Fighting the good fight – Shinnecock Revival Center

Victory in Trials

It is obvious that we don’t enjoy times of trial or conflict. Despite the guarantee we have that God will always be by our side through all circumstance (Heb. 13:5), it is still natural to fear and complain about such occurrences.

In hardships, however, we often forget the very words Christ spoke in John 16:33. We hear and certainly relate to the first part of His instruction: “In the world you have tribulation.” We’ve all faced enough problems to know that it is not possible to avoid them altogether. In fact, Jesus takes it a step further by asserting that our faith in Him will actually lead to even more attacks and criticism (15:18-20). Truly it is impossible for a devoted Christian to live trouble-free in a world that is hostile toward God.

What we tend to miss in Jesus’ statement, however, is the second half of the verse. After delivering the “bad” news that we would have tribulation in our life, He offers a word of hope: “But take courage! I have overcome the world.” Notice that He didn’t say, “I will overcome,” but rather, “I have overcome.” In Christ, the victory has already been won. He has victory over all things. Even the world’s greatest threat, death itself, has already been defeated by Jesus Christ.

Life certainly isn’t easy. However, we have a loving God who not only understands our suffering but also chose to experience it Himself. Because He did, we can now claim participation in the ultimate victory over every trial of life.

Learning From Failure

Luke 22:31-34

Peter was a man of great faith and bold action. But as readers of the New Testament know, his brash style sometimes led him to make humiliating mistakes. More than once, this disciple had to wear the label of “miserable failure” rather than that of “obedient servant.”

We can all relate when it comes to falling short of expectations. Obedience to God is a process—something we learn. And failure is a part of our development as humble servants. When we yield to temptation or rebel against God’s authority, we realize that sin has few rewards, and even those are fleeting.

Failure is an excellent learning tool, as Peter could certainly attest. Through trial and error, he discovered that one should never take his eyes off Jesus (Matthew 14:30); God’s plan must always have priority over man’s (Matthew 16:21-23; John 18:10-11); and humility is required of believers (Luke 13:5-14). He took each of those lessons to heart and thereby grew stronger in his faith. Isn’t that Romans 8:28 in action? God caused Peter’s failures to be put to good use as training material because the disciple was eager to mature and serve.

God doesn’t reward rebellion or wrongdoing. However, by His grace, He blesses those who choose repentance and embrace chastisement as a tool for growth.

We would all prefer to grow in our faith without ever making a mistake, but we cannot deny that missteps are instructive. Failure teaches us that it is much wiser to be obedient to the Lord. That’s a lesson we all should take to heart.

Shared from In Touch Ministries.

The Nature of Strength

Ephesians 6:10-13

The moment a person receives Christ as Savior, he or she enters a battle. The enemy is determined to destroy believers’ testimonies. But God has supplied a mighty weapon to those who serve Him—His Son’s strength flowing through their life.

Christ’s power is supreme. Satan, with all his demonic forces, can’t throw anything our way to match Jesus’ supernatural strength. Even so, temptations and trials expose weaknesses when most would prefer to appear strong. That is one reason human nature rebels against hardship and tries to avoid it.

God wants Christian soldiers to be armed with the Savior’s might so they can confront life’s difficulties. He promises us strength only when we set down pride and accept that we are too weak for battle (2 Corinthians 12:9). And Jesus’ power is available to every believer right now—a gift the Commander gives His followers so they can endure conflicts victoriously.

The world encourages keeping up the appearance of handling one’s own problems. So Christian soldiers’ marching orders probably seem quite strange to onlookers. However, arrogance does not bring blessing; rather, it causes confusion, distance from the Lord, and ultimately failure. If we desire victory, then we must not follow the worldly strategy of facing the enemy alone.

Until our life is over or Jesus Christ returns, we are locked in a battle with Satan. But we have nothing to fear. When we are totally dependent upon the Lord for His strength, we are filled with supernatural energy and endurance.

Shared from In Touch Ministries.

Rest in HIM

The word tells us – Fear not; stand still (firm, confident, undismayed) and see the salvation of the Lord which He will work for you today . . . The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace and remain at rest. —Exodus 14:13-14

When troubled times come our way, one of our biggest mistakes is not staying calm. Our natural tendencies are to fear, to worry, and to try to do something to fix the situation or solve the problem in our own strength. But we must learn to get our emotions under control so we can think clearly, act wisely, and pray in faith.

Moses often had to help the Israelites calm down. When Pharaoh’s army was gaining ground on them, they kept running, but knew they were headed straight into the Red Sea. Death seemed certain! Exodus tells us the people were frightened and angry with Moses, and they decided they would have been better off as slaves to the Egyptians than trying to outrun Pharaoh’s forces.

Moses was saying in today’s scripture, “Stop it! I know the situation looks hopeless, but don’t be afraid. Just be still for a minute and watch what God is going to do for you.”

Before Pharaoh’s army reached the Israelites, God rolled back the waters of the Red Sea so His people could cross over on dry land. When they were all on the other side, the sea closed again and Pharaoh’s fighters drowned. This same miracle-working God is on your side today. He still fights for His people. Your job, if you belong to Him, is simply to “hold your peace and remain at rest.”

Preparing for Battle

Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

An unprepared soldier won’t hold out against the enemy. Since believers are at war with Satan, we must train wisely so that our heart stays clean and our testimony remains strong. Here, then, is a Christian soldier’s guide to preparing for battle:

• Soldiers must acknowledge the war. The Bible is clear: The devil is determined to destroy the saints. For this reason, we must view our life as a battleground (1 Pet. 5:8).

• Soldiers must know the enemy. Satan’s ways and tricks are recorded in Scripture. We know that his words are deceitful—but also very tempting.

• Soldiers must undergo training. Every day believers have the opportunity to demonstrate their trust in God in at least some small way. This is preparation for facing future decisions or adversity with wisdom and courage.

• Soldiers must know how to use their weapons. The Word of God is very helpful in combating Satan, encouraging the heart, and guiding decision making. Prayer keeps us in touch with our Commander in Chief.

• Soldiers must resist propaganda. Satan will use any worldly means possible to entice us—the media and entertainment industries, educational systems, and false religions are all tools of his trade. Believers must be wise in deciding what to allow into their minds.

A prepared soldier is a believer whose mind and heart are full of the Lord and His Word. The Spirit-filled warrior will be victorious against Satan’s attack.

Prayer

Read John 17:20-26.

God has total authority over all people and events. He also knows their hearts. He knows how each person will act, and what steps are needed to achieve His purposes. At the same time, He calls us to pray.

Colossians 4:2 says we are to devote ourselves to prayer. Communication with God is so vital, in fact, that we are told to pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). Our lives should be characterized by continuous listening, talking, and relating to our heavenly Father. The Scriptures explain why this is so important:

Prayer changes us. As we seek God’s face and spend time in His Word, we will be transformed. Our desires will be replaced by His, and our thinking will align more closely with His thoughts. As our understanding of His character grows, we will have a better idea of how to pray in accordance with His will.

The Lord answers prayer (James 5:16). God has promised to listen and respond to the prayers of His children (Isa. 65:24). He assures us that He will act when our petitions are in Jesus’ name—which is to say, when they match His will and His timing and only then. Sometimes we expect answers right away but they don’t happen. DON”T get upset. He is a God of order. (John 14:13).

Prayer invites God to act. Praying doesn’t alter God’s purposes or plans, nor does it cause Him to change His mind. What He has decided will occur, and His decisions will be exactly the right ones to accomplish what He wants to achieve. Our prayers are powerful when, without reservation, we invite God to do His work in our lives and the lives of others.

What impact, then, does prayer have? It allows people, who are inadequate, to connect with an all-sufficient God. Hallelujah!

Unmovable Faith

Read Isaiah 40:9-14.

…Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!” —Isaiah 40:9

Unshakeable faith develops as we embrace the foundational truths of the Bible. The sovereignty of God is one of those truths. To have faith that bears up under the hardest trials, we need to know that the Lord is always in control.

What do you accept as true about your heavenly Father? God’s sovereignty can be hard to believe when a loved one gets a catastrophic diagnosis or the place where you work is closing down. And when you hear news reports of scandal and destruction, you may find it even harder to reconcile that biblical truth with the evidence around you.

God invites us to discover the reality of His sovereignty through the pages of His Word. He bids us come to Him in faith. He beckons us to draw near to know the Truth—Jesus Christ (John 14:6). He is waiting for us to turn to Him with our fears and doubts so that He may reveal the depths of His love and wisdom.

God has filled His Word with assurance of His sovereignty, care, and concern for us. Do you honestly long to know Him as He really is? If so, be encouraged by the promise He spoke through Jeremiah the prophet: “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13). Set aside any preconceived notions about how God should act, and the Holy Spirit will reveal that He is exactly who He says He is. Then, as we come to know Him more fully, our faith will grow in depth and steadiness.

Jesus invites us to come near and learn from Him (Matt. 11:28). Won’t you accept the Savior’s invitation and discover the truths that lead to unshakeable faith?

Don’t Forget God’s Promise

Abraham, having waited long and endured patiently, realized and obtained [in the birth of Isaac as a pledge of what was to come] what God had promised him. —Hebrews 6:15

God gave Abraham the promise of an heir, but he had to wait much longer than he could have ever imagined. Today’s Scripture says that Abraham “waited long and endured patiently.” During those times, I am sure he had to remind himself of God’s original promise over and over again. Extended periods of waiting can tend to cause us to doubt that we ever heard from God at all.

Perhaps you are waiting on something right now and need to remind yourself of what God originally spoke to your heart.

Doubt and unbelief did attack Abraham and, when they did, he offered thanksgiving and praise. When Satan attacks, we must not be passive, taking no action at all. We should war against him and his lies by reminding him of God’s Word and promises to us. Speak them out loud, meditate on them and write them down. When Habakkuk was waiting on God he was instructed to write the vision on tablets plainly so that everyone passing by might read it (see Habakkuk 2:2). Perhaps this was an Old Testament version of a billboard!

Fight the good fight of faith and hold fast your confession. No matter how you might feel right now, don’t give up because God is faithful, and just as He fulfilled His promise to Abraham at the appointed time, He will also fulfill His word to you.

God: The Source of Your Strength

The Lord is my Strength and my Song, and He has become my Salvation; this is my God, and I will praise Him, my father’s God, and I will exalt Him. —Exodus 15:2

We need to be like Moses and the Israelites, whom we read about in the verse for today. I want to point out that God not only gave them strength (we see that throughout the Old Testament), but He Himself was their Strength. First Samuel 15:29 refers to God as “the Strength of Israel.” You see, there was a time when Israel knew God was their Strength, but then they forgot. When they forgot this vitally important truth, they always began to falter and fail as a nation, and their lives began to be destroyed. When they turned back to God as their Strength, things turned around for them.

Even if you know that God is your Strength, you still must receive it by faith. I begin every day by telling God that I cannot do anything apart from Him and that I lean entirely on Him to enable and strengthen me. He will strengthen us by speaking a word that encourages us or gives us direction when we need it. He will strengthen us by speaking words of wisdom and insight. He also strengthens us physically by giving us supernatural energy when we are tired or weary, and He gives us strength to endure difficult people and situations.

Trust God to be your Strength rather than trying to do things yourself. You may have a lot of people leaning on you and you can only help them as you lean and rely on God. Receive Him today by faith as the Strength of your life and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish with ease.

The Power of Hope

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]” — John 16:33 (AMP)

Hope is favorable and confident expectation; it’s an expectant attitude that something good is going to happen and things will work out, no matter what situation we’re facing. Zechariah 9:12 (AMP) says, “Return to the stronghold [of security and prosperity], you prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will restore double your former prosperity to you.”

I like the phrase “prisoners of hope.” Think about it… If you’re a prisoner, you have no choice about it – you can’t be negative. And when times are tough or you’re dealing with disappointment, hope will cause you to rise up in faith and say, “God, I praise You and I believe You’re working on this situation and working in me. My faith, trust and hope are in You!”

Hope is determined and doesn’t give up. God wants us to be locked up in hope, trusting that He can change what needs to be changed, that we can do what He wants us to do, and that all things are possible with God. If we will be steadfast in our hope, we can’t lose – we have to be winners in life.

When God called me to ministry, it didn’t happen overnight. There were many years of preparation and building up. During those years, I wanted to quit many times. But my testimony is, I’m still here! And if you won’t give up, you’ll have victory too.

Human nature is impatient, selfish and wants things quickly. Why is it that although it takes us years to get into our messes, we expect God to get us out of them in a few days? In John 16:33, Jesus tells us that we are going to have tribulation, trials, distress and frustration in this world, but in spite of that, we can be of good cheer and take heart. Why? Because He has overcome the world. And when we live in Him, we become overcomers too!

That’s why Jesus died for us. He came to save us from sin and death and to give us abundant life – now. And I’m determined to have everything Jesus died to give me.

Make a decision to have everything Jesus died to give you. You have to do it on purpose. Be determined to do what God wants you to do and refuse to live with negative expectations. Ask God to help you live in hope and declare by faith, “Something good is going to happen to me!”