God's Enemy?

"See how your enemies growl,

how your foes rear their heads. . .

With one mind they plot together;

they form an alliance against you--"

Psalm 8:2,5

David was upset that there were so many men who were plotting against God and His people.  He saw these enemies as God's opponent.  While they were against God, can anyone really defeat Him or match His might?  

I often feel the same as David as I follow world events and see the evil that spreads through society like an insidious cancer.  I cry out to Him, "When will you vanquish your enemies?"  But this begs a question.  Does God really have any enemies?  Is He threatened by all the evil in the world that works against His plan?  What kind of a God would He be if He could have an enemy; a true antagonist who threatens His sovereign plan?  He would be a puny God indeed!

No Match.  He often proclaimed his own greatness, saying he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."  He seemed unstoppable, winning most of his bouts by knockout.  While he faced a couple of worthy opponents, Joe Frazier and George Foreman, he was invincible until the end of his career when Leon Spinks defeated him and Larry Holms actually knocked him out.  But it was Parkinson's disease which became his final adversary, wreaking havoc on his nervous system. 

While Muhammad Ali eventually did encounter foes who overcame his perceived greatness, there is no match for God, not now or ever.  He is the Creator of all things and as such is above it all (Isaiah 55:8-9).  He is greater than what He has made, and has more power than anything or anyone.  Therefore, there is no power that can give Him a run for His money, that can defeat His great plan for all of mankind, that can even trip Him up in any way.  With such a God as this on my side, I am secure in the shadow of His wings (Romans 8:31, Psalm 91:4).

There is no match in all of creation to our mighty God.

No Threat.  Every great hero has a weakness.  Superman has his Kryptonite, Batman his mortality, and Daredevil's blindness is a serious vulnerability.  While all of these superheros have to protect their weakness from being used by their enemies, God has no such worry.  There is nothing that can threaten Him, no liability that can be used against Him.

As His child, I often feel at risk, as if there is no hope for me.  Despite the fact that I have such an invincible God leading me, protecting me and calling me His own, I can sometimes get the idea that I'm on the losing side.  Evil seems like it's threatening God's good plan, that there is no way to wage a come-from-behind win in this battle.  Terrorists kill and torture the innocent, the weak and vulnerable are at risk, insidious danger lurks in every dark shadow of our society.  Is God able to conquer such a widespread destructive force?  

There is nothing in all of creation, no weapon that any evil can generate, that can damage God's purpose or His goodness.  He is not at all worried that He has let things go too far, that the state of the world or the conspiracy of evil is beyond hope.  Nothing surprises Him and He is calm as He sits in the seat of heavenly power.  He is not pacing back and forth, wringing His hands, wondering how He will pull the world He created out of the pit.  He is completely in control, of this I can be sure (Isaiah 54:16-17). 

There is no threat in all of creation to our mighty God.

No Adversary.  It seems Satan is God's enemy.  He works against His plan, attempting to undermine His power and demoralize His people.  Satan is God's opponent, right?

Wrong.  God does not have an enemy, an adversary who is equal in opposition to His goodness.  While Satan does work against Him, He is no match for Him.  Satan, in reality, is my enemy.  He opposes the good God is doing in my life, but he cannot overpower God's indwelling Spirit.  He can only have the influence over my life that I give to him.  If I submit to God, the supreme Power, humbling myself before Him, then stand firm against the devil's schemes, this enemy of mine will flee (James 4:7).  It works every time because greater is God's indwelling Spirit than this agent of evil (1 John 4:4, 2 Kings 6:16)  He cannot stand in the face of such overwhelming power.

There is no adversary in all of creation of our mighty God.

While it may seem evil is winning, the truth gives much hope as I live in such a dark world.  God has no antagonist who is a match for His great power, no weapon that is a threat to His plan, and no antagonist who can wage a worthy war against Him.  He is completely in control, never feeling threatened or at a loss.  With such a God as this, a God with no enemy, what do I have to fear?

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust in such a mighty God as this.

When do I despair at the state of this world, wondering if evil is winning?

How do I doubt God's ability to vanquish this darkness?