Sunday, July 20, 2014

God Always Wins!

No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me,” Says the LORD (Isaiah 54:17, NKJV).
In Hebrew, weapon refers to any tool or utensil used against a person. A weapon is anything that could be used against you for evil intent.
  • If someone used his car against you, it shall not prosper.
  • If someone used her cell phone against you, it shall not prosper.
  • If someone used his checkbook against you, it shall not prosper.
  • If someone used her clout against you, it shall not prosper.
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper,” the Lord says. Nothing built, sharpened, aimed at, or fired against you, your family, your church family, God’s kingdom, or God’s people will succeed. Though your enemies may seem to win for a while—a job may be eliminated, a child may wander far, a life may even be lost—in the end, even these tragedies will be enfolded in God’s agenda for prospering those who are truly His.
Why is this true? The reason “no weapon formed against you shall prosper” is not because you are a fierce warrior, but because He is. “One man of you puts to flight a thousand, since it is the LORD your God who fights for you, just as he promised you” (Joshua 23:10, ESV). Could you single-handedly chase away a thousand soldiers? No, but God can—and it is He who fights for you. He is the Defender of His children.
Isaiah assures us our enemies’ weapons will not prosper. That word is translated succeed in ESV and prevail in NIV, and the concept gives us hope. No assault will be final. Even if it appears to be prospering, it’s not done yet. Even if it wins the battle, it won’t win the war. God takes it very seriously when someone opposes or attacks the ones He loves.
Just as their weapons will not win, neither will their words: “And every tongue which rises against you in judgment You shall condemn.” Have you ever been a target for hurtful words because of your stand for the Lord? Have you experienced ridicule in your workplace or home because of your loyalty to Jesus? Do you know the sting of scorn because of your stand for God’s truth? Have you been rebuked because of your fidelity to God’s agenda?
If you answered “no” to all of those questions, that’s not a good sign. It suggests the people around you haven’t noticed a direct connection between you and God. Consider 2 Timothy 3:12, “Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
If you answered “yes” to any of those questions, then savor this truth: God always wins! Romans 16:20 previews the final round: “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.”
You may wonder, When will this victory happen? Does God’s definition of “soon” match ours? “Soon” implies sooner than we think—especially from an eternal perspective. Before long we will be in eternity, astonished by how fast life on earth raced by. This story will soon be in its last, glorious chapter, and Jesus Christ the Lord will be forever victorious. Spoiler alert: at the end of the Book, God wins.
And because He wins, so will you. You get to share in His victories. “This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord.” As you face the weapons and words of your enemies, as you engage in the battles of life, set your heart and hope on the final outcome. It’s going to end well for you. Guaranteed.

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