Benedick Arnold was once an American patriotic war hero, valued by George Washington and admired by his men. He was a valiant soldier that committed one of the greatest acts of treason ever recorded. Arnold offered the British the capture of the military fortress at West Point, New York in exchange for 10,000 pounds, and a British military commission.
However, he didn't stop after his West Point treason was discovered. "He went on to attack Virginia — almost capturing Thomas Jefferson — and then attacked Connecticut, his home state.
"Spying was one thing, but his willingness to switch sides in the middle of an armed conflict, and fight against the men who had a year earlier been fighting by his side, was something that people of that time and maybe ours could not understand." Even the British, who had much to gain from Arnold switching sides, found him dishonorable and untrustworthy.
Sadly enough sometimes you experience this especially when you are called to a leadership position within the church. If you serve long enough you will experience that some people who once loved and respected you will betray you. Unless you understand this going into ministry you will burn out and fail quickly. The road to ministry is laced with land mines placed deliberately by Satan.
NIV Psalm 55:12-13 12If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him. 13But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship as we walked with the throng at the house of God.
Anyone who has stood for God for a period of time has experienced this type of disappointment and sorrow.
Matthew 9:35-38 35And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. 37Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; 38Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.
This is why we need to pray for laborers to serve God's people.
Psalm 41:9 Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.
This scripture has a reference to David and what he was going through and it's also prophetic speaking forward to Jesus Christ.
NIV John 13:18 "I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the scripture: 'He who shares my bread has lifted up his heel against me.'
Now let me teach you something that will enable you to stand a lifetime for God. You see, many years ago if a person said they were going to stand a lifetime for Jesus, they were frowned upon in the circles I traveled in. The reason for this was, so many people would say that, and the next day they were gone. They were gone because they didn't keep their word; that's why they left. You can stand a lifetime for God one day at a time if you stay humble and meek.
Now I said I was going to teach you something that will enable you to stand a life time for Jesus. And that is this, "it's you and God". You and Jesus that's it. You get that relationship right and you will be able to weather any storm. Friends will come and go but God will never leave you or forsake you.
ESV Isaiah 49:15 "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you.
I know of very few relationships that even approach the bond a mother forms with her nursing child. Even a spouse will disappoint you at times but God will never forsake you.
Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
God will never disappoint you either.
KJG Joshua 1:5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
From generation to generation God is faithful and is always close.
Psalm 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. 2 Samuel 15:1–4 1And it came to pass after this, that Absalom prepared him chariots and horses, and fifty men to run before him. 2And Absalom rose up early, and stood beside the way of the gate: and it was so, that when any man that had a controversy came to the king for judgment, then Absalom called unto him, and said, Of what city art thou? And he said, Thy servant is of one of the tribes of Israel. 3And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee. 4Absalom said moreover, Oh that I were made judge in the land, that every man which hath any suit or cause might come unto me, and I would do him justice!
David's own son tried to overthrow his father. He would have killed David if given the chance. Can you even begin to understand the kind of disappointment and hurt David went through?
Numbers 13:25-32 25And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. 26And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. 27And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it. 28Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there. 29The Amalekites dwell in the land of the south: and the Hittites, and the Jebusites, and the Amorites, dwell in the mountains: and the Canaanites dwell by the sea, and by the coast of Jordan. 30And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and said, Let us go up at once, and possess it; for we are well able to overcome it. 31But the men that went up with him said, We be not able to go up against the people; for they are stronger than we. 32And they brought up an evil report of the land which they had searched unto the children of Israel, saying, The land, through which we have gone to search it, is a land that eateth up the inhabitants thereof; and all the people that we saw in it are men of a great stature. Numbers 14:2-4 2And all the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron: and the whole congregation said unto them, Would God that we had died in the land of Egypt! or would God we had died in this wilderness! 3And wherefore hath the LORD brought us unto this land, to fall by the sword, that our wives and our children should be a prey? were it not better for us to return into Egypt? 4And they said one to another, Let us make a captain, and let us return into Egypt.
Your relationship with the father needs to come first. Only then will you have the strength an ability to stand against the onslaughts of the devil. This was just another day in the life of Moses.
Jesus knew this all too well.
ESV John 16:32 Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. NLT Psalm 27:10 Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.
Get you and God straight first, and then you will be able to stand a life time. It doesn't matter what other people think or say, or what they do to hurt you. God is your defense your shield and buckler. Even if your father and mother abandon you, the LORD will hold you close.
Even in the grave God was good to his word.
Luke 24:1-6 1Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee.
You can commit your life to God. He is the most faithful friend you will ever have.