This Is God’s Battle

 

When we look at the world around us, it is easy to become overwhelmed by the plans, power, and apparent success of those who oppose God and His truth. Governments rise, nations threaten one another, wars are planned, political systems become oppressive, and forces hostile to Christianity seem increasingly confident.

If we spend all our time looking at the enemy, however, we may begin to believe that everything depends upon what the enemy intends to do.

The Christian must remember something greater:

This is God’s battle.

The enemies of God may make plans. They may possess great power. They may believe that they control the future. But Scripture teaches that no man, army, ruler, or nation possesses power independent of Almighty God.

Jesus Christ made this clear when He said:

“All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”

Those words should change the way Christians look at frightening events.

Christ did not say that He possessed some power. He said that all power had been given unto Him.

Then He gave His followers their responsibility:

“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations.”

That establishes an important order. Christ possesses the power. His people have the responsibility to remain faithful to Him.

We are not commanded to live in terror of what men may do. We are commanded to preach the gospel, teach the truth, obey Christ, and trust the outcome to God.

The World Hated Christ First

Jesus warned His disciples that following Him would bring opposition.

“If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”

He continued:

“If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.”

Christians should therefore not be surprised when the principles of Scripture conflict with the principles of the world.

The deeper issue is not simply political disagreement or conflict between human organizations. At its heart is a spiritual conflict involving obedience to God.

Jesus said:

“He that hateth me hateth my Father also.”

When men reject the authority of Christ, they ultimately reject the authority of the Father who sent Him.

That is why Christians must understand whose battle this really is.

If the opposition were merely against us, then everything would depend upon our strength.

But if the opposition is ultimately against God, then the enemy faces a power infinitely greater than anything found among men.

God Is Sovereign Over Nations

Isaiah 10 presents a remarkable example of the sovereignty of God.

Assyria was a powerful nation. Its rulers believed they acted according to their own wisdom and military strength.

Yet God declared:

“O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger.”

The Assyrian believed that he was directing events, but Scripture reveals that God remained sovereign over the entire situation.

God could use Assyria as an instrument of judgment, and when His purpose had been accomplished, God could judge Assyria itself.

Isaiah declares:

“Wherefore it shall come to pass, that when the Lord hath performed his whole work upon mount Zion and on Jerusalem, I will punish the fruit of the stout heart of the king of Assyria.”

There is a tremendous lesson here.

God does not lose control simply because wicked men appear to prosper.

Their temporary success does not prove that God has surrendered His authority.

Men may boast.

Armies may gather.

Rulers may imagine that history belongs to them.

But God remains God.

God Can Turn the Enemy Wherever He Chooses

Ezekiel 38 presents the same principle in dramatic language.

God says concerning the invading power:

“Behold, I am against thee.”

Then He declares:

“I will turn thee back, and put hooks into thy jaws.”

The picture is unmistakable.

The enemy may believe that he is moving according to his own plans, but God is still able to direct the circumstances.

This does not mean that every frightening event is pleasant or that God’s people will never experience hardship. Scripture never promises that.

It means something greater.

Nothing catches God by surprise.

Nothing removes Him from His throne.

Nothing forces Him to abandon His purposes.

The enemy sees his plans.

God sees the beginning and the end.

The enemy sees his strength.

God sees an instrument that can move only as far as His sovereign purpose permits.

Our Responsibility Is Faithfulness

When people become frightened, they often begin searching for human solutions.

They ask:

What will the government do?

What will another nation do?

What will happen to the economy?

What will happen if war comes?

What will happen if persecution increases?

Those questions may be understandable, but they must never become more important than the question:

What has God told His people to do?

Jesus has already answered.

Preach the gospel.

Teach His commandments.

Make disciples.

Remain faithful.

Trust Him.

The Christian’s responsibility is not to predict every move of every enemy. It is not to understand every political scheme or know every event that will occur tomorrow.

Our responsibility is to obey God today.

That is why fear can be so destructive. Fear causes us to look constantly at the strength of the enemy rather than the strength of God.

Faith does the opposite.

Faith acknowledges the danger but refuses to make the danger greater than God.

God Is an Enemy to the Enemies of His People

Near the conclusion of the sermon, attention is directed to the promise God gave in Exodus 23:22:

“But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak; then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries.”

Notice that the promise is connected with obedience.

God’s people are not told simply to demand deliverance while ignoring His commandments.

They are told to hear His voice.

They are told to obey.

They are told to do what He speaks.

Then comes the assurance:

“I will be an enemy unto thine enemies.”

The believer therefore does not need to carry the entire battle upon his own shoulders.

Our task is obedience.

God’s task is victory.

Look to God, Not to the Enemy

There may be difficult days ahead. Scripture never teaches Christians that history will always move peacefully or that wickedness will disappear without judgment.

But neither does Scripture tell us to surrender to fear.

The same Jesus who warned His disciples that the world would hate them also said:

“Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

That is the assurance the Christian needs.

Christ is with His people.

Christ has all power.

God remains sovereign over nations.

God can restrain an enemy, redirect an enemy, use an enemy for His purposes, and ultimately judge an enemy.

Therefore, when the world appears uncertain and the strength of evil seems overwhelming, the Christian must remember:

We are not watching a battle in which God is desperately trying to survive.

God is not threatened.

God is not confused.

God is not losing control.

He remains upon His throne.

Our responsibility is to believe His Word, obey His voice, preach the gospel, and remain faithful to Jesus Christ.

The enemy may have his plans.

Men may have their plans.

Nations may have their plans.

But above every plan of man stands the sovereign purpose of Almighty God.

This is God’s battle.