1. So is God for us or against us? Hmmm.
2. I know the answer in good times comes real easily, but in other times… we might just think God is against us somehow.
NOTE: Some people read v31 and walk away thinking, “Well, God is for me in this situation. He’s not for me this time.”
But what does the IF mean?
• Is it asking the question, “well I’m not so sure what God is doing?” – OR –
• Is Paul making a statement, a claim, that based on all that we know of God’s great and wonderful plan… God IS for us!!!!
YES: If you’re a child of God, God is for you! He’s on your side.
• Christians: God is for us, not against us!
• He loves you very much and the word if, you can circle it and write next to it, SINCE.
• Since God is for us, who can be against us?
Look back at 8:1-2… no condemnation.
• There’s no condemnation to who? Those in Christ Jesus!
• God doesn’t pass a sentence on you. We have been cleansed and purged of our sins… past, present, & future!
• We’ve been made right with God through the blood of the lamb!
And because we’re children of God and He’s our Abba Daddy, the Holy Spirit is working in all of our trials, all of our pains, all of ours sorrows, all of our successes… for good.
• His plan including His foreknowledge, predestination, calling, justification, glorification.
God’s plan and work of salvation in our lives is so powerful, so wonderful, so soul-stirring!
• I’m spotless in His sight living in His blessed assurance.
• I love Jesus. He Loves me. I live for Him. He lives through me!
OK… so now v31 pops right off the page.
• If God is for us… SINCE God is for us, who can be against us!
• I’m on God’s side. I’m walking in His love, His will, His purposes.
But I’ll tell you, there is this spiritual attack to undermine these precious truths in our lives.
• To get us as Christians back on our heels, in retreat!
• Oh everything is against me Pastor Ed! I’m buried in things that are against me and I’ll never get out…
• But Paul reminds, IF GOD IS FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?
Who can be against us? A lot of things can be against you.
#1 – We have SPIRITUAL ENEMIES.
• We stepped into a serious spiritual battle and gained some pretty powerful enemies along the way.
• There is this new battle against the world, the flesh, & devil.
Ephesians 6:10-11 (NKJV) 10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
NOW: You’ve probably heard it said that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life. THAT’S TRUE and ENCOURAGING!
• But at the same time, Satan hates you, and has a HORRIBLE plan for your life.
• He wants to DISTRACT, DISRUPT, and ultimately DESTROY you.
• He wants you as a Christian to be weak, feeble, & ineffective.
• He doesn’t want you relying on Jesus or in church, or reading your Bible, or reaching others with the gospel.
• He wants your marriages ruined, your kids shattered, and you he’ll take as miserable & depressed as
• Anything & Everything BUT growing strong spiritually!
WHEN YOU chose sides, you committed your life to Jesus Christ.
• We know on that day, you became a part of the family of God.
• And by doing that, you DECLARED WAR…
• But on that day, you also enlisted as a soldier of Jesus Christ.
• Paul told young Timothy…
1 Timothy 6.12 Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were also called and have confessed the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
APP: The spiritual war we are involved in is a GOOD FIGHT.
• It’s worth every ounce of energy you can muster up. WHY?
• Because the salvation of souls is at stake.
• Because despite the attacks… people are still getting saved!
So yes, all sorts of things can be against us… and are.
• Satan, he can’t touch you, the real you.
• He can hassle you physically, shoot doubts your way, temptations, distresses, but the Bible encourages us…
1 John 4:4 (NKJV) 4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
#2 – LIFE’S SITUATIONS CAN BE AGAINST US.
• You know life can be awfully hard and bad at times.
• There are diseases, distresses, sorrows & sadnesses.
• Mix in a few sinful mistakes, & life can seem heavy.
#3 – WE CAN BE AGAINST OURSELVES.
• I can be my own worst enemy at times, that’s for sure!
• Romans 7 talks about the flesh that we all deal with.
• It’s a constant tug of war between the Spirit & the flesh.
Matthew 26:41 (NKJV) 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Galatians 5:17 (NKJV) 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
• That battle gets so tiring doesn’t it? Ever get tired? I SURE DO!
• But then again, God’s Word speaks to me…
Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) 9 And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.
NOTE: BY THE WAY, for those of you taking notes, or just jumping into Bible study… memorizing Scriptures is so important.
Psalm 119:11 (NKJV) 11 Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You.
• To take His Word with us wherever we go is important.
• TO carry it, use it. Have one in the desk, in your car, on your phone, your computer… to be covered and saturated…
• But to hide it in your heart gives the Holy Spirit ammunition to help you stay strong in the midst of the fight!
John 14:26 (NKJV) 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
SO all the things that might be against us… are no match for God!
• Often we look to closely at the size of our enemy, or at the impossibility of the situation…
• And lose sight of the fact that God is for us!
• We lose sight of God’s perspective & power & purpose!
I KNOW WHAT TRIPS US UP SOMETIMES…
• We aren’t in control and we don’t like it!
• And when we’re not in control, we tend to be overtaken with a frantic attempt to get control… instead of trusting in the Lord.
• Since God is for us, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US?!
Flip over to Psalm 27…
• David cries out from His heart… it sounds like mine.
Psalm 27:1-3 (NKJV) 1 A Psalm of David. The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? 2 When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. 3 Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.
• My heart v3, shall not fear. I will be confident.
• I don’t need to take things into my own hands… I can trust.
NOW look at v32…
• Here’s the proof of God’s love and care for us.
• Since God gave His Son for us, how will He not give us all things.
• God provided way for your sins to be forgiven was sacrificial.
• Anything else is less than that… certainly if He’s given you His best, He’ll continue to guide, love, and protect you!
• This is the ULTIMATE evidence that God is for us.
• Jesus died for us. God didn’t spare His won Son for us.
Romans 5:8 (NKJV) 8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
• God gave His all for you and me… IF God was really against us, then He wouldn’t have given us Jesus! Wonderful truths…
OK, let’s head out with some applications… some spiritual conclusions that will bless our lives… ready?
#1 – GOD WILL NOT WITHOLD ANYTHING THAT’S GOOD FROM US!
Psalm 84:11 (NKJV) 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly.
• Since God is for us, who can be against us.
• Since He’s given His own precious dear son, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things.
• Remember, this isn’t a blanket of selfish ambition for us, but the desire to have what God wants us to have!
• Peace, patience, kindness, goodness… help, hope, encouragement!
#2 – GOD IS STRONG & STEADY & RELIABLE IN THE SMALL & THE LARGE STUFF IN OUR LIVES!
• God’s taken care of our biggest problem… sin.
• This is the most incredible obstacle that we could have ever faced in the entirety of our lives!
• We were doing to die and go to hell… without Jesus!
• But in Jesus, God is for us… to help us to be steady, strong, and reliable in our times of need!
#3 – GOD IS READY TO HELP YOU. CALL UPON HIM.
1 Peter 5:7 (NKJV) 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
• That’s what v31-32 really say to us. God cares for you.
• Because He cares for us, we are to take all our anxiety and cast it upon Him…
• Casting our cares, our thoughts, our bills, our dashed hopes, our depression, our fears…
THEN v7… what a precious, sweet, promise from the Lord!
• In those times of anxiousness & worry… cast them upon Jesus.
• He cares for you. He so totally cares & loves you!
• The Greek language here speaks of a ONCE & FOR ALL casting.
• It’s not giving to him a few, and holding on to the ones we think we can handle on our own.
• It’s not picking & choosing what God can handle… ALL OF THEM!
• Let’s flip over to Luke 10.38-42 (Mary & Martha)
NOTICE: Martha was distracted with much serving… she was carrying her cares & burdens around with her.
• She was even trying to toss them onto her sister.
• But Mary… she was at the feet of Jesus. Peaceful & Comforted
Jesus is the CHIEF SHEPHERD… He’s the pastor that will never let you down, never discourage you, never feel overwhelmed.
• He’s like the father who cuddles his little children.
• Flip over to Psalm 103:8-17
Psalm 103:13-14 (NLT) The LORD is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him. For he understands how weak we are; he knows we are only dust.
Matthew 11.28-29 "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
