No Weapon Forged Against Us by Nancy White
Often, in the midst of trial, we can be comforted by Isaiah 54:17 [KJV], which says, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness [is] of me, saith the LORD.”
Often, in prayer for someone struggling with a serious trial or temptation, we remind God of His promise that “no weapon formed against us will prosper.”
But, what does it mean that no weapon formed against us will prosper? What exactly is God guaranteeing in Isaiah 54:17?
The NIV puts it this way, “No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the LORD.
The ESV says, “No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed, and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD and their vindication from me, declares the LORD.”
Does this mean that God won’t let Satan send us trials? No. We see, for example, that God specifically gave Satan permission to cause Job to suffer a very severe trial.
Does it mean that God won’t let us be killed? No. Most of the apostles were martyred. I have personally witnessed many of God’s saints die from cancer – some of them leaving behind young children. I’ve known of faithful servants of God who lost a child to crib death or a mate in a car accident.
Does it mean that God won’t let us lose a job for obediently keeping His Sabbath or Holy Days? No. That happens even in countries like the USA, where the right to worship as we choose without persecution is supposed to be guaranteed.
Doesn’t it seem that, in these cases, the weapons formed against us have, in fact, actually prospered?
Satan’s weapons are powerful. They can hurt “like the devil” – wreck our lives, wreck our finances, wreck our health, rob us of sleep, rob us of loved ones, etc.
But make no mistake about it, the weapons Satan forges against us cannot prosper or prevail as long as we never let go of God. As long as the weapons forged against us do not loosen our grip on the promises of the Kingdom, these weapons do not prevail.
Further, Satan’s weapons cannot prosper because of what we read in Romans 8:35-39 [NIV] Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
As long as we cannot be separated from the love of God, nothing Satan throws at us, no weapon he forges against, can ultimately prosper. Though it kill us, that weapon will not prosper or succeed in its purpose.
You see, the weapons Satan forges against us are not primarily focused on making our lives miserable on this earth. Ruining a mere potential of “3 score and 10 years” of a believer’s life isn’t what Satan cares about. He is far more interested in destroying our eternity. And he fails every time a believer makes it through the trial without giving up his/her faith in God, focus on the Kingdom and commitment to obedience in spite of it all.
Every time a fellow servant dies in the faith, Satan’s weapon has failed.
Every time a child of God shows love in response to hate or sows peace with one who intended war, Satan’s weapon has failed.
Every time a Christian puts God before job or country, Satan’s weapon has failed.
Every time, in the midst of great loss, a believer hangs on to faith, Satan’s weapon has failed.
Every time a sinner goes humbly before the Just Judge, admitting fault and begging forgiveness, and comes away washed clean by the precious blood of Jesus, Satan’s weapon has failed.
Because, as we are told in 1 Corinthians 15:19 [NIV], If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied, neither should we be focused on what Satan’s weapons may do to our bodies, minds, families, stature in the community or finances in these 70ish years of human life. We too should be focused on our hope in the next life.
With Jesus Christ on our side, the Holy Spirit in us, and our eyes firmly focused on the Kingdom of God, Satan’s weapons cannot succeed in their mission to destroy our eternal futures.
To wrap this up, I want to remind you of Romans 8:31 [NIV] What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? God is for us, sweet sisters. Satan forges many damaging weapons. The weapons of Satan do hurt and destroy, in this life. They can claim a few battles won. But they cannot prevail.
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