Who Will Defend Me?

When everyone seems against you, do you wonder if anyone will step up and defend you?  In this episode, I share my Prayer Strategy to embrace God as your defender. I can relate to your feelings of being brought down by others. 

This is my powerful Prayer Strategy to Embrace God as Your Defender

Tip #1: Offensive Prayer = Turn to God for Direction

We can learn from the prayer in Nehemiah 1:11 that says, “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God , who keeps your covenant of love with those who love him and obey hist commands, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant..." God is a protective haven from harm, if we choose to run to him for safety, He is our safe place. “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer, my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Psalm 18:1-3. We can depend on our defender. We can rest in his peace.

The second tip in my powerful Prayer Strategy – Defensive Prayer – Turn to God for Protection  

Through praying first, Nehemiah had taken offensive action against his enemies. Prayer is the offensive move you and I should take first. Engaging in each spiritual battle with prayer, we are choosing to carry God’s weapons, equipped, and fortified with the Ephesians 6 -- Armor of God. 

This brings us to our third tip in my powerful Prayer Strategy -- Intentional Prayer – Turn to God for Power.

Nehemiah’s enemies did not back down. In fact, the opposition to the rebuilding only grew more intense. Remember this in the midst of the process of your heart’s restoration. The enemy wants nothing more than to stop God’s work in you. John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” For God to continue to work in us, we must continually surrender our will. 

Today’s unshakable truth: In Christ, you have a Defender. With Christ’s defense you need no other.

1. Pray offensively — Turn to God for direction when your heart feels overwhelmed.
 2. Pray defensively — Trust Him for protection when opposition rises.
 3. Pray intentionally — Rely on His power to stand firm and finish the work He’s called you to do.

Friend, you don’t have to defend yourself — Jesus already has done so at the cross. Let Him be your safe place, your strong tower, your constant help. If today’s message spoke to your heart, take a moment right now to pause and pray:
 “Lord, thank You for being my Defender. Help me trust You for direction, protection, and power today.”

[i] Life Application Study Bible, New International Version, Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton, IL, 1988, pg. 961

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Transcript

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When everyone seems against you, do you wonder if anyone will step up and defend you? In this episode, I share my prayer strategy to embrace God as your defender. This will provide the protection you yearn for. Restore your heart starts right now. I'm your host, Cheryl Giespreck Turner. Each week I bring tips and tools from God's Word to help you identify and overcome triggers, trauma, or tragedy. When your heart is hurting or broken, God's heart breaks right along with yours. If you're anything like me, you've asked questions like, why am I going through this? Or how long will my suffering last? Or will this pain ever stop? You felt abandoned and alone. Be encouraged. You've found a friend here who knows. God understands each hurt. God cares about each loss. Everything that has happened to you has broken God's heart. Let's get started. I can relate to your feelings of being brought down by others. I'd had my last chemotherapy session just two days before I walked into Sunday school, and everyone knew it. Lucy asked, Honey, how are you doing? Sharon chewed me out. I thought you should stay at home and in bed today. Now these people were concerned friends, yet I felt like I was getting a scolding and should be in time out. As a stage four cancer patient fighting for my life, I wanted everything to be back to normal. These greetings and advice were meant to encourage, but instead cut deep, like daggers. Others decided I needed to hear their advice and opinions about cancer side effects, diagnosis, and treatment. It really didn't feel good when they told their own relatives death by cancer story or gave the most up-to-date information on the new treatment. I needed a sign that said, I'm doing pretty well under the circumstances. It's good to see you too. I appreciate your prayers. This is my powerful prayer strategy to embrace God as your defender. Tip number one, offensive prayer, turn to God for direction. We can learn from the prayer in Nehemiah 111 that says, O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God who keeps your covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands. Let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this, your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man. In this prayer, Nehemiah clarified his problem and asked God to help him. He showed us how to bring our problems to God. Nehemiah's actions gave us specific examples, started out with praise, fasting, thanksgiving, repentance, specific request, and commitment. His project was approved. He had permission from the king to rebuild the wall around Jerusalem. Like Nehemiah, these in-the-moment prayers enable us to trust God to be our defender. Sometimes these quick prayers are referred to as arrow prayers. We shoot these one-sentence prayers up to God in our immediate time of need. That's what I did that day in the Sunday school class. I asked God to shelter and protect me from hurtful comments and advice that really didn't help. I turned to God to be my strong tower that can't be moved. God is a protective haven from harm. If we choose to run to Him for safety, He is our safe place. Psalm 18, 1 through 3 says, The Lord is my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. My God is my rock in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. We can depend on our defender. We can rest in his peace. The second tip in my powerful prayer strategy, defensive prayer, turn to God for protection. Through praying first, Nehemiah had taken offensive action against his enemies. Prayer is the offensive move you and I should take first. Engaging in each spiritual battle with prayer, we're choosing to carry God's weapons, equipped and fortified, with Ephesians 6, the armor of God. But check out the defensive action Nehemiah puts in place. He sets up a guard. This action step was Nehemiah's way of taking defensive measures. In addition to combining prayer with preparation and planning, Nehemiah and his group had to work and defend. You and I can do the same. The group trusted God, but at the same time kept watch over their work, rebuilding the wall. If you and I combine prayer with preparation and effort, we show God we're serious, committed, and dependent on his power, not ours. Heart restoration is a work and defense stance. Our work is turning to God with offensive prayer. Our defense is trusting for his protection through defensive prayer. This brings us to our third tip in my powerful prayer strategy, intentional prayer. Turn to God for power. Nehemiah's enemies did not back down. In fact, the enemy opposition to the rebuilding grew even more intense. Remember this in the midst of your heart's restoration. Satan, your enemy, wants nothing more than to stop God's work in you. John 10, 10 reminds us the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. I have come that they may have life and have it to the full. For God to continue to work in us, we must continually surrender our will. Nehemiah's enemies planned to bring him down. They attacked him with rumors. God gave him insight in Nehemiah 6, 2 through 3, but they were scheming to harm me, so I sent messengers to them with this reply. No matter what you're facing today, God is your defender and fortress. The same was true with the rebuilding of the Jerusalem wall. They said it couldn't be done. The job was too big, the problems were too great. But God. Nehemiah 6, 14 through 16, remember Tobiah and Sanbalet, my God, because of what they have done. Remember also the prophet Noadiah, how she and the rest of the prophets have been trying to intimidate me. So the wall was completed in 52 days. When all our enemies heard about this, all the surrounding nations were afraid and lost their self-confidence because they realized that this work had been done with the help of our God. Today's unshakable truth in Christ, you have a defender. With Christ's defense, you need no other. When you feel misunderstood, criticized, or worn down by others' careless words, like I did that Sunday morning after chemo. Remember, you are not alone and unprotected. Where could I run? I thought that day. Who could I turn to? I remembered a song I sang with my kids when they were little. The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run to it and are safe. And that's what I did in my arrow prayer. I told God, I'm depending on you to be my defender. When we run to Him, our rock, fortress, and refuge, He covers us in peace that no offender can steal and no lie can undo. I challenge you to use the three tips from the powerful prayer strategy from today. Number one, pray offensively. Turn to God for direction when your heart feels overwhelmed. Number two, pray defensively. Trust him for protection when opposition rises. Number three, pray intentionally. Rely on his power to stand firm and finish the work he's called you to do. Sister, you don't have to defend yourself. Jesus has already done it at the cross. Let him be your safe place, your strong tower, your constant help. If today's message spoke to your heart, take a minute right now to pause and pray. Lord, thank you for being my defender. Help me to trust you for direction, protection, and power today. In Jesus' name, amen. Thanks for joining me for Restore Your Heart. If this message of God's unshakable truth resonated with you, share this episode with a friend who's feeling attacked and defenseless. Let's help each other walk in freedom. You don't have to wonder if God will protect you. You don't have to be afraid of being vulnerable or defenseless. With Christ as your defender, you need not defend yourself. Please subscribe and leave a review at CherylG T.com. That's S-H-E-R-Y-L, G S in Go, T S N Tom.com. I'm Cheryl Geesbreak Turner, and it's been great being with you for Restore Your Heart. See you next time.