HE NEVER SAID THERE WILL ONLY BE GOOD TIMES 2 Timothy 2:3 ‘You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.’ My dearly beloved friends, I know it would be nice to say once you come to Jesus your life is going to be like a fairytale - A bed of roses and a happily ever after. But the Lord Jesus never promised a wide road instead in Matthew 7:13 ‘enter by the narrow gate’ and verse 14 ‘because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life.’ Why is that? 2 Timothy 3:12 says ‘Yes and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.’ Yes beloved when you made that decision to make Jesus the Lord and Saviour of your life, you made the devil your biggest enemy. Hence he will try hundred and one tricks to try to make you give up on your faith through persecution, problems, sicknesses and all. Now know this the Lord is not fighting a battle of power with the devil but one of legal ownership. Those who decide to live righteous belong to the Lord and those who live in sin belong to the devil (1 John 3:7-10). The Lord for some reason has given man the right to choose between righteousness and sin. So the choices we make here on earth determine where we spend eternity in. This is the system that the Lord has placed until His second coming. Hence until such time the devil has been given permission to do his thing until he is judged at the end of time (Ephesians 2:2, Ephesians 6:12, 2 Corinthians 4:4). Hence the world is wicked because of the devil’s influence in its system. 2 Timothy 3:1 says ‘But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come.’ One of the devil’s favourite hobbies is to try to unsettle the children of God and it is funny he goes all out to attack God’s children because the devil knows he has lost us to the Lord and because of that like a sore loser he tries to annoy us. But what did Jesus say in John 16:33 ‘These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace, in the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.’ 1 John 4:4 ‘You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.’ 1 John 5:4-5 ‘For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.’ Yes we have the Lord Jesus with us and His Holy Spirit living inside of us. Hence we kick the devil all the time till he runs a mile with our foot mark on his behind. Yes we have been given all power and authority as per Luke 10:19 over all the power of the enemy. Yes beloved just the mention of the name Jesus and the devil runs. We have seen at our services, at the mention of the name of Jesus how evil spirits come out of people screaming and hollering pleading that they are being burnt. Yes that is how powerful His name is. If that is so, now you may ask why all these tribulation and trials. Can I not have a life on the mountain only where I am having fun daily with Jesus and not have to be in the valley some days? Well here is your answer. James 1:1-3 ‘My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete lacking nothing.’ Romans 5:3-4 ‘And not only that but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.’ 1 Peter 1:6-7 ‘In this you greatly rejoice, though now for little while, if need be you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of you faith being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honour and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.’ Let me give you a sporting example. When do you become a good cricketer or footballer or athlete or table tennis player? Is it by practicing or playing all your life with your friends and family where there is no pressure whatsoever or when you are in the middle of a stadium, all eyes on you, your team mates are relying on you, your supporters are putting pressure on you to win, your coach is screaming, the commentators and journalists are watching your every move? It is in the eye of the storm that a novice becomes a hardened competitor and a professional. Similarly we always say we love Jesus we will never let Him go. If I come and hold a knife to your neck now and ask your stance, I will know whether you truly meant that statement or not. Yes situations make us stronger and mature believers because we begin to exercise our faith and rely on the Lord Jesus for everything. I have experienced that many times where such trials have come where all I have had is faith in the Lord Jesus to see me through. Hence today I am a much more stronger and mature person in Christ than what I was 2 or even 5 years ago. Yes as Peter says in 1 Peter 2:5 we are being built up to a spiritual house. We are a work in progress until we reach heaven beloved and the Lord beautifully breaks, moulds and fashions our life to a beautiful holy vessel after His own heart. So beloved Job, David, Joseph and all the people in the Bible went through trials but they came out victorious. Also their lives were not always full of trials. There was a period of time they faced it and then they came out victorious and walked in prosperity. 1 Peter 5:10 says ‘But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen and settle you.’ So today if you are going through a valley or wilderness period in your life, now is not the time to give up on your faith, now is the time to stand on your faith and get closer and stronger in the Lord because you are a soldier of Jesus Christ. You are called upon to bring the walls of Jericho down because you are on the Winning Man’s side. Yes through Christ victory is always ours. We will overcome all situations through faith until we receive eternal rest in the Arms of the Almighty. God bless you. (Romesh Daniels)
Posted on: Wed, 18 Sep 2013 00:06:58 +0000
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