Daily Devotional | God Is for Us!

A famous saying goes, “God plus you is a majority.” It implies that God is on our side and will help us conquer our opposition. As Christians, we know that God is with us. But because those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God, the real question should not be whether God is with us, but whether He is for us.

The presence of the Holy Spirit answers this question. The Spirit’s indwelling presence is proof that God has accepted us in Christ. The Spirit “testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children” (v. 16). The Spirit also “intercedes for us through wordless groans” (v. 26). Paul says we have been groaning since creation (v. 22), longing for our future hope in Christ!

This groaning does not seem to be a conversation that we participate in or can even hear. It is the Spirit addressing the Father directly on our behalf. The outcome of these prayers is guaranteed because the Father “knows the mind of the Spirit,” and the Spirit’s requests are “in accordance with the will of God” (v. 27).

When difficulties arise in our lives, we don’t need to worry about whether God’s attitude has changed toward us. Whatever the circumstance, “God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (v. 28). God’s purpose for us is that we should be “conformed to the image of his Son” (v. 29). The worst that can happen cannot separate us from God’s love or His good plan for our lives. Through Christ, we are “more than conquerors” (v. 37). 

>> God is not an ally but a sovereign who not only rules over us but over all of the circumstances that affect us. Read verses 38 and 39 aloud! Whatever your situation might be today, remember that God is for you, and He is always in control!

Pray with Us

Dear God, we celebrate your perfect unity—Father, Son, and Spirit! You are of one mind and purpose, and you have the authority to accomplish your will. There is no room for despair before your unity, power, and goodness.

BY Dr. John Koessler

John Koessler is Professor Emeritus of Applied Theology and Church Ministries at Moody Bible Institute. John authors the “Practical Theology” column for Today in the Word of which he is also a contributing writer and theological editor. An award-winning author, John’s newest title is When God is Silent: Let the Bible Teach You to Pray (Kirkdale). Prior to joining the Moody faculty, he served as a pastor of Valley Chapel in Green Valley, Illinois, for nine years. He and his wife, Jane, now enjoy living in a lakeside town in Michigan.