Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Robert Murray McCheyne
Devotional: 4 Reasons You Shouldn’t Fear Enemies if You Abide in Jesus
God is our fortress. David wrote in the Psalms that if you believe in God, He is your fortress and He will defend you against all your enemies. In fact, God will make your enemies as your foot stool. Who wouldn’t want to overcome the world through Jesus? There’s only one ally you need even if the world is against you. That ally is Jesus Christ. Here are the four reasons why we shouldn’t fear our enemies if we abide in Jesus.
They Meant it for Evil but God uses it for Good
When Joseph’s brothers found out that their father Jacob was about to die, they were scared because they thought Joseph would seek revenge on them. Joseph’s brothers hated him so much that they sold him to slavery But Joseph said, ‘You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good’, so whatever evil your enemies might throw your way, God will find a way to make it work for your good. If you believe in this and have a real relationship with Jesus, it will happen time and time again. As the book of Romans says, ‘All things work for those who love Jesus’. So, claim that promise and your faith will make it happen.
God Won’t Give You a Test You Can’t Handle
Did you ever notice that the moment you accept Jesus and the closer you get to God, your life starts spinning out of control. It seems that bad things kept happening to you, the closer you get to Jesus. This is a typical case of the devil doing everything he can do to make you blame God. The same way he gave Job a hard time, you can bet he will give you that same hard time. The good news is that according to the first book of Corinthians, ‘God will never give you a test you can’t handle’. Just trust in him. That is the key.
God can Test You with Enemies but He also Gives You the Solution
Your enemies can do all sorts of things to make your life miserable but the reality is that the solution is always in your hand. In many cases, you might think you’re completely clueless and you might even be tempted that there’s no hope but if you trust and believe in God, you will realize that the solution is faith. Faith totally turns the world on its head as Jesus said, ‘If you only had the faith the size of a mustard seed, you can command mountains to fall into the sea.’ That’s how powerful faith is. Exercise your faith today by looking at your enemies in a different way.
Each Test is an Opportunity to let Christ Reshape Your Character
The reason why we’re here is to accept or reject Jesus. It’s a reflection of the fact that our point of being is in reference to the bigger question of what is God’s real character. The key part of that is to look at every challenge that you face as an opportunity. You can choose to be a victor with Christ by letting him reshape your character so you’re more faithful, forgiving, and loving, or you let the devil win and let it make you more spiteful, unforgiving, and hateful. At the end of the day, it’s your choice.
Conclusion
Enemies are there for a reason, just as challenges are there for a reason, so have faith that Jesus is using these enemies to transform your life.
