Is God on your side?
How do you divide the world?
There are many ways in which you can divide the people of the world: by their gender or sexual orientation, by the color of their skin, by the money they make, by the cost of the house they live in, by their level of education, by their looks, etc.
However, these are all carnal ways of looking at the people. The spiritual man or woman looks at himself and other people the way God looks at them. So how does God look at them?
God looks at people in a different way: as those who are on His side, and those who are not.
Mk 9:40 "For he who is not against us is for us."
The more spiritual we become the more we look at things the way God looks at them.
God knows who is on His side and who is not, and He deals differently with each.
It is very important to have God on your side
As we walk the Christian life an important question that we need to ask ourselves is this: is God on my side right now?
Why is this important? If God is not on your side then all is lost.
Pr 21:30 There is no wisdom and no understanding and no counsel against the LORD.
On the other hand, if God is on our side then what could be better?
Rom 8:31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?
Paul was assured that God was on his side and therefore he could handle anything that came his way.
It is also a good idea to be close to those who are on God’s side.
Pr 16:9 It is better to be humble in spirit with the lowly than to divide the spoil with the proud.
Do you know whether God is on your side?
If you don’t know whether God is on your side then you are really clueless.
In the OT, just because a person was a Jew it didn’t mean that God was on their side. For example, God was against almost all of the Jews in the wilderness.
Nu 32:13 "So the LORD'S anger burned against Israel, and He made them wander in the wilderness forty years, until the entire generation of those who had done evil in the sight of the LORD was destroyed."
In the same way, in the NT, just because we are born again, it doesn’t mean that God is on our side.
Further, just because God was with you one day, it doesn’t mean He will always be with you.
For example, there was a time when the Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul.
1 Sam 16:14 Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him.
Further, God may depart from your side and you may not even realize it.
For example, there was a time when the Holy Spirit left Samson, and Samson did not know it.
Jud 16:20 She said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as at other times and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him.
If the Lord departs from you will your side be able to discern it? Jesus was able to do so.
When Jesus took the sins of the world upon Him, God forsook Him.
Mt 27:46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "ELI , ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?" that is, "MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?"
In the same way, there can be times when God forsakes us and is against us.
And if God is not with us then we must sense it and figure out why, and do what it takes to get God back on our side.
It is possible to be completely deceived and think that God is with you when God is against you.
The Pharisees thought that God was on their side when they killed Jesus. But God was against them.
Jn 16:2 "They will make you outcasts from the synagogue, but an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God."
Are we better than they? If they could be so deceived, so can we!
Countless people live thinking that God is on their side when God is totally against them.
How do you find out whether God is on your side?
Well, let’s look at some scripture.
Tons of prayer and Bible reading don’t get God on your side
The Pharisees and scribes and lawyers of Jesus’ times prayed and read their Bible and listened to messages and attended church meetings too, but God was not on their side.
Riches, trials and persecution tell you nothing about whether God is on your side
Riches are not an indication that God is on your side. If you make or lose money you can’t tell whether God is on your side. There are many rich people in this world and God is not on their side. And there are many poor people in this world and God is not on their side either.
Just because others persecute you it doesn’t mean that God is not on your side. Muslims are persecuted in some places, but God is not on their side.
Just because you are undergoing trials it doesn’t mean that God is on your side. The heathen undergo just as many trials as those who are born again.
God is not on the side of the proud but on the side of the humble
Pr 15:25 The LORD will tear down the house of the proud, but He will establish the boundary of the widow.
1 Pet 5:5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.
God is against those who are in the flesh
If you are living in the flesh then God is against you.
Gal 5:17 For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.
God is against those who suppress the truth
One should be careful about forbidding a person to speak his theology just because you cannot defend it. He could be correct, and you could be suppressing the truth and thereby incurring God’s wrath upon yourself.
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
Obviously, if God’s wrath is upon you then God is not on your side.
God is on the side of those who love Him
Jn 14:23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.
When we love God, then God makes His abode with us. In other words, He comes to our side.
When are we in danger of becoming proud and what are the signs of pride?
We can usually tell when we are in the flesh, and we know whether we love God. But it is more difficult to tell when we are proud. Here are some signs that indicate that we have become proud.
A proud person receives no grace to overcome sin
One mark of a humble person is that he receives grace. "Grace" is "help to overcome sin".
Heb 4:15-16 15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16 Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
The time of our need is the time of our temptation. If we receive grace during our temptation then we overcome sin.
Instead of giving them grace, God gives proud people over to their lusts.
Rom 1:24 Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them.
A proud person ends up engaging in foolishness that results in dishonor
Pr 11:2 When pride comes, then comes dishonor, but with the humble is wisdom.
So when you see yourself doing dishonorable things, and not acting with wisdom, then you know that God is not with you, but has given you over to your lusts.
Pr 18:12 Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, but humility {goes} before honor.
God gives proud people over to insanity and takes away their glory
Nebuchadnezzar was proud and God gave him up to insanity.
Dan 4:28-33 28 "All {this} happened to Nebuchadnezzar the king. 29 Twelve months later he was walking on the {roof of} the royal palace of Babylon. 30 The king reflected and said, ‘Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?’ 31 While the word {was} in the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven, {saying,} ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, 32 and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place {will be} with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind and bestows it on whomever He wishes.’ 33 Immediately the word concerning Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled; and he was driven away from mankind and began eating grass like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair had grown like eagles’ {feathers} and his nails like birds' {claws.}
Dan 5:20 "But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and {his} glory was taken away from him.
Proud people forget God
Hos 13:6 As {they had} their pasture, they became satisfied, and being satisfied, their heart became proud; therefore they forgot Me.
When our needs get met and we are satisfied, then we are in the greatest danger of becoming proud.
And one sign of our pride is that we forget God. We no longer have time for Him and His kingdom. We no longer serve Him.
Proud people begin to go beyond their boundaries
We tend to become proud when we are strong. Uzziah did great things while he was humble and had the grace of God upon him. But then, one day, when he was strong, his success went to his head and he thought he could get away with anything. He did not stay within his boundary but burned incense in the temple (which was something that only the priests were supposed to do). God smote him with leprosy and he became a leper till the day he died and his kingdom was given to his son.
2 Chr 26:16 But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to the LORD his God, for he entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.
Proud people begin to take God’s goodness and mercy for granted
2 Chr 32:34-35 In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill; and he prayed to the LORD, and the LORD spoke to him and gave him a sign. But Hezekiah gave no return for the benefit he received, because his heart was proud; therefore wrath came on him and on Judah and Jerusalem.
A third sign of pride is when we take God for granted. We pray to God and God answers our prayer and we think nothing of it and don’t honor God in our hearts. We forget that we are great sinners and that it is a huge thing for God to give attention to us.
Proud people glory in vain things
Is 3:16 Moreover, the LORD said, "Because the daughters of Zion are proud and walk with heads held high and seductive eyes, and go along with mincing steps and tinkle the bangles on their feet,
A fourth sign is when we glory in vain things – like our looks. We think we are someone special just because of our looks or our bank account, etc. We are never better than anyone else, and the moment we thing we are then we have become proud.
Proud people begin to feel scattered
Lk 1:51 "He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
A sixth sign is when you feel scattered – defocused, confused, unable to get things done, unable to think clearly – then you should begin to examine your heart. God brings confusion upon and scatters those who are not on His side.
Signs that God is on your side
God listens to your prayer when He is on your side.
When your prayers are getting answered then you know that God is on your side. But if your prayers are not answered then it does not mean that God is not on your side as there are other reasons why prayer may not be immediately answered.
What are the benefits of having God on your side?
Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
When you love God then God is on your side and causes things to work for your good. This is the benefit of having God on your side: He makes all things to work for your good.
Ps 145:20 The LORD keeps all who love Him, but all the wicked He will destroy.
Not only does God make all things work for your good when He is on your side but He also keeps you from doing stupid things.
Jn 14:21 "He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."
When God is on our side, He gives us revelation. We increase in the knowledge of God (God’s ways, and not just His acts), not just intellectually but even experientially.
Plan for the wise man
If you are wise, you will:
- Learn to keep God on your side. Draw near to God by being humble.
- Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit when He indicates that God is no longer on your side.
- Learn to discern quickly why God is no longer on your side.
- Learn to quickly seek forgiveness and return to humility so that God returns to your side.
The importance of the message
This is a very important message, and you will do well to not forget what you read here today.
The Israelites were warned by Moses about pride, but they didn’t get it.
Deut 8:10-14 "When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. 11 Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; 12 otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived {in them,} 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery."
Don’t you be like them!
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