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“We
are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are
perplexed, but not
in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down,
but not destroyed”
(2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NKJV).
There
is a popular saying making the rounds in Christian
circles that says: “If God brought you to it, He’ll
bring you through it.” There is more truth than poetry
in
that. We need to be like the little battery-charged TV
bunny—just kept going
and going, charged by the Holy Spirit.
We
can’t give up because the going gets rough. We just need
to pull our armor a
little more securely around us and keep going and going.
God’s plans will be carried
out on earth – by someone; it might as well us. If we
fail to do our part, God will
raise up someone else.
Paul
knew that the bed of roses wasn’t growing in this world
when he wrote to the Corinthians to encourage them to
not give up. Sure, they would be hard pressed,
perplexed, persecuted, stuck down; but he also knew that
did not mean defeat.
Progress and opportunities to further the gospel will
bring opposition. Expect it
and don’t let it be a deterrent. A knock out can’t be
declared until you fail to get
up. A failure won’t happen as long as you keep trying.
You
can mark it down that as soon as you set your heart and
mind to follow the
Lord’s plan for your life with determination to last the
full course, your pleasant
tropical island breeze will become a storm. But God is
in it! Just set your heart (as in concrete) to follow
God over stormy seas to fulfill your calling/ministry,
and you will arrive just on time at the right place at
the right time. Every knock down,
persecution and despair will work toward developing
your ministry for His glory.
God
doesn’t work within our plan. We have to work within
His. “…Indeed, I have
spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have
purposed it; I will also do it”
Isaiah 46:11 NKJV). God is not our servant to make cameo
appearances in our
lives when we need Him and then fade into the background
until we have another
crisis. He wants to be nestled in our hearts, not
illusive or cameo-ing. Even when
we are struggling to be free of His claim on us, He just
keeps holding on to us,
chipping away at our defenses, loving and wooing us to
trust Him completely.
He is there to ease the pressure, bring comfort during
persecution and pick
up us when we’ve been knocked down.
NEVERTHELESS!
If my eyes fail me
and I can’t see a day of spring,
If my ears fail me
and I can’t hear a robin sing,
If my legs fail me
and won’t take me anywhere,
If my arms fail me
and I can’t lift them in the air –
That can’t keep my spirit
from seeing
that God’s love is all around;
That can’t change my heart
from hearing
that His grace does abound;
That can’t keep me
from traveling
to that place of blessed abode;
Nor can it keep
my heart
from raising “hands” that praise the Lord.
What God is looking for is our faithfulness. He desires
availability more than ability.
He is the enabler. “And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord
who has enabled me,
because He counted me faithful, putting me into the
ministry” (1 Timothy 1:12
NKJV). There are many, many people who have enormous
abilities and have been educated and trained expertly
that God could use but are utterly useless to the work
of the Kingdom of God. On the other hand, there are
those who have limited opportunities, lack education and
training that are mighty warriors for God, because
they offer themselves to Him and are available wherever
and whenever
He needs them.
Don’t ever feel that you have nothing to offer to God.
What He want is YOU. He will enable you to do whatever
He calls you to do. Don’t be discouraged when you feel
like you are being hard pressed. Steel has to go through
a process to make it strong yet flexible enough to span
a river in a bridge. If it were too rigid, it would
break
under the stress of the traffic.
Don’t
be perplexed, doubtful or confused when fiery trials
come your way. “Beloved,
do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which
is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to
you; …but rejoice” (1 Peter 4:12-13 NKJV). God’s “fire”
is just burning out all the dross, so we will come out
of it as pure gold!
While
Satan means for persecution to bring destruction, God
uses it to refine us. We
are not forsaken during times of opposition. We just
learn to walk closer to Him,
knowing He was persecuted to the point of death – for
us. “…not returning evil for
evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary
blessing, knowing that you were
called to this, that you may inherit a blessing” (1
Peter 3:9 NKJV). Don’t miss the blessing! Don’t miss
your inheritance.
Satan
might “strike you down” but he can’t destroy you.
Conversely, he is the one
who will be destroyed. Just get up, check your armor,
stand behind the shield of
faith and nothing can defeat you! Nothing!
Victory has already been won; it’s ours through Christ.
“I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet
not I, but Christ liveth in me…” (Galatians 2:20 KJV).
We know how it all ends. We’ve read the Book.
Be a Nevertheless Christian.~~Praise God nevertheless!
Delores Adams
Copyrighted. All rights reserved.
Alice's Legacy
Remembering Alice
The "Handkerchief" has been
anointed and prayed over by
several believers who care about
you and want to help you realize
your full potential in Christ
Jesus Our Lord.
~The
Ten Commandments~
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