There are verses and stories all in the Bible about how God protects, and will continue to protect His children, but there is a clear tension here. How are we protected by God, and still experience bad things happening to us as followers of Christ? Today, we’re addressing this tension, and covering 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us.
While you listen to today’s episode, you may find that you have questions. I would love to encourage you to reach out to me on Instagram @BusyChristianMom with any and all questions, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
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#1: Fill the Gaps with Faith
Today, we’re addressing , what I like to call a “tension topic”. These are when you know the truth of the Bible, and you also know God is sovereign, but there are significant gaps in what you know versus what God knows. This is where faith comes into play. If we didn’t have tension topics, Christianity wouldn’t require faith. So, as we move through this topic know this:
- I don’t know the answers to everything because I’m not God
- Your pastor doesn’t know all the answers because he isn’t God
- The atheist in your office doesn’t know all the answers because he’s not God
- All the theologians in the world with their knowledge combined would still not have the answers. Why? Because they’re not God
- Only God has all the answers, because that’s one of His personality traits: He’s omniscient
So today, we’ll be sticking with the facts, and filling the gaps with our faith. Whenever you come across a tension topic, let that be an indicator for you to hold up your shield of faith (more on that later).
Broken World
The world we live in is broken. It’s no secret that sin is running rampant, and the devil is working hard to keep people swayed into thinking God isn’t the way to eternal life. Friendly reminder from last week’s episode, God is sovereign. If you’re wondering “What in the world does that word mean?”, head back an episode to get a full definition of sovereignty and what it means to Christians.
So, what do we do? We fills the gaps with faith. When we place our faith in God (salvation), He will protect our souls from eternity in Hell. God says multiple times through the Bible that our souls are protected and our future is secure. Nothing will change that.
“If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”
Romans 10:9
Promise #1 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is that when we put our trust in Him and fill in the gaps we have with faith, our eternity is protected. When you’re experiencing a trial, remember your faith. Remember this promise.
#2: Embrace the Tension
Way #2 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is to embrace the tension on this topic. We’re going to hold onto three truths while we walk through this episode:
- Truth 1: We will have gloomy parts in our lives. We’ll experience the death of a loved one, crime, mean girls, and more. This is the not fun part of being on Earth until He calls us home.
- Truth 2: We have triumphs through God. We get to experience the good, like the beautiful planet we live on, swapping funny stories by the fireside, chocolate ice cream, and more!
- Truth 3: God is sovereign. He knows all the moving parts, allows us to grow through both good and bad, and He always always makes everything work together for good.
As believers we know that we will face trials while we’re on this side of Heaven, and we are able to have peace and hope in Jesus when this happens because He knows the big picture. Look at John 16:33:
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
The tension we’re talking about today is twofold. Tension 1: is created when we know that good and bad things happen to us, but we can trust that God makes it right in the end. It can be uncomfortable, scary, and all the range of emotions. No one is downplaying that.
Tension 2: How do we, as followers of Christ, respond to this with our time on Earth when the Bible says that we are protected by God? What does that mean if I’m protected, but I still experience sin here? What do we do?
We embrace the tension. Is it easy? No, and God never promised easy. He promised salvation, peace, hope, love, and everything good that we experience while we’re here.
#3 Preach the Truth to Ourselves
Hi, it’s me Brooke, calling to forever talk about the importance of preaching truth to yourself through scripture. Everything in the Bible is true, so it you get stuck, or confused, or lost in lies, open your Bible, and start reading. Ask God to show you His truths and promises.
Way #3 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is to remember the truth. When we know the truth, our minds are protected, our chatter in our head focuses more on God, and we have the power to evict toxic thoughts that are taking up mental real estate. Sounds good to me! Get those gel pens ready because we’ve got a ton of verses to back this up.
Scripture to Back This Up
Deuteronomy 31:6 says, “So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.” God protects us by going ahead of us. He made a way to save us once and for all from our enemies. Our souls are protected.
2 Samuel 22:3-4 says, my “God is my rock, in whom I find protection.
He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety. He is my refuge, my savior, the one who saves me from violence. I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.” Wow, if that doesn’t sum up the who episode! Bye! Just kidding we have more verses, but this is definitely a powerful one that we can write on our hearts and memorize.
Isaiah 54:17 says, “But in that coming day no weapon turned against you will succeed. You will silence every voice raised up to accuse you. These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord; their vindication will come from me. I, the Lord, have spoken!” It’s clear that God has our backs. Nothing that could ever try to hurt us can take our souls once we’ve crossed the line of faith.
2 Thessalonians 3:3 says, “But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.” Something I love about this connection is that He is faithful to His children. God is going to do what He says He’s going to do, and that includes protecting us.
Psalms
Psalm 16:1 says, “Keep me safe, O God, for I have come to you for refuge.” We are protected because of who are protector is, God! He is the safe place, the one who keeps us steady.
Psalm 18:2 says, “The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the power that saves me, and my place of safety.” Lookie there, a similar verse listing God’s strength and power that protects us. We can rest knowing that He is looking out for us.
Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation—so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” He is our salvation, our savior, saving us from an eternity in hell. Our fate is secure, and we don’t have anything to be afraid of when we live our lives through this perspective.
Psalm 32:7 says, “For you are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory.” God protects us, and He has already won. We can tune out the sound of despair and tune in the songs of victory.
Psalm 34:7 says, “For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.” God is our guard. He keeps us safe while defending us from any threat that attempts to crush us. Good news, God always wins. Our eternity is protected.
Psalm 46:1-5 says, God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea. Let the oceans roar and foam. Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! A river brings joy to the city of our God, the sacred home of the Most High. God dwells in that city; it cannot be destroyed. From the very break of day, God will protect it.” Heaven will not be shaken. Our end is secure, protected, safe.
Psalms 91:4 says, “He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings. His faithful promises are your armor and protection.” God is our refuge, fortress, shelter, safe haven. It’s time to act like it if we haven’t been lately.
Psalm 121:5-7 says, “The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life.” God doesn’t miss a thing! He sees it all, and we know that He will make everything work together for good.
There are so many verses in the Bible about God’s protection over His children, that this episode has the potential to be a million minutes long. Psalm 140 is one we didn’t read today, so crack open that Bible and take a look. It’s verse after verse packed with God’s protection. I strongly encourage you to read it over your life, your kids’ lives, and remember these truths.
Way #3 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is to remember the truth. When we can preach the truth of the scripture over our lives, the more we can exercise those faith muscles. Knowing we are protected because God is our protector gives us the confidence to face the trials of this world.
#4: Know that God Controls Outcomes
I hear you, Brooke. My soul is safe and protected, all thanks to God. But, sometimes, the world is awful, and I find that I’m praying more and more for Jesus to come soon. Boy, do I get that! Remember to embrace this tension, because if you’ve got blood pumping through your veins, God is still using you to point others to Him. Way #4 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is to know that God controls outcomes.
There are times in Bible (and now, for that matter), where God protects us from evil in this world. Daniel and the Lions den, Noah’s family, Balaam and the talking donkey, etc…You’ve also heard the stories about someone driving to work, but then a train gets stuck, so they’re stuck, but then because of the tardiness to work, they were spared from a deadly pileup on the highway.
The tension we need to embrace also comes from us trusting His sovereignty. Sometimes people do lose their lives standing up for their faith (10 of the 12 apostles were martyred for their beliefs). Persecution is happening all over the the world to Christians right now, and they are willingly stepping into this role because they know who their protector is, and they souls are safe.
Gut check question: Can we say the same for ourselves? Can we truly step into this deep faith, hope, and trust? Short answer, yes. Longer answer: work at it every single day.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
Let’s go back in time to 6th/7th century BC during Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah. Let’s do another
Brooke Breakdown:
- The King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, attacks Judah
- Nebuchadnezzar takes Judah’s best and brightest men back to Babylon
- The King’s plan was to assimilate these men to the Babylonian culture, and use them to continue the progress of that kingdom
- Smart move, but it doesn’t always go the way it was planned
- Daniel & his friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are some of those guys who get taken to Babylon
Today’s story is not about Daniel, although God sent his angel protect him in the lion’s den. This story is about his three buddies who could have become toast…literally. Brooke Breakdown part two:
- Nebuchadnezzar makes a golden statue for people to worship (shocker)
- When people hear the special music they’re supposed to bow down
- If you don’t bow down, you’re to be thrown into the fiery furnace
- Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego do not follow these orders
- Some astrologers see this and tattle tale to the king
- King Nebuchadnezzar loses his mind, and has those three brought to him
- King Nebuchadnezzar gives them one last chance and threatens their lives
After this threat, these three have such an amazing response. This is one of my favorite Bible stories where God’s people have an amazing combination of filling the gaps with faith, embracing the tension, preaching the truth over themselves, and trusting God’s sovereignty. God controls outcomes.
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.’”
Daniel 3:16-18
Brief Analysis
I could unpack this verse in an entire mini series, but we’ll keep it short and sweet for today. Here are four truths that I see here when it comes to God controlling the outcome:
- One: You don’t have to defend yourself. God is your defender.
- Two: God is powerful and sovereign. They know God is able.
- Three: Submitting to God’s will. They’re at peace with whatever happens.
- Four: They still choosing to follow God because they know their souls are protected
“But even if” are three powerful words that pack a punch. They represent full faith, trust, and peace, knowing that God is their protector and He is sovereign. You can read the crazy fun plot twist for yourself in Daniel chapter three. It’s a good one! The point here isn’t, “well did they die or what?”. The point is their unwavering faith in God, knowing their souls are protected. Way #4 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is to know that God controls outcomes.
#5 Prioritize Reading Your Bible
Okay, great, Brooke. We’ve talked about filling in the gaps with faith, embracing the tension, preaching the the truth to yourself, and knowing God controls the outcomes. I know my soul is secure, and my eternity is in Heaven. Is there something practical I can be doing on my end?
So glad you asked, friend. Short answer: Yes! Way #5 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is to prioritize reading your Bible. Be encouraged! God gives you exact steps to take. Woohoo!
Last week, we read and discussed 2 Timothy 3:16-17 which talks about God’s word is good for teaching and equipping, and combating all the imposter syndrome we face as moms. Take a look at what this verse says the Bible also does:
“For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”
Hebrews 4:12
So, not only does reading God’s word teach and equip us like a user manual, it also is alive and powerful. It’s not just some book you read from the library to access info as you need. It fills up your spirit and empowers you. Swords aren’t for decoration, they’re for action. No one just picks up a sword and can use it properly. It takes time and training. Regularly reading your Bible is the equivalent to sword fight training. How cool are you!?
Reading God’s word never returns void. There will always be good from choosing to pick up your Bible and read. Way #5 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is to prioritize reading your Bible. He’s equipping you with weapon to defend yourself. Start training.
#6: Suit Up
It doesn’t stop there. Way #6 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is to suit up. God goes into further detail about how we can go about our daily lives. We don’t know when the enemy will strike, but we do know that we have a God who is the ultimate protector. Check out this passage from Ephesians.
You’ve likely heard it before, but I want you to hear it through the lens of: God is your protector and avenger, and He has you here to point others to Christ. Souls are at stake, and it’s time to put the fictional Captain America shield down, and pick up the real thing:
A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
Ephesians 6:10-18
Way #6 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is to suit up. The last verse in the Armor of God section (Ephesians 6:18) talks about praying at all times and on ever occasion. This means if it crosses your mind, pray on it! There are six parts of the armor of God, so how are you doing with each of these?
Take some time and pray about the significance of each piece, how well you’re maintaining it, and what you can do to do better in your weak areas. Here is another quick glance at the pieces of armor:
- Belt of Truth
- Body Armor of Righteousness
- Shoes that comes from Peace from the Good News
- Shield of Faith
- Helmet of Salvation
- Sword of the Spirit (God’s Word)
The thing about armor, is that you don’t go into battle with missing pieces. This means that every day we walk through life, we need to suit up mindfully. You don’t go to the store without your shoes, so if you knew you were walking into battle you really wouldn’t forget. A good challenge for you is to memorize the armor of God, and pray over it each morning before you start your day. Way #6 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is to suit up.
#7: Live in Christian Community
Raise your hand if you’ve ever known about a time that someone went into battle completely alone. Can you think of any country who’s been at war, or any person under trial, go at it by themselves? Of course not. That’s not how humans were designed.
We were built for relationships, and going through life with people by our side who share our same foundational, biblical beliefs. Way #7 of the 7 ways to embrace God’s protection for us is to live in Christian community.
We just read in Ephesians how important it is to pray for other believers. How do we know what to pray for if we don’t involve ourselves somehow into their lives? There is verse after verse backing being in community, and it’s a pivotal part of growth. When we’re dealing with the tension of our souls being protected, but still facing hard stuff on Earth, our community can help us keep our eyes on God, His truth, and His promises.
When we regularly met in Biblical community, share life, spur each other on, and pray for one another, it’s much easier to embrace God’s protection and what it means for us now, and in Heaven.
Episode Recap
As we reflect on God being our protector, we can see that we’ve been suiting up their entire episode. Look at you go!
- #1: Fill the Gaps with Faith: helmet of salvation, shield of faith
- #2: Embrace the Tension: shoes of peace, belt of truth
- #3: Preach the Truth to Ourselves: belt of truth
- #4: God Controls Outcomes: shoes of peace
- #5 Prioritize Reading Your Bible: Sword of the Spirit, body armor of righteousness
- #6: Suit Up: Armor of God
- #7: Live in Christian Community: body armor of righteousness
If you go back and relisten to this episode through the lens of Ephesians 6:10-18, you’ll see that you’ve been suiting up the entire episode. You already know how to do this. Yay you!
Scripture Recap
- Deuteronomy 31:6
- 2 Samuel 22:3-4
- Psalm 16:1
- Psalm 18:2
- Psalm 27:1
- Psalm 32:7
- Psalm 34:7
- Psalm 46:1,5
- Psalms 91:4
- Psalm 121:5-7
- Psalm 140
- Proverbs 18:10
- Isaiah 54:17
- 2 Thessalonians 3:3
- Hebrews 4:12
- Daniel 3
- Ephesians 6:10-18
I am the daughter of the King. I am chosen, forgiven, redeemed. I am loved and I belong. I am bold, brave, and strong. I am seen. I’m accepted. I am able. I’m protected. Through Him I can do anything. Because I’m the daughter of the King.
Busy Christian Mom Credo, Brooke Collier
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