God Needs no Help in Defending Himself

Do you feel the need to defend God?

   It is easy to get into debates with others over the existence of God. There is a difference between proclaiming Christ and justifying Him. The Lord has instilled in every man, woman and child the truth of creation. Whether that is known to the individual or not, it is there. That proof is evident in everything we see, feel, touch, hear and smell. Those five senses are one of the ways God makes His presence known. There is no escaping the reality of the Lord.

   When I engage in trying to convince someone else my point of view concerning Christ, then, I have crossed over the line of faith and into spiritual pride. Here, I am not carrying God’s message, but my self-righteous agenda.

    I have learned through the Messiah that the best way of demonstrating the existence of God is for me to live firm on His word and present myself as a channel of His will.

   Yes, it is my responsibility to let others know that I am a believer, but I do not have the right to force my belief on others. The moment, I impose my will upon another, then; I have stepped over the boundary God has in place for me to follow.

   I cannot afford to live this way because I never know when Christ will use me to be an effective instrument of the will. I have to be prepared and by presenting myself in a judgmental manner cuts me off from being a useful tool for sharing the Gospel. I can only share my experience with others and leave the saving up to Christ.

   Let’s take a look at a few ways God has, so powerfully defended Himself.

The Old Testament

   In the Old Testament, the prophet Habakkuk lived at a time when Judah’s wickedness was widespread. The Assyrian rule was coming to an end, and Babylon was overtaking the region. Habakkuk was waiting for God’s response in bringing righteousness and justice back into Judah.

   God’s answer to Habakkuk petition came in the form of the Chaldeans. (Habakkuk 1: 5-11) The Chaldeans were violent and evil conquerors feared by other nations. They came into Judah and took care of the wickedness. The Lord used them to defend His sovereignty.

   Another prime example of God’s glorious defense is Noah. At this time in history, the evilness of man had become an epidemic that God decided to do something about it. In Noah’s days, the way God defended His holiness was to protect Noah and wipe out the other people on earth. Now, this clearly identifies the Lord needs no one to protect what He created. The great flood said it all.

The New Testament

   The New Testament is where God has revealed His new plan of defending His domain. The arrival of Jesus into the world changed everything. Now the Father uses the Messiah to defend His kingdom, and that’s why anyone who believes in Christ will find protection from the evil one.

   Today there is no better display of God’s defenses than a life centered in Christ. Salvation is God’s way of letting Satan know that those who pick up their crosses and walk in the footprints of the Savior will find redemption. Even though the devil works hard at enticing us away from God, He shields the faithful from the evil one. God takes care of those who humble themselves before Christ.

   Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension into heaven proved to those present in His time on earth the power and the glory of the Lord. The Pharisees could not understand the significance of Christ’s role in the way He defended God's word. Pride blinded them and signed their death warrant.

   In the Acts of the Apostles, one of the finest examples of God’s protection against evilness was when Christ saved Saul. (Acts 9:1-9) Saul was notorious in persecuting the Christians at that time. He had the authority of the High Priest to arrest any person that proclaimed Christ. Saul was greatly feared by the church. Jesus converted him, changed his name to Paul and used him to carry the Gospel to the Gentiles. Paul wrote most of the New Testament.

   I have only highlighted a few of the many accounts attesting to the power of God. In my journey with Christ, I am continuing to learn from His wisdom the proper way to spread His Gospel.

   My reliance upon Jesus is where I am able to find a balance in the excitement of the Good News He brings to me.  Not everyone I share with wants to hear the truth and when I choose to butt heads with them is where I have departed from my selfless service to Christ and have entered into self-righteousness. All that is expected of me to do is to proclaim Christ death and profess His resurrection.

The question for today: How do you spread Christ’s Gospel?