A Stubborn Supporter

"What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31)

If there's a Scripture easier for the enemy to use against a seasoned believer than this one, I don't know what it is. Just as he threw God's words at Jesus in Luke 4, hoping to throw Him off by causing Him to doubt God, this is one he brings up at the worst moments of our lives. In whispers or shouts, he challenges us:

That boss who is out to get you? Surely he's against you.
That election didn't turn out the way you'd hoped. The new leader will be against you.
You were thrown in jail for your faith. The authorities are against you.

Each challenge brings us to a climax of faith: will we believe God, or won't we? We understand the truth theologically, but in the warfare of the trenches we wonder how it applies to our situation.

Thankfully, God gives us examples from His word to show us that what Paul was teaching the Romans is that for a believer, He is a stubborn supporter. He is on our side - even when things are bad. He's not out to get us, to punish or condemn us, to curse us. He is FOR us.

Israel experienced God's stubborn support even as their own stubborn unbelief left them wandering the desert for 40 years. In the midst of that era, a prophet named Balaam thought he would curse Israel for a few bucks. Numbers 22-24 records the result: Every time he opened his mouth to curse, blessings poured forth. God was stubbornly supporting Israel. Israel didn't know what was going on behind the scenes, but God was actively working on their behalf.

Paul goes on to talk in Romans 8 about enduring death all day long, about facing persecution and trials and challenges. Yet he also talks about how God works good in all things ... not that all things are good. He is shaping us into His image, and we can know that the hard things we face are part of His good in our lives - that He is FOR us.

Don't let the enemy lie to you. You have a stubborn supporter. He is for you. Behind the scenes He is actively working on your behalf. He never stops transforming curses into blessings for His children.