Twenty-eighth Mountain Peak
"No weapon that it formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." Isaiah 54:17
WHAT A PRECIOUS PROMISE we have in this passage of God's Word and what a wonderful peak of salvation. How many of us have suffered and are unhappy because of somebody standing against us. Sometimes the weapons are from our own family, our own mother, brother, sister or neighbour. They try to bring many things against us. Again sometimes our relations, neighbours or co-workers become our enemies. In our school or college or workshop, they say things against us. Many ungodly and worldly officers take revenge, if we do not do what they want us to do. For example, in every school they have to maintain attendance. They have to present the Register to the Inspector, but to please the Inspector, they give a false report. If we do not agree with the Head Master or Principal, he will be against us. In the same way, if we refuse to give a false account, others will work against us. Because of enemity, jealousy and hatred, somebody will rise up against us, whoever we may be, somebody, somewhere will surely work against us. Others will speak ill and do damage against those who want to grow spiritually and obey God's word. John 15: 19 and 2 Tim. 3: 12 tell us that we are going to be hated and persecuted. Matt. 5:11, tells us we are going to be falsely accused, but we have a promise in Isa. 54:17. It does not matter what kind of weapon the enemy uses, whether letters, false stories, scandals (which arc a special ministry with some people, and a pleasure to them), God in His Word says: "No weapon that is formed against you, shall prosper". Yes. even the tongue weapon—it will be condemned. This is the inheritance of the servants of the Lord, those who have become righteous in the sight of God and whose sins are forgiven and who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their righteousness. Such need have no fear—no need to lose their sleep or appetite. If we do lose our sleep or appetite, this weapon cannot help us. From now onwards, do not lose your sleep,—go home and have a good sleep, nor do you require any sleeping pills. This is the best "pill", so let us claim it. Isa. 54:17. It is the same way with your appetite. There are some people who have no appetite because the enemy is against them. They come to Hebron and overhear something against them, and lose their appetite! They have no inclination for food or tea and decide not to go to Hebron, again. If that is your condition, then take this pill, Isa. 54:17, and see for yourself how effective it is! It does not matter how bitter or strong the enemy may be, let them say what they like, and do not take any notice. Keep on saying, "I believe in Isa. 54:17." Say it by faith, for this is God's treatment for you; He is the living God and whatsoever He says He will do, Num. 11:23: 23:19. It is our duty to believe Him and abide by His condition if we must be righteous before God. Not our righteousness but His righteousness, believing that the Lord Jesus Christ has died and risen again to come into us. He will not come into us if our sins are not forgiven. He will come only when we believe that He died in our stead for our sins. Such a faith comes when we are truly sorry for our sins. Then we know that these words in Isa. 54:17 are true. I have had many such experiences.
There was an old pastor many years ago who wrote a long article against me in a Christian Magazine in North India, with every kind of filthy and dirty thing he could imagine, and sent it to many places. Somehow I found out what he did. After many months when I saw him, without losing my sleep or appetite, I claimed the same promise in Isa. 54:17. After a few months that man fell very sick. His tongue and lips and his whole mouth was blistered. I went to see him and as I held his hands he began to weep and said to me "Brother, because of my sins I am suffering", I had told nobody about him, but the Lord has a way of defending His children. There is no need for us to defend ourselves, but only to believe in the promise of Isa. 54:17.
In Job 5:19 we find seven troubles, and seven means perfection! It does not matter how many troubles you have, no harm will come to you v. 20, 24. The enemy may try to use some weapon, but he will not succeed. Psa. 27:5 says, that in the time of trouble. God will hide me in His pavilion, in the secret of His tabernacle. This reminds us of a kind of nest built by some birds. There are some very clever birds who build nests for their young ones in a way that protects them from other birds, or animals, or snakes. So, skilfully are the nests woven, that the enemy cannot even see the nests. Though the nest looks strong it is weak, and built of only ordinary straw, but it is skilfully and cleverly made, and the young ones are protected. God wants to protect us like that. However clever and cunning others may be in their attempts to harm us, if we know how to trust in the living God and His promise, and do not use our own weapons, then we will be defended and protected.
Psa. 31:20 tells us: "Thou shall hide them in the secret place from the strife of (ungues". To do this the Lord often warns us beforehand of coming trouble. When we started our work in Madras City in the month of June 1941, 29 years ago, we went upon a hill to spend the whole night in prayer. As we began to light the lamp on the hill, many insects from a Mohammedan tomb came towards the light. Among them were scorpions and centipedes not a few. The whole night we were killing them. Every time we knelt to pray, the scorpions and centipedes would come out, and it was a miracle that none of us were bitten. By these the Lord spoke to us telling us to be prepared for scorpions and centipedes i.e. people who would come up against us, and the Lord promised they could not harm us. He revealed beforehand that we would be despised, persecuted and hated by all around us, and it was true. When we began, our testimony in baptism and breaking of bread, all the leading men came-up against us and adopted many kinds of worldly methods to stop the work. But wetook no notice. In God's own time. He began to defeat them, and we did not speak a single word against them or try to defend ourselves. We fully believe the wonderful promise in Isa. 54:17. As long as we are in Him, He will defend us. We found this true down the many past years, in many parts of the world. In many parts of God's Word such assurances are given to us. Zech. 2:8 "He that toucheth you. toucheth the apple of His eye". The eye is very delicate, and if a little smoke gets into it, it begins to blink and water. thus washing away the particle of dust. That is how God will keep us. He will not allow any weapon of any kind to prosper against us provided we go on praising and trusting Him and claiming His promises.