Yesterday we talked about being adopted by God and the new special status that gives you. You can be at peace and be confident. You are chosen. You are loved. You are royalty.

Today let’s flush out another benefit of being adopted by God.

Writing in the 17th century, William Gurnall said: “He who has God’s heart does not lack for His arm.” In other words, the person who experiences God’s love also benefits from his strength. God does battle for his children! Think mama bear and papa bear when their cubs are threatened. “Can you imagine the love God has for a child He has carried so long in the womb of His eternal purpose.”

“Take up shield and armor; arise and come to my aid” (Psalm 35:2).

It’s hard to appreciate God fighting for you if you’re blind to the battles he’s already won on your behalf. How many times has he fought off death and demons? How many times has he saved you from despair or disaster? How many times has he sliced through your darkness to give you a ray of light, your loneliness to give you some assurance, your fear to steady you with his peace?

Oh, and because you’re his child, there’s also this: “When God defends you, He also defends Himself.”*

Just because you can’t see or hear the battle cries, that doesn’t mean they aren’t there. If it wasn’t for the battles God has already won, we’d be done, despairing or dead a thousand times over.

Put on your spiritual armour, trust our King, Captain and Commander, and march on. Every battle that matters most is won in Christ.

“He who has God’s heart does not lack for His arm.”

---

Notes:

–*William Gurnall, ed. James S. Bell Jr., The Christian in Complete Armour (Chicago: Moody Press, 1984), entry for Jan. 11.

–Bible quotes are from the NIV.