Pls take your time and read THOUGHTS FOR THE WEEK TODAY’S TOPIC: STANDING IN THE FACE OF DIFFICULTIES READINGS: Psalm 145:14-21; 1 Peter 4:7-11; Matthew 25:14-30; Jeremiah 26:1-16; Philippians 1:12-26. The topic for our meditation this week is “Standing in the Face of Difficulties”. 1 Corinthians 15:58 “ Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain”. Difficulty or period of difficulties are times when it seems the heaven is closed, period when it is as if God is against you, a period that is termed dry, nothing seems happening. After several prayers and fasting, no answer is received. This is a period when all your colleagues both in the office and the church seems seem to have gone ahead of you. This period is very difficult to handle and or manage. At a time like this prayer is bored, reading the Bible becomes a task, going to church is no more with excitement, church service has become bored. Relating with believers is no more with joy. The good news is in John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. It should be noted that moment of trials will come at a point in the life of any believer. We should prepare for it and be ready to go through it. Ron Kenolly said in one of his songs IF YOU CATCH HELL DONT HOLD IT, IF YOU GOING THROUGH HELL DONT STOP The Lord also says in Isaiah 43:1-3 But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom Cush and Seba in exchange for you! So be encouraged. WHAT TO DO IN THE PERIOD OF DIFFICULTIES 1. STAY CLOSE TO OTHER BELIEVERS: Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken”. In your daily closeness to other believers, you will get words of encouragement, by this strength will come to move on. 2. AVOID TESTIMONY DESTROYERS Avoid those that make you feel you cannot come out of the difficulties. Trust God to bring you out no matter the time it takes to move up. There are lots of people that will even kill your zeal if care is not taken. Remember that the God who brought back to life the dead bones is still able to do it again in your life , 3. REMAIN IN FELLOWSHIP WITH YOUR GOD: John 15:4-8 “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples”. No matter how hard the situation may be, let it not be capable of destroying your fellowship with God as recorded in; Romans 8:35-39 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”. 4. NEVER LEAVE YOUR ALTAR Do not let anything take away from you the moment of prayer. This aspect of your life determines how far you can go. Go. go. The altar is the place of prayer and strength. Anyone that loses this aspect of his life will fall at the most slightest challenge. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 “pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you”. 5. ALWAYS ENCOURAGE YOURSELF Speak hope to yourself. Always engage yourself in mirror therapy this is standing before the mirror and speaking the expected into yourself. Tell yourself you are a great man that is about to happen and make sure nothing stops you until you realize the goal. In the time of difficulty David encouraged himself in the Lord. Stop crying and weeping, stop looking down on yourself. Dont make yourself a subject of pity. Stand to walk tall. You will get there. Listen to Job; Job 14:7-9 “For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Though its root grow old in the earth, and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put out branches like a young plant”. 6. READ OR LISTEN TO OTHER PEOPLES TESTIMONY Revelation 12:11 “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death”. David, before Goliath testified of the delivering power of God and he conquered. 7. USE MORE OF HYMNS AND PRAISE At a time of difficulty, get attached to hymns and praise. Jehoshaphat worn singing, Paul and Silas won singing. Songs are good stimulating power to help ones spirit to move on. Hymns like: IT IS WELL, I SURRENDER ALL, WILL YOUR ANCHOR HOLDS IN THE STORM OF LIFE and many more 8. SEEK COUNSEL: Seek counsel, seek answers from people you know can be of help spiritually. Proverbs 15:22 “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed”. Proverbs 11:14 “Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety”.
Posted on: Tue, 14 Oct 2014 11:06:20 +0000