And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, He will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. - Romans 5:9 NLT
God’s Promise of Protection
Growing up Christian, I often heard that God protects us as believers. But I often wondered, What exactly is He protecting us from?
When we gave our lives to Jesus and put our faith in Him as our Savior, we became children of God and entered into His family. The Bible calls this “adoption” (1 John 3:1, Romans 8:14-15, Ephesians 1:5). And because we are part of God’s family, He protects us as His own children.
But the most important thing that He protects us from is the righteous punishment for our sins and eternal separation from God. This means that when we stand before Jesus, we can be sure He will welcome us into heaven with open arms! Not because of what we’ve done to earn His favor but because of the saving work Jesus did for us on the cross (an act called justification).
Fighting Spiritual Battles
But until we enter into the kingdom of heaven, the Bible also tells us that there will be conflict and trials in this life (John 16:33). But the good news is we fight this spiritual war from a place of victory. We know the battle is already won (1 Corinthians 15:57).
When Jesus declared “It is finished” on the cross, He was declaring that death was defeated, Satan wouldn’t win, and we had been guaranteed eternal life. But if that work has been finished, what exactly are we fighting for now?
The Fight for Our Minds
The fight begins in our minds. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ.” The obstacles this verse refers to have to do with negative thought patterns, corrupt beliefs about God, and a worldview that does not line up with the Bible. We are in a battle for truth.
The enemy wants to flood our minds with lies about who God is and who we are in Him. The weapons we use to fight the enemy are God’s Word and the good news of the gospel of Jesus. Remember, the enemy cannot take away our salvation, but he can attack our minds in a way that causes us to doubt it. Therefore, we must be on guard and fight with truth. The war is all about replacing lies with truth (see Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness in Matthew 4, Luke 4).
Living for Eternity
It’s important to remember that eternal life is ours. However, while on earth, we will face discouragement and battle for truth in our minds. The enemy will do his best to prevent us from finishing our Christian race, but we are called to fight back––knowing that no matter what happens, we are spiritually safe under God’s good protection.
Ephesians 1:14 says, “The Spirit is God’s guarantee that He will give us the inheritance He promised and that He has purchased to be His own people.” We are in God’s hands, and nothing can snatch us away. May we rest in knowing God protects us now and forever.
Dig Deeper
1. Reflect on the fact that nothing can take you out of the Father’s hand. How does that help you prepare for spiritual battles?
2. Find a verse or two to memorize this week. When the enemy speaks lies into your life, use the truth of God’s Word to fight back.
