Q7. God's Protection

[Pastor Ralph]

Q7. (Isaiah 54:16-17) What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed? Does it mean we won’t have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith? What then does it mean?

[Gerbrand van Schalkwyk]

What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed?

As long as I believe in God and stay obedient to Him, I am protected. There is nothing anybody can do to me to remove me from under His protection.

If they beat me up, He will heal me, if they rob me blind, He will provide for me, if they destroy my good name, He will restore me. If they kill me, I have the victory because I will be with my Lord, my Master and with my Father.

Does it mean we won't have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith?

No.

What then does it mean?

When I go through hard times, I must know I am protected. Hard times are allowed by God to draw me closer to Him, to sanctify me or to discipline me when I did wrong. Other times to test me and sometimes God allows Satan to attack me - see Job-, so I have to resist these attacks by hanging on to God. If God allows these attacks, I will come out a better, more sanctified person anyway - see Job again.

 

[IvoryEagle]

What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed? THOUGH THERE WILL BE ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY YOU; GOD WILL NOT ALLOW IT.

 

 

Does it mean we won't have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith?  NO, FIGHTING IS A PART OF LIVING.

 

 

What then does it mean?  IT MEANS GOD CONTROLS EVERYTHING, EVERYBODY, AND EVERY WEAPON; HE WILL, THROUGH US, REFUTE EVERY ATTEMPT TO USE MAN MADE WEAPONS OF ALL KINDS AGAINST US.

[charisbarak]

There is no means available to pull you out from God's protection.

No, we will always have spiritual battles to wage with prayer and our faith.

It means God protects us, but He can still allow things to happen to us for our good and growth. No one has power over us!! (except for God!)

[RD35]

It means that any plan from the enemy which is against God’s good plan for my life, God will not let it prosper.  However skillfully the enemy makes weapons to destroy God’s church and His people they shall not prove strong enough to do any harm to the people of God.

 

No, we will still have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith.

 

It means that when I am in a relationship with God and trust and depend on him, God is with me in every battle of life giving me victory.

[hanks]

Q7. (Isaiah 54:16-17)

What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed?

Does it mean we won't have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith?

What then does it mean?

It is a promise God has made; that there is nothing that can adversely affect us spiritually - it is all under God’s control. Any evil-doer can only accomplish what our Heavenly Father permits him to do. It is our inheritance and there is no need for us to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith – it has all been done for those who serve God. 

 

 

[Jen]

It means that their weapons will not achieve their goal.  

We will always have spiritual warfare however our God is our commander and He is never outwitted by this enemy.   We can fully rely on our God in every situation.

 

God Bless!

Jen

Romans 15:13

[Squirt]

Q7. (Isaiah 54:16-17) What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed?
    The Sovereign Lord will protect His people.  Those who forge the weapons are His creation and He rules.   The promise doesn’t mean that they won’t face opposition, but that they will prosper despite opposition.

Does it mean we won't have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith?
    No.  As followers of Christ Jesus, we are part of spiritual warfare, whether we acknowledge it or not.  This is one of the reasons why we must be constantly growing in our faith, constantly aware of the subtle ways the enemy attacks our faith and our witness each moment.  If we stand still in the midst of battle, we will begin to drift backward. 

    In Ephesians, Paul urges us to put on our spiritual armor every morning:
    "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.  Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.  Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place,  and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.  Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
    “ And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”
Ephesians 6:10-18

What then does it mean?
    “It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose.”  We are led by God, strengthened by God, protected by God.  He acts through us. The battle is His.  The victory is His.  And no one can snatch us out of His hand.

    I’m reminded of the lyrics of a modern praise song:

I know who goes before me,
I know who stands behind,
the God of angel armies
is always by my side

The One who reigns forever,
He is a friend of mine,
The God of angel armies
is always by my side.

And nothing formed against me shall stand,
You hold the whole world in Your hands
I’m holding on to Your promises
You are faithful
You are faithful
(Whom Shall I Fear, Chris Tomlin–partial lyrics)
 

 

[angelbaby]

Q7. (Isaiah 54:16-17) What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed?

     The enemy will always be making attempts to dominate you and put you down in your attempts to do any work but those who trust and put their faith in the Lord will stand firm and twart the attacks of the enemy. 

 

Does it mean we won't have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith? What then does it mean?

 

No. Spiritual warfare is a part of life .we are given trials and temptations to overcome and grow in the Lord . the enemy is always prowling around like a lion to see if he can get a hold of us therefore we must pray without ceasing especially if we are put in trials;  we have  the armour of GOD to help us in our daily walk with HIM.    .

[antonate]

Greater is he that is in us than that he is in the world. No plans of evil one plotted against God's people can succeed when God is the strength and source of our life. when God is with us every scheme of the enemy will be turned and whatever harm the enemy tries to do it will not prosper.

 There is warfare we need to conduct with prayer and faith against the enemy. enemy may come against us but we will stand strong in the might and power of the Lord . when we dwell in the shadow of the Almighty and make him our refuge and obey his ways we are able to win victory over every situations. with the praise of God in our mouth and the word of God as double edged sword in our hand we can extinguish the fiery darts of the evil one.

It means that though thousand fall at our side  ten thousand at our right hand God will protect us, defend us and will see us through every situation. God is our strength and sheild,our provider and a strong deliverer at our right hand.

 

 

 

[JanMary]

On 8/1/2013 at 10:24 PM, Pastor Ralph said:

 

Q7. (Isaiah 54:16-17) What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed?

Strife and persecution, false accusations will come against us in judgment from others, but He promises we will triumph over opposition and that we will be vindicated...He will vindicate us!

Does it mean we won’t have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith?

No.  We pray and trust Him and He fights for us, and will reveal truth. Even if we're knocked down for a time, He will pick us up and bring ultimate victory.

What then does it mean?

It means that He controls the final outcome "to give us  hope and a future". He is our Victor!

[wjcargile]

!. The promise no weapon formed against you shall succeed: God is with us and will protect us in all circumstances

 

2. Does it mean we don't have to conduct Spiritual Warfare through prayer and faith?

No. We have to continue in pray and have faith God will see us through when trouble is present, and when it is not visible, we have to maintain our (ammo) Spiritual warfare, not to let our guards down.

 

3. What does it mean? God is always with us, when we walk upright before Him.

[Delivered]

Q7. (Isaiah 54:16-17) What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed?

God's promise to Israel that no weapon formed against them will succeed means, even though many nations may plunder Israel, God's people, as (Isaiah 17: 13) tells us, those nations will become mere tumbleweeds rolling before the whirlwind of God's judgment - and be warned today you nations that plan to do evil against Israel and all of God's children, the Christians.

 

Does it mean we won't have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith?

The spiritual warfare is the battle "We" are called to fight, our battle calls us to stand strong in "FAITH" as we fight against the wiles of the Devil, therefore we are commanded to put on the whole armor of God that will enable us to stand strong in righteousness for our Passover Lamb calls us to put on the "loins girded with truth" faith (Ex. 12:11)  And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded, your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste: it is the LORD'S Passover. And as He tells us in (Luke 12:35-37) Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he comes and knocks, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he comes shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 

 

(Eph 6:18) Pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints – for the prayers of a righteous man avails much. 

[Guitar Jim]

Q7. (Isaiah 54:16-17) What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed?

 

God was going to rebuild Jerusalem and no one was going to be able to prevent that, no matter how they tried.

 

 

 

Does it mean we won’t have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith?

 

I believe that was a specific prophecy for a specific time. If this prophecy was meant for everyone then Christians would be the most successful people in the world! I know we shouldn't bash other denominations here but I have to say how profoundly I disagree with the whole "Trust God to make you a millionaire" doctrine that more than one TV evangelist proclaim releatedly. If this passage was meant for us, then half the New Testament teaching contradicts that. I personally have been bashed from pillar to post since becoming a Christian and despite praying to God for His help it's not happened. I'm in worse shape physically, mentally, financially, and relationship-wise than I've ever been, all the while trusting in God! My professional reputation has been dragged through the mud by truly evil people who've succeeded in putting me out of business four times and nearly out of business a few more times besides.

No weapon formed against you shall succeed? Sorry I can't and won't ever believe that is a universally applicable promise from God. You'd have to be a positive-thinking, Amway-selling moron to believe that it is.

How many idiots have been rushed to hospital from being bitten by poisonous snakes, trying to prove Jesus' words in Mark's Gospel applied to them?

 

 

 

 

What then does it mean?

 

It means nothing more than God was going to ensure that Jerusalem was going to be rebuilt in spite of any and all opposition.

 

[Lion of Grace]

The promise that no weapon formed against you shall prosper means that though others may come against us and our work or our character or try to displace us from what God has willed for us to do, God will be faithful to intervene for our cause. We may have to suffer for awhile, but in His timing, their weapons and tactics against us will prove to be unproductive and without merit.

 

No, this doesn't mean we won't have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith, it means we will be called to draw on prayer and faith. Our enemies may be allowed for a time to wage war against us, but with prayer and faith they will be defeated. We just need to hold on! We are assured the victory!!!

[humblejon]

God protects His people and no form of evil can prevail against God's will. Although God is in control, we pray for God's intercession to help us in time of need. If we don't we may become too prideful when we no longer have peril in our lives--we may think that we did It on our own. Or we ay become totally discouraged and we allow fear and anxiety to rule us, not our faith.

[NancyinBelize]

What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed?

Dear Friends, all have said that God will protect us...and he will.

But...the reality is that the persecuted church in the New Testament and the persecuted church today is...sometimes their weapons do succeed at killing even the most faithful.

When I left home to be a missionary 9 years ago, my mother cried. I said, "Don't worry. God will protect me." My mother replied through tears, " God didn't protect Jim Elliot!"

So as saints who walk by faith, we who try to spread the Gospel under threat, trust that our reward is in Heaven and nothing can separate us from the love of a God in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:38).

Surely there are others doing this study who know "their weapons" are real and fully functional. How do you reply to this question?

[blezed]

What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed?

1.  It means that nothing that comes up against you shall prosper.  We have God's protection.

 

Does it mean we won’t have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith? What then does it mean?

2.  No!  We still have to continue to pray and have faith.  It means that if we are obedient to God's word, those that seek to destroy us will not succeed because God will protect us.

[WinstonY]

Question 8 - 7

 

Here in these verses Isaiah sees the Jewish people in exile are “afflicted, storm tossed and not comforted”.   They need to be comforted and given hope and confidence.  Now Isaiah turns his words to achieve these goals.  He uses words to great effect to encourage God’s people to accept the challenge and to give their trust again to Yahweh.  In verses 5 - 8 ,   Yahweh admits that he has abandoned them and in a moment of wrath he hid his face from the people.  Yahweh through the tongue of Isaiah tells the people in fantastic metaphors that he will always be with them.  The mountains may depart before God’s love departs.  A pinnacle of rubies and sapphires will be theirs because of God’s love for them.  God’s love is so extravagant that it takes very extravagant language to describe Yahweh’s love.  Isaiah suggests that because Yahweh has made the blacksmith then the smith will not be able to create weapons which are greater than the power of God.

God’s power is unlike human power.  Recently there was threatened a war involving USA, Syria , Russia and China.  It appeared as that all was done that could be done.  However Pope Francis called for a fast for peace for Syria and lo there was peace.  It seems as if we need to pray to further the fulfillment of God’s word and work.  This means that prayer to God in faith is important and James suggests that “the effect of prayer of a righteousness man can do wonders”. (5:16)  

 

winstony

[Craig]

Q7. (Isaiah 54:16-17) What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed? Does it mean we won’t have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith? What then does it mean?

 

If we put our faith and trust in God he will protect us.  The Lord is our shepherd.  Prayer and faith form our relationship with God and are necessary in order to maintain a health relationship with God.  If God is for us who can be against us.  God will not permit his people to be destroyed spiritually or physically because ultimately we will spending eternity in the House of the Lord forever and ever.

[GoRaysXD]

Q7. (Isaiah 54:16-17) What does the promise mean that no weapon formed against you shall succeed? Does it mean we won’t have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith? What then does it mean?

 

 

 

 

 

If we put our faith and trust in God he will protect us.  The Lord is our shepherd.  Prayer and faith form our relationship with God and are necessary in order to maintain a health relationship with God.  If God is for us who can be against us.  God will not permit his people to be destroyed spiritually or physically because ultimately we will spending eternity in the House of the Lord forever and ever.

 

[Old Jerry]

The promise that no weapon formed against me shall succeed means that no matter what the evil one throws at me I will still succeed in the work that God has given me to do. We are still going to have to conduct spiritual warfare through prayer and faith because this is the way that the weapons will not prevail against us.

[Paula Price]

God is promising that as long as we are under his protection, He will not allow anything to harm us. Of course we are required to trust and obey him at all times, which means we must pray and commune with him daily and constantly as he has required of us. It is through this communion, this daily walk, this constant prayer and talk with him that he makes his presence known to us and ministers to our daily needs.  We are to continue in the faith in order to receive the promises of God for our lives.

[Krissi]

This was a prophecy written for a particular group of people at a particular time. I do not believe this prophecy is applicable to my own life ... nor is any prophecy written long ago that obviously was written with a "literal" Israel in view.

I desperately wish promises to other people were promises to me, but do not believe that what God said to someone/s a long time ago can be "claimed" as a prophecy for myself.

Many, many Christians have been martyred -- weapons forged against those Christians prevailed. I suppose you could say that a Christian has eternal life therefore nothing that happens on earth really matters including his/her death, which would be true, but the promise has to do with events occurring in life, about real battles against real people in real time. In this life should I expect God to save me from those who are against me? Should I expect weapons forged against me to be ineffective? 

No. 

Sometimes God saves -- this is His prerogative. Sometimes He lets us die -- this, too, is His prerogative. To us, it's a mystery why some Christians are felled in battle and others escape alive. Only God knows. He numbers our days. Someday, perhaps, God may explain His dealings with us ... or not.

This has nothing to do with spiritual warfare, but with expecting long-ago prophecies to turn into contemporary promises.

There's always an excuse, a way of explaining God's inactivity when the promise doesn't "turn true." When God doesn't respond as we expected, when good Christians are felled in battle, somehow it's our fault, that our faith didn't rise to the level God demanded, or that we "misheard" God in some way. But maybe, it wasn't a promise to begin with? Maybe it was a prophecy for then, not now? Maybe there are some prophecies that don't have anything to do with people generations removed from their recipients?

Sometimes it's just warfare, not spiritual warfare. 

--

I am writing as the Western war against Russia is raging in the Ukraine. I have seen interviews of Ukrainian soldiers crying at the senseless loss of of their friend's lives -- I have seen, too, pious Russian soldiers making makeshift churches and shrines where they battle. Individuals on both sides are invoking God's protection. And, Christians on both sides of this proxy war between the West and the global South, after begging God for protection, are dying.

--

"Ours not to make reply,
Ours not to reason why,
Ours but to do and die."