The LORD Always Wins

"There is no wisdom or understanding or counsel against the LORD."

Proverbs 21:30

What confidence and comfort God's people can have in His sovereign rule over all!  Paul was convinced he and all believers who love God can know He works all things work together for good.  Thus situations that we would say are bad or are intended by others for evil will not undermine or prevent God's good purposes from ultimately being accomplished.  Sometimes, like Joseph in Egypt, God can provide insight into His redemptive operation in our circumstances and ourselves.  He explained to his brethren in Genesis 50:20:  "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive."  It was evil when Joseph's brothers sold him as a slave and fabricated evidence to deceive his father into believing he was dead, yet God meant it for good--that in time nations, Joseph, his father and even his brothers would be spared from starvation and death.

Paul suffered many things for the sake of Christ.  His personal introduction to Jesus on the road to Damascus rendered him blind for days and this led to great spiritual insight as God's chosen vessel to bear Christ's name to the Gentiles.  Wherever he went, Paul regularly faced opposition, death threats, beatings and was incarcerated many times.  He took courage in Jesus Christ in such moments, for there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD.  While imprisoned he wrote in Philippians 1:12-14:  "But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, ¹³ so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; ¹⁴ and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear."  One might assume Paul would be hindered, silenced and isolated by his chains, yet new doors of fruitful ministry opened up to him because of it.  We do not read of Paul complaining or ranting about the injustice of his arrest or the need of judicial reforms, for the Gospel was being furthered and Christians were increasingly bold without fear.

In His wisdom, God sent His only begotten Son Jesus to become wisdom for us.  King Herod tried to kill Him, Satan tried to tempt Him, the religious rulers tried to trap Him in His words, and His brothers did not initially believe in Him!  Murderous schemes, deceit and unbelief failed to undermine or hinder the fruitfulness and reception of the Gospel by many followers.  When Satan influenced Judas to betray Jesus, the Jewish rulers condemned Him to death in illegal proceedings and pushed for His crucifixion, God accomplished everything He planned from the beginning by providing atonement for sinners by Christ's shed blood.  Paul said in 1 Corinthians 2:6-8, "However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, ⁸ which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory."  Since there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD, everything Satan and man did to silence Jesus has glorified Him forever in His resurrection--proving His divinity, His authority, power over sin and death, and He is able to give eternal life to all who trust in Him.

Knowing there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD, how good it is to be in Jesus Christ by faith in Him!  This means whatever is intended to be evil against us God will use for good, that injustice will lead to an outpouring of grace and salvation, and the miraculous power of God displayed in response to wicked schemes will be so great that Satan will lament having foolishly played into God's hands.  The devil is proud enough to believe he handed God an easy victory, but the credit for every redemptive victory belongs only to Jesus Christ our LORD.  How would it transform your perspective of your life and the world, seeing there is no wisdom, understanding or counsel against the LORD?