Who Can Be Against Us?

Who Can Be against Us?

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31, NIV

We were visiting with John and Margaret Maxwell in their Atlanta home when I (Les) asked to see John’s study. I’m always eager to see where another writer does his thinking, dreaming, and creating. I also knew that John was an avid collector of memorabilia from John Wesley’s life. In fact, he may have one of the most important privately held historical collections of its kind. When I asked him about his most prized piece in his collection, John didn’t hesitate. He pointed to a letter that was signed by John Wesley, founder of the Methodist movement in England, with a postscript by his brother Charles, remembered for the many hymns he wrote.

“On February 26, in 1791,” John told me, “William Wilberforce was facing yet another discouraging defeat in his attempt to abolish Britain’s slave trade, when he received a letter from John Wesley.” Very carefully, John was revealing the document as he talked. “That now-famous letter would prove to be a continuing source of strength for the rest of his life.” It read:

Dear Sir:

Unless the divine power has raised you up . . . I see not how you can go through your glorious enterprise, in opposing that execrable villainy, which is the scandal of religion, of England, and of human nature. Unless God has raised you up for this very thing, you will be worn out by the opposition of men and devils. But, “if God be for you, who can be against you?” Are all of them stronger than God? O “be not weary in well doing!” Go on, in the name of God and in the power of His might, till even American slavery (the vilest that ever saw the sun) shall vanish away before it.

. . .That He who has guided you from your youth up, may continue to strengthen you in this and all things, is the prayer of,

Your affectionate servant,

J. Wesley

Four days after writing that letter, Wesley was dead and once again Wilberforce was defeated when the vote was taken in Parliament. He would ultimately prevail in his just and holy cause. During the intervening years, however, he faced innumerable disappointments and was tempted to give up the fight more than once. He was vilified in published articles and victimized in vicious whispering campaigns. His opponents arranged for him to be challenged to a duel and even attempted to kill him, but he would not be deterred.

And every time he became discouraged, he returned to Wesley’s letter. Each time he read it, it was like the first time. Never did it fail to encourage and strengthen him.

Think of the encouraging power we can give one another through a written note.

When life knocks you down you should always try to land on your back because if you can look up, you can get up!

—Les Brown