God's Got Your Back!

“I’ve got your back” is a familiar phrase.

We hear it declared in every corner of our culture. Friends, family members, athletic teammates, law enforcement officers, military personnel all use it. “I’ve got your back” makes us feel good when someone is covering our backside in life.      

But have you ever been through a time when you wondered who or what was covering your back?

His name was Bob. He was a board member of the local church I served as Pastor. I loved him as my brother in Christ. I liked Bob. He was fun to be around. Laughed a lot. Encouraged me often. After every board meeting Bob would pat me on the back, look me in the eye and say “Pastor, I got your back.”

Bob had my back…… until he didn’t.

Sadly, strife and division raised its ugly head, rocking our fellowship. People chose sides. Those who were with the Pastor and those who opposed him. Joining with the dissenters, “I got your back Pastor” Bob turned his back on me. Backslapper turned backstabber.

Devastated me. I thought Bob would stand with me to help heal the division. Instead, he chose to not support me when I needed his support.

Back-stabbing happens. Always hurts. Cuts deeply.

I have been there. You probably have too. I recall looking over my shoulder with concern while passing through a season where past hurt haunted me. Emotional pain and depression can cast an ominous, demoralizing dark shadow over our lives. I worried that things that had hurt me previously would sneak in the back door of my heart and wound me again in the future.

In the gray shadows cast by worry and fear, I needed light. God’s delivering light to break out like the dawn and chase the darkness away. I desperately desired healing and recovery. Oh, how I prayed that it might come speedily! Though spiritually, emotionally and physically weak and weary, I did my best to look to the Lord with faith.

During my personal pain, the Lord assured me of this truth:  God our Father will never stab us in the back. He will guard our back all the days of our life!

In my time of need, when my backside seemed so vulnerable, God gave me His Word that He had my back!

Our verse for this week tells us “the glory of the Lord will be our rear guard.”

“Then your light will break out like the dawn, and your recovery will speedily spring forth; and your righteousness will go before you; the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard” Isaiah 58:8

The way I read this, God’s glory guards our rear!

 So, why do we need the Lord to be our rear guard? Because we are vulnerable to attack from our enemies from behind.

When God led Israel out of Egyptian bondage, He went ahead of them. “A pillar of cloud by day” and “a pillar of fire by night” directing their path. Whenever they stopped during the day or camped for the night, God moved the cloud and fire to their rear. Right between them and Pharaoh’s murderous army (Read Exodus 13-15).

The glory of God became their rear guard. God had Israel’s back!

Like Pharaoh tried to do to God’s people, the enemy of our soul, Satan, tries to sneak up on us from behind. He is a back door devil. A back-stabber! The evil one will never try to enter the front door. Why? Because the devil is a deceiver, conniver, and coward. He lacks courage to attack his enemies head on. Satan revels in end runs and back door assaults.

No one likes to be hit from behind. I have learned the back doors in my life that the devil likes to knock on are temptations, weaknesses, faults, shortcomings, mistakes, disappointments and failures I have struggled with in the past. Eternity’s biggest loser loves to hit us from behind, blindside us or bushwhack us if he can.

I have bad news for Satan and good news for you and me: When Satan tries to sneak up on us from behind, He runs head on with the Lord. God’s got our back. He slams the door on Satan. The Lord is the bouncer who bounces the devil every time.

If you are struggling with your past, or if you think the devil can crash and trash your life through the back door, I want you to take heart today.

THE GLORY OF THE LORD IS YOUR REAR GUARD!!!! The Word of God says so! Nothing, nor anyone, in heaven, on earth, or in hell can take out the God of glory!

My friend, our future is forward. Faith moves forward, not backward. Israel’s future was in the Promised Land of Canaan, not the wastelands of oppressive Egypt.

You and I can go forward by faith to enter new doors of opportunity in life because God is guarding the rear door.

Slam the door on self-pity, disappointment and discouragement over your past. Almighty God has got you covered! God is always on the job watching our rear!

So, who has your back today?

“Thou are my King, O God: Command victories for Jacob. Through Thee we will push back our adversaries; through Thy name we will trample down those who rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, nor will my sword save me. But Thou has saved us from our adversaries, and Thou has put to shame those who hate us. In God we have boasted all day long; and we will give thanks To Thy name forever.”    Psalm 44:4-8

A Word For Your Back: When God has our back we do not need anyone else to back us up.