Let God Be Your Defender

[Let God Be Your Defender](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) Current Teaching Series [How God Turns Setbacks Into Comebacks](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) [Listen to Today's Broadcast](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) [Let God Be Your Defender](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) By Rick Warren — July 1, 2019 [Facebook](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) [Twitter](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) [Pinterest](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) [Email](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) [Devotional image from Rick Warren](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) “I depend on God alone; I put my hope in him. He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. My salvation and honor depend on God; he is my strong protector; he is my shelter” (Psalm 62:5-7 GNT). There are always going to be people in your life who misunderstand you and people who don’t like you. There will always be people who criticize you, judge you, attack you, and spread rumors about you. When you are misunderstood, you’re going to have a tendency to get in there and defend yourself. When you’re attacked, your first reaction is often to attack back—just like the rest of us. When people criticize you, you want to criticize back. When people insult you, you want to insult them back. Don’t do it! Let God be your defender. Every time you are under attack, criticized, put down, or misunderstood, you have two choices: You can defend yourself, or you can let God defend you. Which will it be? Who do you think can do a better job defending you? God can. Pay attention to this: You’re most like Christ when you say nothing in the face of attack, lies, and unfair criticism. You’re most like Jesus when you remain silent and leave it in God’s hands. “When [Jesus] was insulted, he did not answer back with an insult; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but placed his hopes in God, the righteous Judge” (1 Peter 2:23 GNT). Even Jesus did not fight back in the face of his unjust conviction and persecution. He trusted God to defend him when it mattered most and to have the ultimate justice. In the Bible, King David was criticized and attacked his entire life. In fact, for most of his life, people wanted to kill him because they were jealous of him. In Psalm 62:5-7, David said this: “I depend on God alone; I put my hope in him. He alone protects and saves me; he is my defender, and I shall never be defeated. My salvation and honor depend on God; he is my strong protector; he is my shelter” (GNT). A lot of people are going to be jealous of your success, too, and they’ll want to attack you for many different reasons. But like David, you need to let God be your protector, your Savior, your defender, your victor, and your shelter. Let God handle it. Let him be your defense. [PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) Talk About It - What are some practical things you can do in the moment to keep from speaking or acting in retaliation? - Why would God want us to remain silent when we are under attack? Why wouldn’t he want us to try to prove that we are right? - How does someone’s attack on your character say more about that person than it does about you? [Facebook](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) [Twitter](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) [Pinterest](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) [Email](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r [Get How God Turns Setbacks Into Comebacks Complete Audio Series when you give a gift to support Daily Hope](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) We live in a fallen world and Scripture assures us that everyone will face problems, trials, difficulties, losses, and failures. But there’s hope for any setback you face! In his series, How God Turns Setbacks Into Comebacks, Pastor Rick Warren opens God’s Word to show how the Lord helps people overcome their setbacks. Messages include: • When You've Had a Business Setback • When Your Setback Seems Irreversible • When a Setback Isn't Your Fault • When a Setback Leaves You Emotionally Empty • When You Feel Like Giving Up • When Others Keep Setting You Back • When a Setback Fills You with Fear • When No One Understands Your Goal [LEARN MORE](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r [Complete Audio Series (Purchase)](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) Includes 8 full-length teaching CDs from Pastor Rick's series How God Turns Setbacks Into Comebacks. [LEARN MORE](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r [Series Summary](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) Message 1: When You've Had a Business Setback Message 2: When Your Setback Seems Irreversible Message 3: When a Setback Isn't Your Fault Message 4: When a Setback Leaves You Emotionally Empty Message 5: When You Feel Like Giving Up Message 6: When Others Keep Setting You Back Message 7: When a Setback Fills You with Fear Message 8: When No One Understands Your Goal [PLAY TODAY'S BROADCAST](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) Pastor Rick Warren [Facebook](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r)[Twitter](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) [Instagram](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) [Linkedin](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) Enjoy today's Devotional? [Listen instantly to the full radio message at Daily Hope Radio.](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) Did someone forward this devotional to you? [Subscribe to Pastor Rick Warren's Daily Devotional.](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r) This devotional is based on the current Daily Hope radio series at [pastorrick.com](JmbiFPY2N:m:1:2618166767:CB36EA55CFD487F45C9D8E7A4D0A0D06:r). Rick Warren has helped people live with hope and on purpose for more than 40 years. He’s the founding pastor of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of several books, including The Purpose Driven Church and The Purpose Driven Life, which has been translated into 137 languages and sold more than 50 million copies in all formats. He created the PEACE Plan (plant churches of reconciliation, equip servant leaders, assist the poor, care for the sick, educate the next generation), which is used by churches in 196 countries. His radio teaching and daily devotional, Daily Hope, is offered around the world. This devotional © 2019 by Rick Warren. All rights reserved. Used by permission. You can unsubscribe at any time by changing your e-mail preferences. This message was intended for: {EMAIL} You were added to the system December 23, 2016. [Unsubscribe](