar family. I am sure most of you have heard that Michelle is expecting #20....well.....I just found out she MISCARRIED!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE PRAY FOR THE DUGGAR FAMILY AS THEY GRIEVE AND RECOVER FROM THIS SHOCK.
@ on-Christ-the-solid-rock-I-stand
How do you get the moving faces?
@ Dakota Lynch
How do you make a blog?
Alex Watt and Daniel Staddon - I received the book today in the mail ! (the $100,000 Word). Thanks again!
Rachel
We would love to have more people writing blog posts. If you have something you want to write about and it is related to bible memorization, just send it to us and we will help you get it published.
I want to make a blog on my Bible Bee experience or Sister relationship. I've already done a Power Point on sisterly relationship.
Madagascar sounds very exciting!! I pray you take your passion for Scripture with you. It would be great to see Madagascar join us on the country leaderboard. Do you know missionaries there?
I know this isn't necessarily about memorization, but I came across so many great Bible verses while writing it that I decided it was worth sharing nonetheless. Which one will you memorize?