God Promises to Defend You

On that day the LORD will defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the one who is feeble among them in that day will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the LORD before them—Zechariah 12:8

Let’s just face it: in this life there will be times people say all kinds of things about us; persecute us unfairly and unjustly, decide to be against us and don’t even know why. Sometimes people will speak what they do not know and spread all kinds of rumors that are not true. Instinctively we will want to defend our reputation and clear our name. Our reputation has been sullied and we are being misunderstood by others so we take up our charge to defend ourselves. But God says, “Just wait. I will defend you. I will come to your defense. We both know these things are not true but you don’t have to fight these kinds of battles, I will do it.”

I can remember as a young girl getting into a scrap because someone called my grandmother a name. Everyone knew how I felt about her and there was no way I was going to let anyone talk about her in that way so, during Vacation Bible School in the girls restroom we went at it. There we were rolling around on the floor when my grandmother entered. As I sat at her desk in the superintendent’s office, she listened to my defense of myself and explained how I was defending her, then she lovingly told me she understood but did not need me to defend her. In fact, God was her defender. She never worried about the things people said, there had never been a time in her life he did not come to her defense.

The same Defender my grandmother knew is the same one who is with and defends us today. He hears, he sees, he knows, and at the proper time he will act. He does not want us to soil our spiritual armor or stoop to the levels of those who speak incorrectly. It is the enemy’s M.O. to spread nasty and vicious rumors, to delight in malicious gossip, to utter false claims, to rake a good and godly person’s name through the mud. Still, God does not want us to get entangled or worry. He will be our defense.

I am reminded of the story St. Paul writes in when his enemies were accusing him, coming at him hard and heavy, the Lord told him, promised him “I will be your defense.”  And he was Paul’s defense just as he is ours.

It does not matter what people say, what the devil tries to do to destroy your good name or reputation let God defend you. He will prepare a table before your enemies that you can never match. As Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt. 5:11-12) and you are in good company! Let’s Pray,

Thank you, Jesus for being our True and Righteous defender. You were our Defender on the Cross and you are our Defender in heaven. There is no fear of the wicked, not even of those who would come against us or accuse us falsely. May we be at peace knowing who our true and faithful Defender is: His name is Jesus! Amen.