Romans 8:31 – If God is for us, who can be against us?

Are you on God’s team? And here’s a big question … is God on your team? Is God really for you? Because if he is, who could ever stop you?

Have you ever heard your name being chanted by the crowd? Have you ever heard people put their faith and voice behind you? Screaming your name, over and over again. I’ve been watching Lindsey Vonn ski in the Olympics this week and I hear her coach behind her right before you shoots down that mountain “come on Lindsey.” I can hear his faith in her. That’s his girl. He’s counting on her to give it her best. “Let’s go Lindsey.”

Maybe you were a high school athlete and you’ve heard the crowd scream your name. I wasn’t. But I’ve been so moved as a grown woman to witness a crowd of women getting behind a single gal at one of our Big Life Adventure Retreats. Picture this, a terrified woman stands on a tall platform with a rope and a series of obstacles before her. She’s petrified by heights and yet somehow she finds herself on one of our high ropes adventures. Standing well below her you can see her entire body shaking. She hesitates and looks back, seeking a way down. And just when she thinks she can’t do it, we all start chanting her name. It was Carissa’s first retreat. She may not have known our name, but we knew hers. Carissa. Carissa. Carissa. And then more join in. Carissa. Carissa. Carissa. An entire crowd of women below were chanting her name. Even those ahead of her on the high ropes course stopped and cheered for her. We were FOR her. We believed in her. We knew if she would just take that next step, she would soar … and she would be so glad she did. And she was. I bet that’s a moment Carissa will never forget. It’s one I will never forget.

Don’t you wish you could hear the crowd chanting your name when the alarm goes off in the wee early hours of the morning. Sarah. Sarah. Sarah. You can do this. We know you can. GET OUT OF BED. Sarah. Come on. Feet on the floor. Don’t you wish you could hear those who believe in you when you’re about to back down for that workout. Come on Amy, we know you can do this. We believe in you. We’re proud of you. Go Amy, Go. Or when you’re about to lose your shiz and blow your top, come on Jennifer, we know you’re better than this. You’re strong. You’ve got this. Just walk away. Walk away.

Oh to know someone is on your side. To know someone believes in you. To know someone’s got your back!

And have we forgotten, if God is for us, who can be against us? We have everything we need in our creator. If he’s watching you, believing in you, cheering your name, what more do you possibly need?

But how do you know God is for you? What if he’s disappointed in you? What if he’s against you? I believe deep down that’s a crippling fear the enemy uses to keep us in bondage. He attacks our confidence and our identity. He makes us question God’s approval. But may I remind you of perhaps the most powerful scripture in all of the new testament? Romans 8:1 says Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, you have been set free.

God doesn’t look at you with condemning eyes. If you have accepted his son Jesus, he looks at you and sees the girl he sent his son to die for. That’s it, plain and simple. He’s not angry at you. He’s not against you.

He is for you. He is for your happiness. He is for your success. He is for your breakthrough. He is for your marriage. He is for your health. He is for your business. He is for your family. HE IS FOR YOU. (But sidenote, he cares more about your character than your comfort, so sometimes it doesn’t feel all warm and fuzzy.)

He is behind you. Oh how I wish you could hear him cheering your name. Looking down on you this morning saying “that’s my girl … she’s up … she’s gonna do it today, I just know it. She’s gonna show up and live the life I have given her like only she can. Oh I just know she’s gonna do it.” God is for you.

FOR YOU. And since God is for you, because remember, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, WHO CAN BE AGAINST YOU?

Who can be against you? Not your ex. Not your boss. Not your negative co-worker. Not your neighbor. Not your haters and naysayers. Nope, not one.

Except you. You are the only one who can get in the way here. Are you against you? Perhaps you need to get out of your own way today. Buy into the truth that God is for you and jump on the support train and BE FOR YOU TOO.