The Protagonist - Makeshift Darkroom.com

The Protagonist

A Devotional Snapshot

by God's Little Boy
© MakeshiftDarkroom.com 2026
Posted 3/23/26

Protagonist

From the greek protagonistes - The actor who plays the chief or first part (from protos - “first” and agonistes - “actor” or “competitor” which stems from the word agon - “contest” and agonizomai - “to contend for a prize.” Interesting that we get our english word agony from this greek word agonizomai.

God is always writing stories. The Bible is full of them. All of creation, both in heaven and on earth, is an ongoing story made up of many stories with actors performing on stage for all to witness; and it is all being recorded for the final show. Center stage in nearly all of these stories and by the will and design of God is, the protagonist. The protagonist is set in place and surrounded by a carefully prepared plot and cast of supporting actors vital to the story. The protagonist is the one that the story is centered around. He is the “first” or “chief” actor or competitor. He is the “star of the show.” The one who must face the agonies of opposition from surrounding competitors for some prize – or even if for no other reason than for who or what he is in that particular story. The protagonist is the one against whom all antagonists bring their opposition to bear, and the one who the watchers of the show side with and cheer on to victory in the final climax. The protagonist is the one who must and should win.

Antagonist

1. One who opposes and contends against another; an adversary.

2. The principal character(s) in opposition to the protagonist or hero of a narrative or drama.

Antagonism is an active resistance or opposition against a person or thing. Think of the word "against." That which is not for the protagonist is against him. If a man goes down the street for a jog he may run freely and easily in his best stride for a good long time. But if he runs into a very strong headwind or turns onto a beach and runs on sand his efforts to run will be significantly opposed by the antagonism of the wind and the sand. The wind and the sand work against him. Wind and sand are antagonistic by nature. If he wades out into the water past his waist and up to his chest his efforts to run will be made nearly impossible due to the overwhelming antagonism of the water which stands against him.

Antagonism is an ever present force in this fallen world, and it has been, ever since the great contest between good and evil and right and wrong began in the realm unseen. God is the ultimate protagonist. In eternity past a fallen angel rebelled against him, made railing accusation against his Holy name, and took one third of the angels with him. God was the first protagonist and Satan the first antagonist. This great eternal contest is the root cause of all other like contests against all of God's protagonists down through human history. There are no shortage of antagonists who are sponsored by the father of antagonism.

Antagonists are merely supporting actors in the ongoing drama. They are put in place and written into the script to stand against and to be a contradiction to the protagonist, and to give the protagonist something to overcome and prevail over through a victory given by providence. How much energy, effort, and thought do you give toward opposing someone else? Take heed to yourself that you are not playing the antagonist in the story in which you are involved.

There is always a story with an antagonistic element centered around and directed at the protagonist. What opportunity for glory and recompense would there be if our hero had nothing to overcome? Without antagonists to oppose his person, ruin his life, and steal his stuff, or to challenge him to persist in faith, his story might not be worth telling. The protagonist is put in place and surrounded by antagonists so that he might prevail and win the victory to the glory of God.

God's protagonists do not prevail by their own strength, they overcome by faith and are given the victory. There is a victory that has already been won, and this victory is the basis for all other victories that are yet to be won in the protagonist's unfolding story. The victory is certain, either sooner in this life, or later in the world that is to come. For God always causes his protagonist to triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14).

O Lord, am I not thy protagonist? Have you not written a story around my life, and set me in the midst of it? Have you not surrounded me with antagonists and set a hope in my heart that I bring continually before you? Be thou kind to my hopes and to the desires of my heart. I will cry unto you alone until I see thy great deliverance in my life.