BECAUSE WE ARE NOT SWORDS

"If it were not the Lord who stood by us, now let Israel say;

If it had not been the Lord who stood by us, when men rose up against us, "Psalm 124: 1,2

Christians who seek fellowship with God know very well about the attacks they suffer from their enemies. We can repeat what David wrote: "If the Lord were not on our side when the enemy attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive when they were angry with us" (Psalm 124: 1,2).

Centuries after David, Christians are taught about the same theme of a world that follows us. Jesus declared that in the world we shall have tribulation. Paul described the sufferings we suffered because of our sinful nature. And Peter warns us about our great enemy, the Devil, who tirelessly surrounds us like a lion, always ready to destroy us.

The biblical context is clear and constant: the only thing that prevents our destruction is the power of the Lord, always at our disposal. Peter affirms that "standing firm in the faith" we receive from the Lord the power to resist trials. Why are not we swallowed up by enemies? Because the Lord will not let. We are fragile, but our Lord is Almighty. Our role, then, is to stand firm in our faith in Christ. He himself assures us, "I have conquered the world." John 16:33

Pr. Olavo Feijó