Christians are my heroes—they shine even brighter in the hardest times. The world looks on and catches a gleam of the difference Jesus is making!
“The surf that distresses the ordinary swimmer produces in the surf-rider the super-joy of going clean through it. Apply that to our own circumstances, these very things—tribulation, distress, persecution, produce in us the super-joy; they are not things to fight. We are more than conquerors through Christ in all these things, not in spite of them, but in the midst of them. The saint never knows the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but because of it.” – Oswald Chambers
Christians are spiritual warriors—commanded to put on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).
In light of the reality of spiritual warfare, I want to share with you some Scripture that is powerful in the battle against “the accuser of the brethren” (Revelation 12:10).
“For the Lord God will help me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
He is near that justifieth me; who will contend with me? let us stand together: who is mine adversary? let him come near to me.
Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up.
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Dissecting and defining those verses, I found these definitions in the Strong’s concordance and 1828 Noah Webster’s Dictionary:
“help” – to aid, assist, lend strength, lend means of deliverance, help one in distress, help one out of prison.
“confounded” – wounded, but only figuratively; made to be ashamed, put to confusion, reproached.
“justifieth” – pardon and clear from guilt, accept as righteous on account of the merits of the Savior; vindicate and defend.
“adversary” – a master having dominion who judges and charges with a crime.
“behold” – to fix the eyes upon, to direct or fix the mind upon, to observe with care.
Reading those definitions, I was even more encouraged by the power held in those verses:
The Lord God will help [aid, assist, lend strength, and provide means of deliverance];
THEREFORE I shall not be confounded [put to confusion, reproached]:
THEREFORE have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.
He is near that justifieth me [accepts, vindicates, and defends me as righteous on account of the merits of my Savior];
Who will contend with me? Let us stand together.
Who is mine adversary [master having dominion who judges and charges]?
Let him come near me.
Behold [fix your eyes and mind upon and observe with care], the Lord God will help me;
Who is he that shall condemn me?
Lo, they shall wax old as a garment;
The moth shall eat them up.
No wonder Christians can glorify God even in the midst of adversity—He is near that helps, justifies, defends, and protects us!!!
I hope these verses bless and strengthen you too.
Join me in remembering that—in Christ—we are “no ordinary swimmers” and we can surf through this life with “super-joy!”
