God is for the Underdog!

The first underdog that I want to talk about is Peter. In Mark 14 the word records that when the authorities arrested Jesus, Peter followed. Peter was approached several times by people accusing him of being a follower of Jesus. Three times he denied this and cursed. He probably felt like he wanted to die after denying His Messiah and friend. Maybe some of you feel like you have done so much against Jesus and His word that there is no way to get back to Him. But He is married to the backslider. His grace and mercy is awesome. Just repent and ask His forgiveness. In Chapter 16 after Jesus rose from the dead the angel that was present at Jesus’ tomb told the women that came to the tomb to tell Jesus’ disciples and Peter that He went before them into Galilee. Peter probably felt left out of Jesus’ mercy and grace and Jesus knew this. This is why the angel mentioned Peter’s name and nobody else’s. On the day of Pentecost God used Peter as the spokesman instead of the 119 others who were there. If somebody were to take a vote as to who God would use Peter would be the underdog and receive the least amount of votes, but not in God’s eyes. God is for the underdog and saw something in Peter that He could use, even though He knew that Peter would deny Him and even prophesized it in Mark 14 v. 30. He knew that you and I would let Him down but He sees something in us and gives us the strength to bounce back. You may feel that you are the Last and the underdog but God wants you to be the First. Peter was the Last but became the First when he became the chosen spokesman to explain to the people of Jerusalem about the Holy Ghost infilling that took place on Pentecost (Acts 2 v. 14 -41).

Another example of God being for the Underdog is in the life of David. In 1 Samuel 16 the word records that God sent Samuel to David’s house to anoint the next king. All the brothers of David thought that they were the one that was chosen (v. 5-10). Even when David asked Jesse the father if he had any more sons he had to think and remembered David, the underdog (v.11). In the same verse Samuel said that they would not sit down to eat until David came. This is God promoting the underdog. Samuel anointed David right in the midst of all the other brothers (v.13). In Chapter 17 even when David came against Goliath, he was the underdog in people’s sight, but not in God’s sight. As soon as David walked out on the battle field he had the victory. The anointing of God was so strong on David that he killed Goliath with one stone (v. 49). If anybody had predicted that David, the youngest one around would be the victor over Goliath, they would have been thought to be crazy. Saul, the tallest man around would have been everybody choice, but not God’s. God likes to use the least likely. As a matter of fact Saul was hiding from Goliath. Eventually David became king over Israel, taking Saul’s place. God made room for the underdog.

Another underdog was Esther who being urged by Mordecai, her uncle, tried out for Queen to replace Vashti. She was from another country and I am sure that nobody expected her to be chosen: another least likely or underdog. God made sure that Esther caught the king’s eye and he chose her above all others. God knew that He could trust her to stand in the gap for His people when Haman tricked the king to sign a decree against the Jews, to kill them. She did and her people were delivered. You see God knows the heart of everyone and chooses people after His own heart, not the way they look to others. So, be encouraged, God has chosen you as an underdog, to promote and bring you to the top.

Another underdog was Jehoshaphat who was surrounded and greatly outnumbered by armies (2 Chron. 20 v. 2). He kept his eyes on God and God told Jehoshaphat that it was not his battle; the battle was the Lord’s (v.15). All Jehoshaphat had to do was show up and send his worship leaders into battle singing “Praise ye the Lord His mercy endures forever” (v. 21) When they did this God sent ambushments against the enemy and they destroyed each other (v. 22, 23). It took Jehoshaphat three days to pick up the spoils (v. 25).

The children of Israel as a whole were underdogs as they dwelt as slaves in Egypt. God miraculously set them free from bondage in Egypt bringing 10 plagues on their captors. They were then at the Red Sea and it looked impossible for them to make their final escape. In Exodus 14, the word says that they were surrounded by mountains at either side, the Red Sea in front of them and the Egyptians closing in on them from behind. This was really a situation where they were the underdogs. However, God told Moses to stretch forth his rod and as he did the Red Sea was opened, they escaped safely and the Egyptians were drowned.

Satan maybe licking his chops at you because the odds and circumstances are against you but remember God is for the underdog.