Ten Thousand Against Me

Psalm 3:6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. (NKJV)

There have been many times in my life when I realize how thankful I am to be a Christian. Not only for salvation and God’s blessings, but also for what I’m NOT because of being a Christian.

For example, I’m prone to being intensely affected by the pathos of life… the sadness, the hurting world, the awfulness of sin and how it destroys lives. It really gets to me. Maybe it’s the artsy, creative side of me. Maybe God just built me that way (obviously he did). If I were not a Christian, I could easily go from being compassionate about a hurting world, to being totally despondent and hopeless.

Another example is pessimism. The ugliness of the world, the self-centered destructiveness of humanity, and the rapid decline of civility and righteousness gives a person much to be negative about. I’m not proud to report that my natural tendency is to be skeptical and pessimistic. My Christianity allows me to counterbalance this tendency because of the hope and promise we have in God.

Another reason I’m really thankful to be a Christian is the ability to deal with antagonists, critics and enemies. There is no end of them for the committed Christian:

• The world is against you because you’re a goodie-two-shoes holier-than-thou religious extremist.
• Your co-workers come against you because you won’t join the office politics and gossip.
• Your unsaved family is against you because you make them feel guilty about their rejection of God.
• Religious people are against you because you dare proclaim there is only ONE way to God.
• Liberals are against you because you believe Truth is not relative.
• Politically correct society is against you because of your archaic ideas of personal responsibility and faith.

There is no end to people who are against you if you are a committed, active Christian (which begs a question we should ask ourselves: do I experience anyone being against me for my faith? If not, does that say anything about our faith?).

Mark 13:13 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. (NKJV)

We are assured that people will hate us; the world will be against us. This would be a burden too great to bear if it were not for the indwelling of the Spirit to strengthen us, and the promises of God to give us hope.

As a public Christian writer, I get a little extra dose of people being against me. It’s to be expected when you put your head out on the chopping block but it still makes me appreciate my Christianity even more. If I was a politician I don’t think I could deal with all the people against me. If I was a talk show host, I don’t think I could handle the opposition. If I was a famous, my critics would really get to me.

However, because of my Christian faith, I can deal with those who come against me because 1) it’s expected, 2) it’s part of God’s plan, and 3) God has promised to see us through it all, no matter how intense. The fact that there are many people against me, make me all the more grateful to be a Christian. Knowing that it would probably destroy me if it were not for God’s divine strength makes me that much more appreciative.

David said, “I’m not afraid if TEN THOUSAND people come against me because the Lord will sustain me” (v.5). How about you? Are you afraid of one person who comes against you? Ten? A hundred? Does the Lord sustain you, protect you, defend you? If you feel like he does NOT, then where do you think the fault lies? If you think he DOES, then why are you so anxious and stressed over what people are saying about you? Or how they are cheating you? Or how they are trying to hurt you?

Psalm 3:5-6 I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me. I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people Who have set themselves against me all around. (NKJV;emphasis mine)

Lord God, help us to truly believe that You will sustain us no matter how many people come against us. Help us to rest in You and be unafraid. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.