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God Protects Us From Our Enemies
“Your father has cheated me and changed my wages ten times. But God did not permit him to harm me.” Genesis 31:7

Jesus made it very clear that because he has chosen us out of the world, people of the world will resent us, despise us, and hate us. “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:18-19).

Because we are chosen by God in Christ (Ephesians 1: 4) God loves us and blesses us as his children. But when others see God lovingly bless our lives, out of hatred for God himself, they will also resent us. 

When Jacob’s father-in-law, Laban, saw God blessing Jacob over himself, he resented Jacob. He tried to cheat Jacob over and over again. But every new scheme that Laban tried, God thwarted and turned into even more blessing upon Jacob. 

Because God has chosen us though faith in Christ to be his adopted children (Ephesians 1:5-6), he will rise to defend us against all our enemies. “The Lord is on my side as my helper, 
I shall look in triumph on those who hate me” (Psalm 118:7).

Jacob understood that there is a difference between temporary hurt and long-term harm. Laban was able to hurt him, being repeatedly cheated and despised is hurtful. “But God did not permit him to harm me.” Instead of any long-term harm, God turned Laban’s attacks into blessings. He blessed Jacob with children and with great wealth. 

The enemies of Jesus intended to harm him. They only succeeded, however, in delivering temporary pain to him. Certainly it hurt to be betrayed, to be falsely accused, to be crucified . . . dead. But they could do him no long-term harm. Instead, the Father turned their attacks into his blessing. 

“And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:8-11). 

The enemies of Jesus were used by His Father’s love to not only save his people through him, but to set him above all others on a throne. A throne from which Christ looks in triumph on those who hate him. 

Being the beloved children of God through faith in Jesus Christ, we need not fear those who will hate us and seek to harm us, even those whom we once counted friends. God our Father will rise to defend us and protect us from harm, turning their hurtful blows into blessings upon our head.  “The Lord is on my side as my helper,  I shall look in triumph on those who hate me” (Psalm 118:7).