God Protects His Children.
a – God’s Protection
Every human being needs protection, whether they are Christian or not. Today, all you have to do is follow advertisements or watch the media to realize that many people, insurance agencies, etc., all talk to us about protection. They claim to protect us against all risks and life accidents. For many non-Christians, the quest for protection sometimes leads them to seek guidance from fortune-tellers, mediums, shamans, marabouts, fetish priests, and so on. This protection, fragile and ephemeral, is assured by Satan. It is risky, both spiritually and physically. It’s a sure way to sell one’s soul to the devil.
On the other hand, Christians, worshippers of the Almighty God, are protected by God. He gave humanity His beloved Son, Jesus Christ. He is the best protector there is, and the most beautiful life insurance exists only in Him. He protects the whole person: body, soul, and spirit. Before we continue, let’s say that protection is the action of safeguarding, defending someone against danger, harm, or risk that endangers their life.
To illustrate our point, let’s rely on examples from the Bible. We will discuss the infant Jesus (Matthew 2:7–15, 19–21), Moses, the firstborns of the Israelites, the people of God, and Jesus’ disciples in mortal danger in the boat (Luke 8:22–25). God, having decided to offer humanity the Redeemer, had Him come into the world in the land of Palestine through Mary, a young virgin engaged to Joseph, a young man of good upbringing. Following the star from the East, the wise men went to the child, worshipped Him, and brought their gifts showing that one does not come into the presence of God empty-handed.
Jealous of his power and feeling threatened, King Herod decided to kill all children aged 2 and older, with the aim of eliminating Jesus. Jesus had a star, even better, He is the Bright Morning Star. He bore God’s Message, a message of life, of salvation. He is the Savior. Nothing could happen to Him before He began His ministry and completed it. His enemy, King Herod, died to allow His destiny to be fulfilled. Doesn’t Isaiah say:
“For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your savior; I give Egypt for your ransom, Cush and Seba in your place because you are precious in my eyes” (Isaiah 43:3)?
But Beloved in Christ, one who has a promise from God will be protected until its fulfillment, as long as they walk in the fear of their God. These were the cases of Moses, in Exodus 2:1–8, a child drawn from the water, born of an Israelite couple against whom the Pharaoh raged, of the Israelites (Exodus 12:29–36) in Egypt during the 10th plague against the firstborns, as well as the disciples on the Sea of Galilee when suddenly a storm arose, filling the boat with water in which the disciples and Jesus were. They were saved because they were with Jesus.
Do you have Jesus with you, my brother, my sister? Who could come to your aid when you find yourself in danger? Your father, your mother, or someone else? Perhaps these parents are no longer in this world? Then who? Who has the ability to be with you every moment, my friend? Only God is with us at every moment and everywhere, night and day. Your money? Your power?
Think again! Protection from money or political, religious, or whatever power is not a sure protection. Money cannot buy everything, nor can power. Struck by illness, by a murderer, or by a military coup, the rich die, kings are deposed or pass away. Recent and past history abound with many examples. In all these situations, some of them absurd as in the case of Moses who found himself, by the irony of fate, as the French expression would say, in the house of the one who decided to exterminate all the males of his invaders only God is the TRUE PROTECTOR.
b-How can I receive God’s protection?
Because of man’s sin and the curse it brought upon God’s perfect creation, the world has become a dangerous place. People suffer daily from natural disasters, crime, health issues, etc. It is natural to seek protection from the pain and sorrow of life. Does the Bible promise us God’s protection when we are part of His eternal family?
Several verses in the Word of God seem to promise physical protection, for example, Psalm 121:3, which says, “He will not let your foot slip, he who watches over you will not slumber.” In verse 7, the Psalmist declares, “The Lord will keep you from all harm, he will watch over your life.“
When Israel entered the promised land, God promised them that He would not leave them or forsake them (Deuteronomy 31:6). At first glance, it seems that God promises to protect His children from evil; but then why do so many Christians around the world face persecution, illness, grief, accidents, and injuries? We all know Christians whose “steps” have “slipped.” Has God betrayed His promise or have we forgotten something? In the context of the Mosaic Covenant: as long as the children of Israel obeyed God, He promised them various material and physical blessings, for their crops, livestock, children, etc. (Deuteronomy 28).
The Old Covenant speaks a lot about earthly blessings, including physical protection. This was the basis of Hezekiah’s prayer when he was struck with a terminal illness (2 Kings 20:1-6). Throughout the Old Testament, God protects His people to fulfill His purposes (see for example Exodus 1:22-2:10, 1 Kings 17:1-6, Jonah 1). It is important to understand that we are no longer under the Old, but under the New Covenant.
God does not promise to keep believers in Christ from all physical harm. Certainly, He sometimes protects us in situations where we might suffer injuries or losses, as shown notably by Paul and Luke’s survival after the shipwreck in Acts 27 and Paul’s resistance to the snakebite in Acts 28, but today, God’s promises to believers primarily concern our spiritual protection. When we put our faith in Jesus Christ for our salvation, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us. From then on, we are sealed for eternity and under God’s spiritual protection.
This means that regardless of our future sins and Satan’s plans, we will never lose the salvation that God has granted us (2 Timothy 1:12). Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:38-39). Furthermore, we are freed from the dominion of sin and are no longer slaves to our sinful thoughts, desires, and actions, being born again for a life of holiness (Romans 6:22). Throughout our lives, God “will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7) and will give us the strength, peace, and perseverance we need to resist every trial or temptation.
His Spirit produces in us fruits that will strengthen our Christian walk (Galatians 5:22-23) and He gives us powerful tools through which we can repel the spiritual attacks of the enemy (Ephesians 6:10-18). There is nothing wrong with asking God to protect us physically, as long as we are aware that He will not always grant it to us. He knows that the trials we face strengthen us and that with each physical trial, we are assured of His spiritual protection. So, instead of seeking total physical protection, we can remember the words of James:
“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” (James 1:2-3).
So, God has a purpose behind every situation He allows or initiates in a person’s life. The desired purpose is our salvation, our edification, and His glory…
This text is an excerpt from the book “The Enemies of Man” written by Jérémie TCHINDEBE.
We invite you to read the following article “The enemy of man is man himself“.
God Protects
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