We hear your struggle and the deep frustration in your heart as you wrestle with why God sometimes allows the enemy to appear victorious, especially when it seems to validate the unbelief of those around you. This is not a question you face alone—many faithful servants of God throughout Scripture and history have asked the same. The prophet Habakkuk cried out, *"Why do you tolerate wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; there is strife, and conflict abounds. Therefore the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted"* (Habakkuk 1:3-4 WEB). Even Jesus Himself, in His darkest hour, asked, *"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"* (Matthew 27:46 WEB). Your question is not a sign of weak faith, but of a heart that longs to understand God’s ways in a fallen world.
First, we must remember that God’s ways are higher than ours, and His thoughts are not our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8-9). What may look like defeat to us is often part of a greater victory we cannot yet see. Joseph was sold into slavery, falsely accused, and imprisoned—yet God used those very trials to elevate him to a position where he could save his family and an entire nation (Genesis 50:20). The cross itself was the ultimate "defeat" in the eyes of the world, yet it was the means by which Christ conquered sin and death forever. When God allows the enemy to triumph temporarily, it is never without purpose. He may be refining your faith, teaching you endurance, or preparing you for a testimony that will bring greater glory to Him in the end.
We must also confront the lie that God’s silence or delay means He is indifferent or powerless. The enemy wants you to believe that your suffering proves God does not care, but Scripture assures us that *"the Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth"* (Psalm 145:18 WEB). Even when God does not intervene in the way we desire, He is still at work. The apostle Paul endured a "thorn in the flesh," a messenger of Satan sent to torment him, and though he pleaded with God three times to remove it, the Lord’s response was, *"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness"* (2 Corinthians 12:9 WEB). God’s strength is displayed most powerfully in our weakness, and His glory shines brightest through our perseverance.
To those who mock your faith when they see you stumble or suffer, we say this: their unbelief does not invalidate God’s faithfulness. The psalmist wrote, *"Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed, saying, 'Let’s break their bonds apart, and cast their cords from us.' He who sits in the heavens will laugh. The Lord will have them in derision"* (Psalm 2:1-4 WEB). The world’s temporary victories are just that—temporary. Their "cold realities" are built on shifting sand, but God’s promises stand forever. Your endurance in faith, even in the face of apparent defeat, is a testimony that confounds the wisdom of the world.
We must also examine our own hearts. Are we seeking God’s glory or our own? Are we trusting in His timing or demanding our own? The prophet Elijah experienced a great victory on Mount Carmel, yet when Jezebel threatened him, he fled in fear and despair, crying out, *"I have been very jealous for the Lord, the God of Hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away"* (1 Kings 19:10 WEB). God did not abandon Elijah, but He did rebuke his self-pity and reminded him that there were still 7,000 who had not bowed to Baal. Sometimes, our focus on our own struggles blinds us to the bigger picture of what God is doing.
Let us also address the matter of spiritual warfare. We are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6:12). The enemy seeks to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10), and he will use every opportunity to discourage and dishearten God’s people. But we are not without weapons. The apostle Paul exhorts us to *"put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil"* (Ephesians 6:11 WEB). When we feel defeated, it is often because we have neglected prayer, Scripture, or fellowship with other believers. We must stand firm, resist the devil, and he will flee (James 4:7).
We rebuke the spirit of discouragement and unbelief that seeks to take root in your heart. The enemy wants you to doubt God’s goodness, His power, and His love for you. But we declare that God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tested beyond what you can bear (1 Corinthians 10:13). He is using every trial to shape you into the image of His Son, and though the process is painful, the outcome is worth it. The apostle Peter wrote, *"In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the proof of your faith, which is more precious than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire, may be found to result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ"* (1 Peter 1:6-7 WEB).
Now, let us come before the Lord in prayer, lifting up your heart and your struggles to Him.
Heavenly Father, we come before You with heavy hearts, yet with faith in Your sovereign goodness. Lord, we ask that You would strengthen our brother in his time of questioning and doubt. Remind him that You are not distant or uncaring, but that You are working all things together for his good and for Your glory (Romans 8:28). When the enemy seems to triumph, help him to remember that this is not the end of the story. Give him the endurance to run the race set before him, fixing his eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of his faith (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Father, we rebuke the spirit of discouragement that seeks to steal his joy and his trust in You. We declare that no weapon formed against him will prosper (Isaiah 54:17). When the world mocks and says, "Where is your God?" let him respond with the confidence of David, who said, *"Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? Hope in God! For I shall still praise him, the saving help of my countenance, and my God"* (Psalm 42:11 WEB).
Lord, we ask that You would open his eyes to see the bigger picture of Your plan. Help him to understand that Your delays are not denials, and that Your silence is not absence. Teach him to wait on You, knowing that those who wait for You will renew their strength (Isaiah 40:31). May he find comfort in Your promise that *"those who sow in tears will reap in joy"* (Psalm 126:5 WEB).
We also pray for those who mock his faith. Soften their hearts, Lord, and open their eyes to see the truth of Your love and power. Use his testimony, even in times of struggle, to draw them to You. Let them see that his faith is not in vain, but that it is anchored in the One who conquered death and offers eternal life.
Finally, Lord, we ask that You would fill him with Your peace, which surpasses all understanding (Philippians 4:7). Remind him that You are with him always, even to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20). May he find rest in Your presence and strength in Your promises. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.
We encourage you to hold fast to God’s Word, even when circumstances seem to contradict it. The prophet Jeremiah lamented the destruction of Jerusalem, yet he also declared, *"The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness"* (Lamentations 3:22-23 WEB). God’s faithfulness is not measured by our immediate circumstances, but by His unchanging character. Keep pressing into Him, and trust that He will turn your mourning into dancing (Psalm 30:11). Your testimony is not in your victories, but in your faithfulness to God in the midst of the battle. That is where His power is made perfect.
