The Best Defense is a God Offense

“My defense is of God, which saveth the upright in heart.”  Psalm 7:10

There have been several articles on line on conservative websites which warn of increased Christian persecution when the new administration takes office.  How much of what is predicted will actually come to pass we don’t know, but if anything is true, it is the fact that nothing will happen unless God allows it.  Some do not believe that anything will change regarding the church of Jesus Christ versus the secular government, but what has already been proposed by those who are about to be the nation’s new leaders causes those of us who are committed Christians to be alarmed.  We already know that the unlimited killing of the unborn and even the newborn is high on the agenda of the left.  We have already experienced the shutting down of church services due to the pandemic, yet bars, pot shops, and abortion clinics were deemed necessary to stay open.  So what are we as believers in Jesus Christ to do should we begin to experience subtle or not so subtle persecution from the government?

As King David wrote in Psalm 7, emotions can get the best of humans, but he realized that his only hope was in God, and he understood that God could help him conquer his fears.  Not only was his enemy a threat to his physical life, but his persecutors sought to destroy him mentally and spiritually.  But what if he was guilty?  In that case, he understood that he deserved punishment.  A person who desires to be completely honest with himself or herself will recognize himself or herself as a sinner who will be held accountable for sin.  On the other hand, those who trust in God rely upon Him for their vindication.

There has also been a lot of comments made by folks who read these on line articles about the potential of Christian persecution from those who will be in charge of the government.  Some of them believe the church has gotten so far away from its first love, that of Christ and the gospel much like the church at Ephesus in the book of Revelation, Chapter 2, whom Christ rebuked, that perhaps all of these threats of persecution are happening to bring judgment upon the church.  I Peter 4:17 tells us that “the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God…”  The church of which I am a member has sound Biblical preaching, outreach to the lost, and has been a huge help to the community especially during the pandemic, thus I have little knowledge of what is going on in other churches.  However, judging from the state of the world and the vast inroads that Satan has made across the globe, it would appear that the church is headed for a reckoning.  This tells me that threats of persecution against the church are very real.

Those of us who are completely dependent upon God and know Christ as Lord and Savior and are committed to live for Him will not be judged.  Our sins were judged at the cross.  In football, the offense is the side which has the ball and tries to score a touchdown.  The defense, of course, tries to stop the offense from scoring.  God is both our offense and defense.  He sees us down the path to victory, and, at the same time, protects us from the enemy who would delay, destroy, or decimate us. The ungodly may have an offense as they attempt to push through their unbiblical agenda, but they have no defense.  They may persecute us and make life difficult for us, but they will never destroy us.

David went on to say that God’s sword is sharpened and the string of His bow is taut and strong, ready to shoot into the heart of the wicked so that they may fall into the grave of which they dug themselves.  So to all of those who aim to eliminate God and God’s people from the land, it ain’t gonna’ happen.  Just remember when the enemy comes to attack us believers, “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” ( I John 4:4).