Christ in Your Corner

Life is not fair. There are times when even the basic things we do seem like a battle; as if we are running uphill, always against the wind. When the mountain in front of us seems beyond our ability to climb, or when the waves roar and threaten to capsize our boat. Adversity challenges our perseverance, and tests our endurance. Always remember that you have Christ in your corner.

The Bible says, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings,” (1 Peter 5:8–9).

Paul advises us in Ephesians 6:10–12, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

In 2 Corinthians 10:3–5, Paul states, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

Evil spirits wander through arid places seeking rest (Matthew 12:43). They use false teachers to spread false narratives to convince you that you are not worthy. John offers believers encouragement in 1 John 4:4, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.”

YOU ARE NEVER ALONE

When you seem powerless and at the breaking point you must remember that you are never alone. God is with you as He was with Moses on the shore of the sea as Pharaoh’s army approached, and the Israelites doubted. “Moses answered the people, ‘Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still,’” (Exodus 14:13–14).

God is by your side as He was with Joshuah before he crossed the Jordan river. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go,” (Joshua 1:9).

In Deuteronomy 3:22, Moses reminded Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them; the Lord your God Himself will fight for you.” And in Deuteronomy 31:8, Moses again counselled Joshua, “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”

Whatever storm you are in the middle of, understand that God is with you. He allows us to experience storms so that we can experience His presence. When it seems as if nothing is going right and the odds are not in your favor–seek the Lord. Life isn’t fair. Life isn’t just. But God, who is just will strengthen you in your time of need. His power is made perfect in your weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).

In 1 Samuel 30:3–6, King David was discouraged in his battle with the Amalekites. “When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. David’s two wives had been captured – Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the Lord.”

David went on to defeat the Amalekites and recover all that was lost because of his faith in God. He showed kindness to an Egyptian slave while pursing the Amalekite army, and in doing so, the slave led him to his enemy. David’s faithfulness to the precepts of the Lord led him to be merciful even when he was in a battle. His victory was due to his trust in God.

Jesus Himself was deeply challenged in His human experience. He faced opposition at every turn. The religious leaders conspired against Him, the devil tried to undermine His ministry and in the garden at Gethsemane Jesus felt the weight of His mission. It was there that He said, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from Me; yet not My will, but yours be done,” (Luke 22:42).

IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN STAND AGAINST US?

In Romans 8:26 Paul says, “the Spirit helps us in our weakness.” And in verse 31, he states, “If God is for us, who can stand against us?” We are more than conquerors through Christ Jesus (Romans 8:37). And when Paul was faced with an imminent shipwreck on his way to Rome, he admonished the crew to keep up their courage because of his faith in God (Acts 27:25).

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul wrote, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus,” (Philippians 4:6–7).

And the writer of Hebrews declares in Hebrews 4:15, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin.” God understands our fears and apprehensions not only because He has witnessed every human struggle throughout history–but because He has been there Himself.

Psalm 118:8–9 states, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.” People will let you down, betray you, and reject you. Judas betrayed Christ and when Jesus was arrested, the disciples scattered and abandoned Him. Peter denied knowing Him.

Not only does Jesus relate to us in our rejection, but He also demonstrates that forgiveness sets us free from it. When He hung on the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” (Luke 23:34). Redemption not only impacts our vertical relationship with God, but it also affects our horizontal relationships. We forgive others who trespass against us.

In John 16:33, Jesus tells the disciples, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” And James 4:8 reminds us, “Come near to God and He will come near to you.” We draw near to the Lord when we pray and read His words. Jesus invites us to abide in Him (John 15:5). Apart from Christ we can do nothing.

The word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12). It has the power to lead us through the storms we face. When we study our Bible and familiarize ourselves with its contents it changes our lives and equips us to draw near to God. When faced with ignorance about the resurrection by the Sadducees, “Jesus replied, ‘You are in error because you do not know the scriptures or the power of God,’” (Matthew 22:29).

Ephesians 6:13–17 highlights the resources we have at our disposal. “Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

Satan can make us feel defeated before the battle is over. We can feel backed against the wall and think there is no escape. People have a tendency to beat themselves up and focus on past failures, or mistakes they have made, and tell themselves they cannot succeed. This negative mindset only serves to fuel the fire of our adversary Satan.

Psalm 34:18 reminds us, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” When we call out to Him amidst our darkest moments, He meets us where we are. He doesn’t wait for us to get our affairs in order before we come to Him. When we trust Jesus, not only does He meet us, He also stays with us, consoles us, and counsels us. He reassures us with the words, “And surely I am with you always,” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus, the name above all names, is always in our corner.