Introduction
The troubles of life is something that God secretly embedded into the destiny of everyone in different forms to cause us to grow spiritually and mature as believers. It takes a while for a born again christian to graduate from drinking milk to eating strong meat. It take a longer time for such a believer to start attempting to crack bones. It does not happen over night, it is gradual.
Some blessings cannot be received except through trouble. This is a fact. It will take troubles and frustrations for you to know that God is able to protect you without any Talisman hidden on your waist. Some people tell me they can't just leave themselves empty, without any charms to protect them and their families. They say that believing that God will fight their battles is belated, meaning that the evil would have taken place before you pray to God to avenge your enemies. These are lies from the devil, for all power in heaven and the earth has been vested in Christ, So He has the power to protect, save and deliver you from any trouble.
That is the mindset of an unbeliever, who is ignorant of the mighty power of God to dissolve mysteries and put the strongest of enemies to flight within seconds. Stop trying to control everything around you, because you will hardly win.
Trying to control things around you
I know you want your life and things to be predictable, and easy. You want the “this matter and that one to be under control”. but, remember O' wretched man that "By strength shall no man prevail, says the scriptures", so why try to control everything around you, as though you can. You will end-up carrying the burden of the whole family on your head, instead of dropping them at the feet of Christ, your Lord and Saviour. Learn that God know how to protect, save and deliver His children.
Some of the troubles that come your way, are tests of your faith. It will test to reveal who you are trusting and relying upon, your self will, friends and powerful contacts or even the devil. Some of the troubles are also in your destiny paths, so if you avoid them today, you will face them again tomorrow. You cannot avoid them, and fulfill your destiny. If Joseph had avoided the Prison, where would he had met with Pharaoh's guards that recommended him to Pharaoh? How would the grace of interpreting dreams God had deposited in him be revealed to others?
The grace of interpreting dreams was deposited in him for a time like that, so you should be careful the spiritual battle you try to avoid. If it is in your destiny paths, then, you would not be able to avoid it and still be the best God had planned for you. Handle every adversity with joy and cheerfulness. Remember that the Lord you are serving is strong and mighty, He is willing and able to deliver you, if you cry to Him in prayer. Some of the qualities and grace in you will never manifest until their time come, when you are 'boxed to a corner' and the enemy has concluded your matter, then the Spirit of God inside of you will raise a standard above those of your enemies.
If you were to be promoted, will you not be asked to write a promotional exam? Troubles and problems are like promotional exams that people must write when they desire to move forward in life. It is strange for a christian to be praying for promotion without preparing to face a test that will birth the promotion. Troubles are pathways to your spiritual and physical promotion in life
Heavy Assignment
So, If your spiritual assignment is huge, then be ready to suffer long in the wilderness of life, enduring hardship and sufferings and learning new things at the feet of Christ. I guess one of the major reasons for the hardship believers face is to subdue pride and fear of the enemy in them. At the the same time, give them personal encounter and evidence that God is strong and mighty.
So, If your spiritual assignment is huge, then be ready to suffer long in the wilderness of life, enduring hardship and sufferings and learning new things at the feet of Christ. I guess one of the major reasons for the hardship believers face is to subdue pride and fear of the enemy in them. At the the same time, give them personal encounter and evidence that God is strong and mighty.
From creation, you notice that man was created to look at the world and love the world, God told man to conquer the world and subdue it Genesis 1:28. So man in all his natural thoughts and instinct is set at discovering and conquering the world. That is why man has done everything possible to unravel mysteries and make witty inventions we are seeing and using today.
It is in times of trouble that the strength of the man is most exhibited. You will never know how fast you can run, until there is a running competition. Man want life to be easy, but God knows the enemy will come after you and decided to train you to resist the things of this world first...because if you have no pleasure in the things of this world, your joy, hope and expectation turns to God Almighty.
Jesus, our Lord never had interest of desire for the things of this world. Even money that was used to buy basic necessities, he did not bother to know what it looks like. When they tempted Him about paying tax, He asked them to give Him a coin, that He may see it. That was when he saw the worldly mark on the money...The inscription of Ceaser and said "Give unto Ceaser what belong to Ceaser and unto God what belong to God"
Beloved, Jesus Christ was in the world, which He created and walked as a total stranger. When they heard He was the Messiah and King, they thought it was earthly. The were mocking Him and telling Him to save Himself, they were telling Him to come down from the Cross, if He was the son of God indeed, but He did not come to prove He was the son of God, He came to save the world in a journey that would terminate with death.
God way of Training
Imagine what it took God to train Moses to be able to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God made it possible for him to be born in Egypt, by the Nile when there was contention between the children of Israel and the Pharaoh of the time.
It is in times of trouble that the strength of the man is most exhibited. You will never know how fast you can run, until there is a running competition. Man want life to be easy, but God knows the enemy will come after you and decided to train you to resist the things of this world first...because if you have no pleasure in the things of this world, your joy, hope and expectation turns to God Almighty.
Jesus, our Lord never had interest of desire for the things of this world. Even money that was used to buy basic necessities, he did not bother to know what it looks like. When they tempted Him about paying tax, He asked them to give Him a coin, that He may see it. That was when he saw the worldly mark on the money...The inscription of Ceaser and said "Give unto Ceaser what belong to Ceaser and unto God what belong to God"
Beloved, Jesus Christ was in the world, which He created and walked as a total stranger. When they heard He was the Messiah and King, they thought it was earthly. The were mocking Him and telling Him to save Himself, they were telling Him to come down from the Cross, if He was the son of God indeed, but He did not come to prove He was the son of God, He came to save the world in a journey that would terminate with death.
God way of Training
Imagine what it took God to train Moses to be able to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God made it possible for him to be born in Egypt, by the Nile when there was contention between the children of Israel and the Pharaoh of the time.
God gave his mother the wisdom to dump him in the Nile on the pathway of Pharaoh's daughter, going to enjoy a special bath. He gave the mother and the sister the wisdom to wait on the lady for a deal to be sealed for Moses to be brought up in the palace of Pharaoh of all places. The deal was concluded when the lady heard the cry of a baby and demanded that the baby be brought to her and when she saw him, liked him and demanded for a nurse to nurse him for her, so that the young man who would lead Israel out of captivity in Egypt was trained in the palace of Pharaoh, the President and king of Egypt.
He spent 40 years to learn the language, culture and all the wisdom of Egypt and I believe God was satisfied. He sent him away from the palace to tend to the sheep and cows of his father in-law in the bush for another 40 years. Imagine spending 40 years rearing and nursing goat, sheep and cows in the bush. I think this was meant to drain Moses of all pride and arrogance of being brought up in the house of Pharaoh. I believe that God was continually monitoring and testing him in the forest. When the Lord saw that his attitude has been transformed from that of a goat to sheep. then it was time for his assignment to begin. God cannot use a man He has not trained and drained of pride and worldly cares.
In the same bush he has trodden for 40 years, suddenly a strange fire started that did not consume the bush and he decided to see what kind of fire it was that burned without consuming the bush around and then God called on him to another assignment in life. Every event being divinely orchestrated and you can be sure that God was with him.
This illustration goes to show how God orchestrate events in the lives of His children, in order for them to go through challenges meant to build them up in life to mature and be able to handle challenging assignments. Through trouble we discover who our God really is - The all powerful God.
Deliverance is for people in trouble
Trouble is the gateway to discovering the power of God to save and deliver. God cannot deliver a man that is not in trouble, so how would you know that God can deliver you, when you are not in trouble? How will you know the power of God when you have no trouble? How can you know God is a healer when you are not sick? How can you know that God is a deliverer when you have not been afflicted and oppressed?
Deliverance is for people in trouble
Trouble is the gateway to discovering the power of God to save and deliver. God cannot deliver a man that is not in trouble, so how would you know that God can deliver you, when you are not in trouble? How will you know the power of God when you have no trouble? How can you know God is a healer when you are not sick? How can you know that God is a deliverer when you have not been afflicted and oppressed?
The prayer in your heart cannot be answered until you pray it to God. A lot of people complain about situations and troubles without doing anything. These people share their trouble with their Pastor and close friends and when you ask they whether they have prayed about it, you will be shocked to hear NO. And I wonder if it is that people do not believe in prayer or that they don't believe their prayer will be answered. If you know that God answers prayers and you have a problem, why will you not pray to God straight, even before telling your Pastor.
Don't say you want to discuss it first with me or your Pastor first....Pray to your God first and believe He has answered, not that He will answer! The bible made it clear that troubles will come to you, no matter how careful you may be. There will be abuses and accusation, betrayal and persecution on earth. Jesus said - in this world there will be tribulations, but do not worry for I have overcomed the world for you. The Lord did not promise to shield you from troubles, what He promised is that He will be with you to help you all the way through, the way He was with Daniel in the Lions Den and the three Hebrew boys in the furnace of fire. He will surely show up for you at the right time.
The mystery of Trials and Suffering
Trials are normal in a Christian life. No one can escape the troubles of life. Trouble and problem comes to all mankind in different colours and shapes. Though they present painful experiences which no one pray for, it is however used by God to train and mentor us, direct us and sometimes strengthen our desire for Him. I Peter 4:12-13 exhorts us,"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy."
I Peter 1:7 states, "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."
What we ought to do is to face our trials squarely through prayer and supplications and with trust in God. The Bible says that "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." but some troubles are not a result of sin, but a trial of your faith and to know where your trust lies. "Count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing [this], that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have [her] perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:2-4). Blessed [is] the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. (James 1:12)
The problems we face will either move us forward or downward - depending on how we respond to them. A matured christian handles trials and trouble with calmness, knowing fully well that almost everything comes in phases and will soon pass away, but unfortunately, not many people see challenges in that light. Most people fail to see how God uses our troubles and challenges to build us up to higher ground in faith. The Bible says that “All things work together for good to them that love the Lord.” If you love the Lord, your problem are not meant to kill you, but rather to train and strengthen you for greater challenges in life, and when a believer knows this truth, his reaction to troubles will be different. You will face God to guide and deliver you from the trouble and not blame other people.
Amazing Benefits of Troubles
All problems and troubles are not trial of faith. Not all troubles are a result of sin, but in the midst of the troubles a child of God faces, some positive lessons can be gained. God can use your problem to guide, correct you, save you from a wrong path or even to preserve your life for the future.
Your trouble can also be to train you for greater challenges in the future. You should also know that God has deposited the gift, skill or talent that will preserve and deliver you from every trouble that is in your destiny path. Such talent may never be known until its appointed time, your time of trouble and 'Deep blue sea' to manifest. Joseph was a dreamer when he was with his family, he became a dream interpreter in Prison and through the gift of interpreting dreams, he was elevated to the Prime Minister in Egypt. God knows how to deliver and promote His children. The only thing God expects from you is to love Him with all your heart, fear Him and walk in His ways - the ways of righteousness and holiness.
Your trouble can also be to train you for greater challenges in the future. You should also know that God has deposited the gift, skill or talent that will preserve and deliver you from every trouble that is in your destiny path. Such talent may never be known until its appointed time, your time of trouble and 'Deep blue sea' to manifest. Joseph was a dreamer when he was with his family, he became a dream interpreter in Prison and through the gift of interpreting dreams, he was elevated to the Prime Minister in Egypt. God knows how to deliver and promote His children. The only thing God expects from you is to love Him with all your heart, fear Him and walk in His ways - the ways of righteousness and holiness.
1. God uses problems to Direct our Path right.
Sometimes God allow troubles come to us to direct us aright, especially when a person is facing a wrong direction in life. If you are facing a wrong direction from your destiny, only a complete turn around can bring you back in focus for your purpose in life.
2. God uses problems to try your faith and trust.
If you put a tea bag into a hot water, instantly you can see what kind of tea is inside the bag. It is the same for us. When you want to know a person very well, especially the unfriendly side of a person, accuse him of something he does not know about, then you will see his anger, his trust whether in God or his connections. Has God tested your faith with a problem? What do problems reveal about you? We have a good example in the case of Job. Job never murmured but thanked God in the midst of his loss and suffering with boils knowing that God is able to restore him back some day. "The Lord giveth; the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the Name of the Lord", that was his words, showing confidence in God.
3. God uses problems to correct us.
Some lessons are obtained best under though circumstances. It's likely that as a child your parents told you not to touch a hot stove. But you probably learned in a hard way when you try to touch a hot plate or cup. Some people will never believe some message until they experience what the preacher is teaching. Some people love speeding with automobile, but when a "smarter" driver overtake them and suddenly crashed to death, you will see them repenting from over speeding. Some people will never stop smoking until the doctor tell them they have one month to live due to lung cancer that have started eating their internal organ. Their reaction will be Dr, what should I do - Go and put your house in order! They will scream Dr NO, I don;t want to die, What if I stop smoking?.....OK, if you can stop smoking, with time the wound will heal, I woll stop smoking Now.
4. God uses problems to preserve our life.
A problem can be a blessing in disguise if it prevents you from being harmed by something more serious. Almost all the time, believer refuse to compromise their christian values and they are sacked from their places of work...only for them to discover later in life their former boss and others who compromised were convicted and jailed for fraud. Many times, people have missed their flight, only to hear later that the plane had crashed and there was no survivor.
Consider Joseph who was rejected by his brethren, sold to Egypt for 30 pieces of silver, was imprisoned for a crime he knew nothing about, yet through all the trials and miseries, He held on to God with faith, and God made him governor of Egypt and by divine provision, he saved his own family (Jacob his father, and his 11 brothers) at the end.
Jesus tells us that we will have troubles in this world, it's a guarantee. However, He also promises that we have victory through through faith in Him, because Christ has overcome the world. If you are facing hard and uncertain times, you can be encouraged to press on knowing that you are an overcomer! Use the Bible verses below to comfort your heart and be assured that victory is yours already.
Faith in Hard Times
Be strong and courageous.
Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with
you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All you need to do is trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. In Psalm 34:17-18, the scriptures says, the righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Believers do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Though we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
You should cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
FIRE...
Consider Joseph who was rejected by his brethren, sold to Egypt for 30 pieces of silver, was imprisoned for a crime he knew nothing about, yet through all the trials and miseries, He held on to God with faith, and God made him governor of Egypt and by divine provision, he saved his own family (Jacob his father, and his 11 brothers) at the end.
Jesus tells us that we will have troubles in this world, it's a guarantee. However, He also promises that we have victory through through faith in Him, because Christ has overcome the world. If you are facing hard and uncertain times, you can be encouraged to press on knowing that you are an overcomer! Use the Bible verses below to comfort your heart and be assured that victory is yours already.
Faith in Hard Times
Fear not, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. All you need to do is trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. In Psalm 34:17-18, the scriptures says, the righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles. 18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Believers do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. Though we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.
You should cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
FIRE...
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