Psalm 55:12-14 NASB95
For it is not an enemy who reproaches me, Then I could bear it; Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, Then I could hide myself from him. [13] But it is you, a man my equal, My companion and my familiar friend; [14] We who had sweet fellowship together Walked in the house of God in the throng.
Let’s talk about the ministry of betrayal. There are very few things in this fallen world more painful than the betrayal by someone you trusted. No matter how faithful you have walked with the Lord, each one of you has at some point experienced betrayal. It can result in permanent wounds, and the enemy will even try to convince you that somehow you have been robbed of the best version of God’s destiny for you because of their actions. The truth is, even though it is never God’s will for a person to betray you, God is sovereign, and He is able to incorporate their actions into His will for your life. Jeremiah 15:19 says, “if you extract the precious from the worthless, you will become My spokesperson.” Nothing feels more worthless than betrayal, but even betrayal carries something precious if you will extract it by faith. Think about Judas and how his actions of betrayal not only didn’t rob Jesus of the perfect destiny the Father had for Him, his actions actually propelled Jesus towards His destiny. Make no mistake, regardless of what Jesus knew in His heart about Judas before Judas’ treacherous act, Jesus loved him. Just before Judas walked out of the upper room to carry out his dark scheme, Jesus had been on his hands and knees, dressed only in His loincloth and washed the disciples’ feet, including the feet of Judas. It even says in John 13:1 that Jesus loved to the uttermost the men that were in the room with Him, which included Judas. Was Judas used by the enemy? It says in John 13:27 that Satan entered into him, so of course, his actions were from the devil. Betrayal always is, but whenever it appears and feels like the enemy is winning, you can be certain that God’s agenda for your life is advancing. You don’t have to understand how it all works, but in the midst of betrayal, you can with confidence offer up shouts of praise to God because His sovereign purposes for you and your destiny in Him have just been accelerated. That’s why I call it “The ministry of betrayal.” I think the thing that is going to make hell so permanently intolerable for the devil is when he discovers how much God used his evil actions to propel God’s purposes forward. In the end, the serpent always swallows himself.