Have you ever found yourself caught off guard with some serious spiritual warfare? You didn’t see it coming. Bam! You’re knocked off your feet. And before you know what’s happening, it’s almost like you are being mercilessly dragged along by one of those runaway horses in the old western movies.
The feelings of overwhelm and helplessness sweep in like a flood. You’re about to crumble under the weight of the stress of your situation. Wait my sister! Before you give in and give up the fight I want to remind you of something: God has your back!
The meaning of “God has your back”
It seems difficult to pin down exactly where it all began. The phrase “got your back” is an idiom. Apparently it came from the military phrase “got your six o clock”. Somewhere around World War I or World War II, fighter pilots started to use it.
In the military or any armed force, time is such a big deal that it is even used to refer to someone’s physical position. So in the case of pilots in the World Wars, they used it to tell their comrades about the position of enemy planes.
If a plane was at someone’s 12 o clock, that meant they should expect danger directly in front of or above them. If a pilot was told to watch his six o clock, that meant danger was coming up behind him.
So then, if that same pilot said, “I’ve got your six” that really meant “I’ve got your back.” In other words, I’m covering your most vulnerable part. Since you don’t have eyes in the back of your head and I do not want the enemy to creep up behind you, I’m gonna sit on your tail and cover your rear. It signifies a sense of loyalty, support, and defense.
Now, when God says He’s got your back! Honey, that means He has you covered. That He will protect you from the darts of the enemy, especially the ones you never see coming. That He will fight for you. That no matter what position the enemy will use to come at you, God will see him first and take action before he can get to you.
Does God ever turn his back on you?
Think about it. If God is actively trying to save your life, why would he turn his back on you? God will never turn his back on you if He’s backing you up. His Word says you are the apple of his eye (Zechariah 2:8). If he turned his back on you it would be like poking himself in the eye.
There were many Bible characters who wondered the same thing.
Take Joshua for example. There he was, about to replace Moses as the leader of nearly 2 million people. These had not been an easy set of people to deal with. They drove Moses to the brink of madness and almost caused him to lose his soul. Now Joshua was to take over.
Not only was he to lead these people to the promised land, but he was to lead them into many battles to claim the territories God had promised them. As he considered the task ahead of him, fear and doubt overtook him. But God spoke to him:
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)
His promise to Joshua had been made to the Israelites many times before as they wandered through the wilderness towards the promised land:
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. (Deuteronomy 31:8)
Look, God is not in the business of taking you to places only to leave you open to the enemy. He has a reputation to protect. Over and over in Scripture we see God promising to show up to cover the backs of his people.
What does the Bible say about God having your back?
All over the Bible there is evidence of God covering His people. Here are some Bible verses to encourage your heart.
Walk with me for a minute to the book of Isaiah. The prophet predicted that because of their sinful disobedience, destruction would come to Israel. Jerusalem would be destroyed by more than one armies. As a result the people would feel like God had abandoned them to be harassed and overtaken by their enemies. Over and over God sends them messages of hope:
Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. (Isaiah 49:15-16)
Let’s continue with a few more promises that God made to Israel long before the war against them even started. Look this:
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish. Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all. For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. (Isaiah 41:10 – 13)
God knew that they were going to need help before they actually did. He had a plan in place to have their backs, even before their enemies even knew they were going to attack:
Before they call I will answer; while they are yet speaking I will hear (Isaiah 65:24)
Here is God again reassuring them that the plans of the enemy would not be successful because He would equip them with what they needed to speak up for themselves and declare both deliverance and victory over their lives:
No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 54:17)
And in this promise God literally tells them I got your six:
But you will not leave in haste or go in flight; for the Lord will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard. (Isaiah 52:12)
What does God say about your past?
Before I get into how you can be sure God has your back, let’s deal with issue. You might feel unloveable. Like God would never ever stand up for you or defend you. Like God would never forgive you.
You’re wrong.
God isn’t concerned about your past right now. Want to know why?
For Him, your past is just that. It’s history. In fact, He’s not there in your past. He’s forgiven you and moved on. And here is proof:
I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins. Isaiah 43:25
See? God has already forgotten your past. If he has, then you probably should too.
If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:20)
Because God sees you as brand new, He is ready to stand against anyone who dares to stand in your way!
Now, what do you look for to be sure He’s there fighting on your behalf?
HOW TO BE SURE JESUS HAS YOUR BACK
Sometimes as you travel the road of life, it can seem like God has abandoned you to fight for yourself. Here are just a few signs that God’s got you.
JESUS GOT YOUR BACK BECAUSE He had a plan long before there was sin
Do you know what I love about God? NOTHING catches him by surprise. He is never pacing the floor or scratching his head. My husband puts it like this: “God sees the past, present and future all at the same time.” I love it!
When Adam and Eve sinned, He was so prepared for that. He knew the enemy was going to creep in with deceit and wreck their lives. So even before Adam and Eve were created God had a plan.
Scripture tells us that Jesus is the “the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world” (Revelation 13:8). Do you know what that means? Before you sinned, there was a Savior. When Jesus died on the cross, that was just fulfillment of a plan put in motion thousands of years before that.
God had your back long ago, before your parents even met. Even before the parents of your parents existed, your sins had been forgiven. You have been made whole. You have been set free.
Don’t fall for the lies of the enemy. Grace is always greater than sin.
If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. (1 John 3:20)
Walk in victory my sister. God has always had a plan for you, a plan that does not include defeat. And because He has saved you, He has to continue to protect His investment.
GOD HAS YOUR BACK WHEN He reveals the plans of the enemy
God works in mysterious ways indeed. If you live close to Him and talk with him often, He will show you the moves of the enemy. Before they happen!
Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3)
In 2 Kings 6, there is a story that illustrates this powerfully. The King of Aram was planning to attack Israel. Every time he came up with a plan and began to make his move, it never worked out. Why? Because Elisha the prophet always told the Israelite king exactly where the Arameans would be.
Ofcourse the King of Aram found this to be quite vexing. He swore he had a mole in his camp. How could Israel possibly know his every move?! When he demanded answers from his officers, they told him:
“None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.” (2 Kings 6:12)
Listen, see that gut feeling that something is about to happen? Don’t take it lightly. See that nudge that the Holy Spirit has been giving you? Pay attention to it. See those dreams that God uses to communicate with you? Watch them. See that phone call from that person that came out of nowhere to warn you about something? Listen carefully. See those little behavior clues that you’re seeing in someone that shows you they really really have it out for you? Don’t ignore them.
When God has your back He will tell you these things not only to prepare you but to also redirect you. God communicates with each of us differently. Give serious attention to what he has been revealing to you. God’s got your back. No doubt. But when He reveals the plan of the enemy, you have to stay sharp so you can ready yourself for war.
GOD HAS YOUR BACK WHEN He stands between you and the enemy
Watch the children of Israel at the Red Sea. They had been running as fast as they could from the Egyptians. And now they were at a stand still. They could go no further. Meanwhile, the Egyptians were closing in on them.
Strange how God can bring us into a situation to make us feel like we have been cornered by our enemies. But Scripture tells us that God stepped in. Right between the Israelites and the Egyptians. Literally and physically.
Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long. (Exodus 14:19-20)
Did you see that this scene lasted alllll night? Just like the devil himself, the Egyptians were persistent in their evil intentions. But God had their backs. He literally stood behind Israel and gave them light to see as they ran across the floor of the Red Sea for the entire night. All 2 million of them.
God has a plan. He is not about to allow you to be destroyed by the enemy. He is watching your back. He will stand between you and the evil coming after you.
You may be very well informed about someone’s actions and intention to malign your character, to berate your work, to puncture your confidence, to make your life miserable. You may even be amazed at how unperturbed you are about, how at peace you have been, how settled you feel in your spirit.
Nothing they have tried has worked. That’s God. He’s standing between you and those darts of the enemy.
GOD HAS YOUR BACK WHEN He causeS your enemies to bless you
Follow me to Numbers 23 – 25. Completely unknown to the Israelites, the Moabite King named Balak had plans to pronounce a curse on them. He had no good reason other than that the people were many and he was afraid they would steal his land.
Well, now that I think about it, he did actually have a good reason. Land was everything in those days. Plus, there were many stories told about how God miraculously delivered them from the Egyptians through the Red Sea.
But still, there was enough land for everyone I’m sure. Nevertheless, Balak could not stand to have this supposed threat so close to him. So he decided to do something about it.
Three times he asked Balaam to curse Israel. But every single time, only blessings would roll off his tongue. Balak brought Balaam to different places for him to do the deed. It just could not be done. Do you know why? Because it had neither been allowed nor sanctioned by God. Listen to Balaam’s confession to Balaak:
God is not a man, so he does not lie. He is not human, so he does not change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through? Listen, I received a command to bless; God has blessed, and I cannot reverse it! No misfortune is in his plan for Jacob; no trouble is in store for Israel. For the Lord their God is with them; he has been proclaimed their king. (Numbers 23:19-21)
When you know God has your back, look for blessings to come from unlikely places. Surprising places. Because if God has told you that something is on the way, He will not go back on his word. And whatever and whomever will make themselves available to deliver those blessings, you best believe God will use them to do just that. Even those who wish to destroy. So rejoice, God will use them to let you know that he has you covered.
That boss that’s giving you grief might give a shockingly glowing recommendation for you to go to another job. That landlady who has been a pain might just miraculously give you back your deposit. Your grad school professor who seems to always pick on you might just be the only A you get that semester. God is funny I tell you. He will make your enemies to be a blessing. God has got this!
JESUS HAS YOUR BACK WHEN He gives you strength to stand
God will not always save you from the missiles of your enemies. But He will be with you while you wrestle and struggle through the situation. He will empower you to bear the weight of the enemy’s hand on you.
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Such was the case of Joseph. If for nothing else other than jealousy, his brothers sold him into slavery. Joseph spent years in Egypt bumping around, even ending up in jail just because he was determined to keep his integrity. How was he able to live through all the abuse and injustice without losing his mind?
You know the answer. God had his back! See, the fact that you are still sane after all you have been through and are going through is a sign that you are covered. Like Job, God has declared boundaries on the enemy in your life. He can go thus far and no further.
If you are facing a trying situation right now, know that God will fight for you. He is fighting for you. That’s why you will be able to keep your cool. You will be able to work with integrity and excellence in spite of the challenges. You won’t lose your mind. You will be able to thrive anyway. Because you have been equipped by the Holy Spirit with everything you need to withstand the assaults of the enemy. The same God who kept Joseph, will keep you.
GOD HAS YOUR BACK WHEN He sends you people who mean you well
Nothing like good company to ride out a storm with. Someone to pray with you and for you. Someone to share your wins and losses. Someone to cover you.
When God has your back, he never leaves you without cover. Look at Mary. There she was telling people that she got pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Imagine how she was laughed to scorn and disgraced in the neighborhood. She would almost have to raise Jesus by herself. Except that God set her up to marry a man who had a true heart for the things of Jehovah.
Joseph had his own relationship with God that allowed him to hear God’s voice for himself. In that way he was able to protect Mary as she carried the Savior of the world. God knew that Joseph would have been the right man for that job.
When God gives you a mission you become a target for the enemy. But He will not leave you without cover. He will send you prayer warriors, encouragers, people with money or whatever resources you need. He’ll set you up with the right relationships. That’s how He will have your back to make sure your God-given purpose can be realized. Don’t worry. God’s got you.
GOD HAS YOUR BACK WHEN He giveS you blessings you know you don’t deserve
Oh yes. I can relate. I know I’ve gotten some grades for grad school courses that I know I couldn’t possibly have gotten because frankly the quality of those assignments were…well let’s say I wasn’t fully awake when I did them.
But that pales in contrast to the story of Joseph’s brothers. We rarely ever think about how God blessed them. When they sold Joseph into slavery, it is clear that they had evil intentions. They had absolutely no idea they would ever see Joseph again. And by all indications, they never wanted to. Surely, he was going to suffer and die, they must have thought.
These brothers sat on this horrible secret for over 20 years! They watched their father grieve. They watched him suffer depression at the loss of his favourite son. They watched as he lived in paranoia over losing Benjamin too. And they said absolutely nothing all those years.
When the famine struck, imagine their desperation. The journey to Egypt wasn’t a short one but they had to make it if the family was going to be saved from starvation. And on this journey, they not only journeyed back to their past but they journeyed towards a blessing they never deserved.
God did not treat them as their sins deserved. God had their backs as much as he had Joseph’s. The fear, guilt, and shame they felt when they realized Joseph was still alive must have been something to witness. But God had been working on Joseph’s heart for him to recognize the grand plan.
You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. (Genesis 50:20)
Even through their evil deeds, God had their backs. Although they were selfish and hateful, they were covered. Long before they realized how much they would need Joseph, God had a plan. Joseph’s brothers received more food than they knew what to do with.
They no longer needed to travel for days. And when everyone else had to pay for food, they didn’t have to because their little brother called the shots in Egypt.
But wait. There is more.
When Joseph told Pharaoh that his family had come to Egypt, look at happened:
Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Your father and your brothers have come to you, 6 and the land of Egypt is before you; settle your father and your brothers in the best part of the land. Let them live in Goshen. And if you know of any among them with special ability, put them in charge of my own livestock.” (Genesis 47:5-6)
They got the best, most fruitful land to live on, to farm and to expand their herds. And if they wanted, they got jobs too!
You have made some terrible mistakes in life. God’s got you anyway. Sometimes even those terrible mistakes become powerful testimonies that save and build up others. You get to experience the blessing and assurance of God’s forgiveness. You get to receive grace undiluted. You get to turn over a new leaf to a life of true freedom in Christ. You may even get some whopping material blessings to go with that like a cherry on top.
And because you know how much you do not deserve it, it is all the more precious to you.
Look over your life. Count the blessings you know you could never have worked long enough or hard enough to secure. That’s God covering your back.
GOD HAS YOUR BACK WHEN He comes through FOR YOU in the knick of time
Have you ever been waiting on God to do something because you need that something to happen so that you can get to another something and that something is time sensitive?
I’m right up there with you. Let me tell you a story.
You know how you never have enough money in college to do the essential stuff? I wasn’t immune to that. I was in my final year and on practicum. I was placed at a site two taxis away. That means I needed to take all of four taxis to get to the site and back home. That was a whole lot of taxi fare I tell you.
One more morning I found myself with just enough money for only one taxi. Ha! I needed to get to my practicum site. Lack of taxi fare was not going to hold as a good excuse for not getting to work.
What did I do?
Well I decided to see if God had my back. I got up and did my morning ritual. I prayed a special prayer and asked God to get me to practicum because I knew He had all the resources in the world to help me.
I picked up my bags and exited my apartment praying as I went along. I boldly stationed myself on the side of the street looking out for the next available taxi to come by.
Soon enough a taxi did stop to pick me but it was on the other side of the road. I’d have to cross over to get in. I was just about to walk out into the street when another car speedily pulled over just a few inches from my feet. I was startled and had to jump back a little. I leaned over to have a look at the driver because I didn’t know the car.
You would never guess who it was.
It was an employee from my practicum site!
Yes! God was watching my back. If I was convinced of nothing else that morning I knew one thing and have known it ever since: God has my back. To this day I treasure that experience. God honored my shaky show of faith that morning. He showed up right in the knick of time.
Wondering how I got back home?
Turns out I never needed to use that money for taxi fare after all. That same employee offered me a ride home! Just look at God.
GOD HAS YOUR BACK QUOTES
Nothing like a good quote to get you excited about a topic like this. Here are a few to take with you on your way out.
It is good to come to a future which you do not know. It is good if God brings you to the borders of some promised land. Do not shrink from any experience merely because of its novelty. Do not draw back from any way just because you have never traveled there before. Oh, my friend, go into it today without fear! Only, go into it with god, the God who has been always with you. – Phillip Brooks
Life may knock me down but I jump right back up brush myself off and say REALLY is that all you got ? Bring it on, I’m not scared God has my back!! – Nishan Panwar
So when the devil throws your sins in your face and declares that you deserve death and hell, tell him this: “I admit that I deserve death and hell, what of it? For I know One who suffered and made satisfaction on my behalf. His name is Jesus Christ, Son of God, and where He is there I shall be also! – Martin Luther
The God whom we worship is not a weak and incompetent God. He is able to beat back gigantic waves of opposition and to bring low prodigious mountains of evil. The ringing testimony of the Christian faith is that God is able. – Martin Luther King Jr
He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man made, He would have done no less. ― C.S. Lewis
God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart. – Charles Spurgeon
I hope you enjoyed these God got your back quotes.
god has your back when no one else does
Sometimes it can seem like all the praying and planning in the world just isn’t working. Like no matter what you do things just aren’t coming together. Like you’re fighting a losing battle. You are probably wondering if you should keep fighting.
Know you are not alone. God’s got your back. His promises are sure. Whatever is in heaven’s storehouse will not be shipped to anyone else. It’s yours. You just need to make sure you keep fighting so you can be present to collect it upon delivery.
But if you ever feel like giving up, just let go. Let God fight your battles for you. God has your back when no one else does.
And you know what? He has never ever lost a battle!