God is Our Protector
More than ever, I am looking to God to be my Protector. I have learned, through a variety of trials and spiritual attacks that God is the Protector of my soul. God will carry my spirit all the way to Heaven despite the Enemy’s best attempts to derail me or destroy me. I love how the Apostle Paul talks about this concept of not being destroyed: 2 Corinthians 4:8-11 “we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”
When we think about the character trait of “protector” we think of this English definition (online dictionary): “a person or thing that protects; defender; guardian.”
The English (online) dictionary definition of “protect” is: “to keep safe from harm or injury.”
While there are times when God allows trials and sufferings to come into our lives, He always protects His children from total destruction. Satan, our enemy, wants to destroy us completely. He wants us gone, annihilated. But once we put our faith in Jesus Christ, we belong to Him forever and He will make sure we pass from this life into the next life to spend a glorious eternity with God.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 says, “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
In the Old Testament, we see many examples of God as Israel’s Protector. Exodus 14:14 says, “The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent.”
We see the Psalmist describe the Lord God as his protector (even though the word “protector” is not present, the idea of being protected is present in this passage):
Psalm 27:1-5 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When evildoers assail me to eat up my flesh, my adversaries and foes, it is they who stumble and fall. Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war arise against me, yet I will be confident. One thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.”
Another way God protects us who believe in Him is by working out all things (even terrible things) for our good. Romans 8:28 highlights this form of God’s protection: “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
We see God’s protection in the concept of “God being for us” described in Romans 8:31 – “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”
Take this knowledge, that God is your Protector, with you through all the hours of all of your days, and allow it to cause you to relax, even in the face of adversity and suffering. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, no one and nothing can pluck you from the Father’s hand. John 10:27-30 gives us this confidence: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”
Praise the Lord for protecting us, His Sheep!