◄ God, My Defence and My Defender (Study In God - All I Need-23) ►

Study - GOD, All I Need

The Lord of Hosts shall DEFEND them.
Zechariah 9:15

Pilgrimage of Life

There are many vacillations in the convoluted pilgrimage of life. Sunshine and showers; peace and pandemonium; calm and storm; joy and pain. There are many complex vicissitudes for the sojourner through this mortal coil, victory and defeat; honour and humiliation; hope and despair; respect and scorn. But what a comforting attribute of our Lord that He is my Defence and my Defender. He both defends me from the externals of life that pervade my peace and hope – and His truth becomes my defence when the world’s finger points accusingly at me.

The Lens of God’s Absolution

Have you ever sought to defend yourself when misunderstood or falsely accused? I have … Standing before an entire panel, who twisted the truth the justify the means. I learned a lesson then, that self-vindication invariably falls on deaf ears, but God will filter misunderstanding and twisted truth through His own lens of absolution – causing all things to work to together for good to those that love Him… to those that are the called according to His good pleasure. This should sink deep into our conscious and unconscious being.

Confidence in Christ

The Psalmist sings often of his confidence in the Lord as his mighty Defence:- In Psalm 7 verse 10 we read, my Defence is of God, Who saveth the upright in heart.. while in Psalm 62 verse 1 we read, my soul waits upon God… Who is my Defence? Justifying my own right is not waiting on Him, but relying on self-defence. Supplying my own defence in a matter is a lack of trust in Him as my Defender. He has to be Defence and Defender – shall He not discharge His word?

Assurance from God

When my heart is secure in God as Defence – I gain a deep and quiet assurance, When God takes up the role of my Defender – He will discharge His obligation. His defence is not in the physical alone – it spans the breadth of the spiritual attack. The three enemies that stalk me day and night are the world, the flesh, and the devil.

Enemies of the Soul

Though few believers may succumb to the vicious vices that tempt and tease, there are many simple delights that lure us into the net of worldly lusts - minor indulgences in fleshly pleasures, can catapult a salty saint into stupid sin. Only the defence of the indwelling Spirit – induces towards death of the "old man"… as the fleshly lusts and the pride of life seek to overthrow our witness of Him.

Doubt and Discouragement

The master-tricks of the devil, in despoiling a saint are discouragement and doubt. Discouragement can fatally affect our testimony, as our service to Him is ravaged. Doubt breaks the vital faith-link, which binds us to the throne-room of the Father. Deliver us from evil – our great Defender and Defence.

Promised Protection

We must remain securely bound to our heavenly Defender’s promised protection. We must remain under the shadow of His wing – protected in the cleft of the Rock – for He is our Champion from all accusations and He is our Deliverer from all enem's attacks. So seek day by day to remain in Him and He in us.

O Worship the King…

O worship the King, all glorious above,
O gratefully sing His power and His love,
Our Shield and DEFENDER, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendour, and girded with praise.

O tell of His might, O sing of His grace,
Whose robe is the light, Whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
And dark is His path on the wings of the storm.

The earth with its store of wonders untold,
Almighty, Thy power hath founded of old,
Established it fast by a changeless decree,
And round it hath cast, like a mantle, the sea.

Thy bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
It streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
And sweetly distils in the dew and the rain.

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our Maker, DEFENDER, Redeemer, and Friend.

O measureless might! Ineffable love!
While angels delight to worship Thee above,
The humbler creation, though feeble their lays,
With true adoration shall all sing Thy praise.