Transcription
You're welcome this morning. These Sunday Victor of service. Wanna thank God for your life. Thank God for the EM life of every member of your household, your loved ones. And by the grace of God, today we want to continue in our series under seven and seven lessons from the trial of the righteous.
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We have looked at five of the lessons, and today we shall dwell specifically on the sixth lesson.
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But before we do that, we just want to do a five-minute recap. And that we highlighted from Proverbs chapter 24 verse 10. If that famed in the day of adversity, that's trendy small. I will discover. We observed from some two scriptures in 2 Peter 2 verse 9 and also from Proverbs 24 verse 10. Looking at atlases versions of the Bible, we seen different descriptions of trials in the scripture. Sometimes are called adversity, distress, trouble, crisis, treasure, temptation, suffering. And we've also identify highlighted at least 15 common challenges that we know believers, even God-fearing men and women, prayerful men and women, committed disciples of the Lord, still encounter from time to time. And they include persistent persecution, unfair detention and imprisonment, consistent exposure to violent and physical attacks. Some of the strands include devastating losses, repeated meteos setbacks, over women bodies, severe or prolonged illness, financial challenges. And then some experience consistent exposure to shame and humiliation. And some have other issues in the realm of delay in having children, some delay in getting married. And then of course, some have a cardiogram of challenges in the reign of unbearable offenses in marriage. Some had the trials in the realm of prolonged stagnancy. And of course, we also mentioned betrayal by close or trusted associates.
And in the first of the five lessons we have shared so far, first lesson: two roles that the Triads are always foreseen by God long before they happen. Any trial that the righteous will encounter, I always foreseen by God long before they happen. And secondly, we also learned that some trials are simply not avoidable. That is why even when the victim is very godly, very prayerful, very committed to the Lord, very, very cautious in his dealings or her dealings, no matter the precautionary measures ticking, you see such a righteous woman or God-fearing man still encounter some of these trials and challenges. So some of the trials, these friars are simply not avoidable.
And the third lesson we learned is that there is always a purpose for which they are allowed to happen. There is always a purpose. God wounds just allow you to go through all of this without some reasons. And we were able to also highlight the various purposes, very important. And then in the last teaching, with the last week, we also made it clear to us that wrath of the righteous always have a predetermined end. They would not last forever. They always have a predetermined end. I know we also mentioned that in that was lesson number four, the doors that are normally used to enforce these trials against the righteous sometimes are intentionally selected by God. And we use a case study of the selection and choice of Judas Iscariot. Jesus went to the mountain trade all night, and the purpose was to receive in the spirit the names of his twelve disciples who will walk closely with him. And among these twelve was a man called Judas Iscariot. So we may declare that sometimes the instruments of affliction of betrayer that are used against the righteous in their trials are even intentionally selected by God, just like Judas, just like Pharaoh in a time of the Exodus.
And so today, we will be looking at start out the lesson number six. But when I will share with your own purposes, there was one purpose I didn't share with you. And so that is like Papa's number six. And one reason why God sometimes permits triads to happen is that sometimes God would decide to make a particular person a living proof and evidence of his ability to make possible something that is naturally impossible. I take that again. Sometimes God would intentionally decide to make a particular person and live improve or an evidence of his ability to make possible something that is naturally impossible.
And I would make a quick reference to choose two instances in the scriptures. The first was in John chapter 9 verse 1 to 7, where the Bible shells without the story of a man who was born blind. And then the disciples of Allah Jesus Christ axiom master, why was this man born blind? Was it that as a result of his cease or was it as a result of the sins of his parents? And in Jesus made a very interesting remark in answer to their question in verse 3 of John chapter 9. Our III versions of the of John chapter 9 verse 3, easy to read Vashem says, Jesus answered, it was not any seen of this man or his firends that caused him to be blind. So going forward, I want to please appeal to us that when you find a God-fearing woman, a God-fearing man, an innocent child going show some undeserved affliction, repeated setbacks, it is not necessarily due to some secret scene in her life or the scenes of his appearance. There are instances where that will be true, but it's not always the case. And Jesus said, for this man, that was not the reason. So in the easy-to-read version, Jesus said, he said, he was born blind so that he could be used to show what great things God can do. John 9 verse 3, easy-to-read Vashem. That's quite interesting. Jesus, I repeat that, Jesus or say this man was born blind, not because of his sins, not because of his parents' seems, the sins of his parents. He was born blind so that he could be used by who? By God to show what great things God can do.
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So God can deliberately permit you to be in a situation that is naturally impossible to change. And the good news I have for you is that at a point in time, the almighty was sure as God showed up in the life of this man, removed his reproach of many years, and gave him an incredible testimony. There is an incredible testimony ahead of you. Amplified Bible, John chapter 9 verse 3, amplified bible says, Jesus answered, neither this man nor his parents sinned, but it was so that the works of God might be displayed and illustrated in him. And you imagine that he was born blind so that the works of God, God wants to, he was sometimes decide to use you as a living proof of his ability to do something that is naturally impossible.
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And then in good news translation, John chapter 9 verse 3, Jesus answered, his blindness has nothing to do with his sings or his fearing sings. He is blind so that God's power might be seen at walk in him. So that God's power might be seen at work in him. So you can see that one of the reasons why God deliberately allows people to go through serious challenges or impossible hurdles in life is for him to demonstrate his path, ultimately to demonstrate his a divine ability to reverse any kind of situation that is naturally impossible to reverse. So what God has done for this man, I know he's going to do for someone listening to me right now. So God wants to make such people and evidence of his power to do it. God wants to make such dozens eleven proof and evidence, a reference point of his miraculous walking, of his miracle-working path. That is the end of a thing than the beginning. Let's watch how the story we aimed. And that's a reassuring word for someone yeah listening right now that God will surely intervene on behalf of your loved one, intervene in your life, and make your story aim in a great testimony. Wherever you are listening to me right now, let your amen come up onto the law.
Another instance in John chapter 12 verse 1 to 2, verse 9 to 11, and then 17 to 19. John 12100 to 9 to 11, 17 to 19. You see details of what transpired, but that story studied from John chapter 11. Now, something interesting. Jesus was informed when Lazarus was ill. He was informed in John chapter 11 that this man that is so close to you, so dear to your heart, it's evil. Please come. But I'll tell you what happened. Jesus deliberately, intentionally refused to intervene at that point in time when Lazarus was still here. Jesus deliberately refused to stop the court, the problem at that point in time. It's good for you to understand the dynamics of the workings of God. Jesus deliberately hesitated in going forward to heal him at a point in time. Jesus deliberately avoided him at a point in time. It man so dear to the Heart of Jesus. A time will come in your life when is like, where is my God? This God that you are so committed to, this God you worship every day, and you find yourself in his situation. It's like, where is your God? And people are asking that question. Then Jesus waited until it was naturally impossible before he showed up and turn around the situation. Jesus intentionally waited until when? Where everybody had given up hope. Everyone had given up hope that anything could still happen. When Lazarus was here, many people believed that something could still happen, and that was why in the first place, they sent for Jesus to come and help. But Jesus waited on the time where everyone gave up hope. And that was when he decided to show. Lazarus died. Jesus ensure was buried. Who kept in the tomb? First a second day, he didn't show up. Today, didn't show up. By the fourth day, at the time Jesus give enough time for the news to spread around that Lazarus was indeed dead. And it was at that point that Jesus decided to show. You maybe in the case of Lazarus right now, we have so many people are aware of the trial, the tribulation, the suffering, the affliction.
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That you have been going through, and you are still faced with you. Now, sometimes from these stories I've just share with you, it could actually be a divine desire to allow things to get to this point. But at the end of the story, Lazarus was raised back to life. And I declare to you right now that the same God that raised Lazarus back to life at a time everyone had given up or whatever it is in your life that many have concluded cannot happen anymore, does say the Lord. His miracle power comes upon you and upon that loved one to make it a great testimony in the name of Jesus. If you believe what the Lord is saying right now, say a loud amen onto the hearing of the Lord.
And so lesson six was the sixth lesson that could could take out from the experiences of the trials of the righteous.
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Unless is-6 tells us that they are right and wrong ways of handling trials. They are right and wrong ways of handling trials. In Jupiter 2 with us 9 to 10. Job chapter 2 verse 9 to 10. If you look at the background from Job chapter 1, sit and approach God. And then God testified about this man called Job, how godly he was, how faithful he was, how blameless he was. God Himself testified. And then sit and challenge God that no, God had said he had your protection round about Job and his family. And as such, because it didn't have challenges and afflictions, that is why he had never turned his back on God. Let's just give him some chance to affect you and his family and see what wiII happen. And God said, is that so? And he permitted Satan. And Satan went all out in Chapter 1 of Job causes so much havoc, so much damage. Job lost 10 children, all his children, lost all his well. Job was the richest man, not in his country, but in his continent at that time. He was the richest man in disc, in the continent. And within his face, his trials lasted for nine months. With in his face of nine months, it can reduced him to nothing. And then in chapter 2, he was set and I was permitted by God to take the affliction of Job to the next level. Because of the first level, first phase of his trial, God did not permit sit and to afflict him personally or a fleet his health. And so God permitted him in this second phase to afflict his health. So when that started happening, that was like a breaking point. And then you could see that Job was able to steal react to respond to the ongoing trials in the right way. But his powers fail the test. It is not necessarily about what the woman sometimes the spouse, you know, that was not a rare respond properly. Two types of trials could be the hospital, could be the father of the house. But in this particular instance, it was Job's wife. And so in Job chapter 2 verse 9 to 10, Amplified Bible, I read. And you draw some very interesting things from that. Then his wife said to him, do you stick cling to your integrity and your fate and trust in God without blaming him? So that shows you when trials really get tough, you will be tempted to even blame God. And then she went ahead to tell him to incite him to Casca and die. But he said, verse 10, he said to her, you speak as one of them, be spiritually foolish women speaks ignorant and oblivious of to God's will. Shall will indeed accept only good from God and not also a set adversity and disaster? This was Joseph Icahn. In spite of all this, Job did not seem with words from his news.
So one of the wrong ways to react to times of trials.
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Is by speaking for the wrong words, speaking out the wrong words, sometimes even against God, even against the church. And in living bible, sailing Job chapter 2 verse 9 to 10, his wife said to him, are you still trying to be godly when God has done all these to you? Cuz him and AH a wrong way of reacting to trials. No doubt, what Job had gone through was really, really terrible. You know, what it is for a family to lose two or four children in his single day. And then can you imagine what it looks like for a family to lose ten and all pain, all the children, and as much as ten in a single day? It's heartbreaking. And he did not even end there. Now, if he started, which was now affecting the health of Joe, so it was in this contest that his wife's book. And the point we are saying is that no matter how bad, no matter how terrible, no matter how painful, no matter had break him, your experience could be, never raise your voice against God. God cannot, I will never be your problem. Instead, it is God that will always be there to turn around any kind of situation you may be permitted to experience in life. And the good news is that with God, it is never too hard. Genesis chapter 18 verse 14, that was what they told Sarah and Abraham. Is anything too hard for the Lord? So with God, is not nothing. So when trials really come hard on you, people are going to begin to encourage you to step down your relationship with God, step down all these your prayers, step down all these going to church, step down all these programs, step down all these Freya's with your pastor. People are going to encourage you to even stop going to church for a while, stop praying for a while. But that is not the right way to handle trials. So there are wrong ways of handling trials. And I will list some common ones that we'll observe from time to time.
One, the persistent feeling of sadness, discouragement, orbitals.
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Strong feeling of frustration, hopelessness, or helplessness. Is wrong because for a true child of God who is living in the fear of God, who is prayerful, and in the midst of that, something bad still happens, then you can be rest assured, but at the end of it all, God will set Alicia. He showed up for Job, and he was show up for you. He was show up for that loved one who has been battling with a particular issue.
Another wrong reaction, business, strong feeling of guilt, excessive self-criticism, self-condemnation. And I want to also advise that, you know, when you give your life to Christ, it's good to do go for a personal deliverance in a in a ministry that is given to conduct in proper deliverance. And let it be proper, little bit thorough. So that way, when you are going forward in your Christian life, you would not be harassed or tormented from time to time to feel that whatever is not happening, any storm that comes your way has to do with it. Deliverance the issue. So it is good to get that deliverance properly done once and for all. Because I've owned only purple deliverance, try as we still come. So when the trash come, you will know that what is required now is prayer. What is required now is intercession. What is required now is a spiritual warfare. And what is required now is perseverance. Sometimes even patience, because God is forever faithful.
And so another wrong reaction is pessimistic pessimism about the future, loss of enthusiasm, and having a strong feeling that life is not what while this is this, this a startin fees. And then when it goes beyond these, suicidal thoughts begin to coming. The pressure begins to set in, and the devil is right there encouraging you in self-pity, continually will continue to paint a picture of a very bleak future, gives the sense of hopelessness and helplessness. You must not buy into these thoughts that are coming directly from the pit of hell.
And then another wrong way of reacting, which you seek many people do, is that you become quickly irritable, uncontrolled outburst of anger, violence, restlessness. You begin to have conflicts so often with co-workers, schoolmates, or members of your household and family.
Then another wrong way of reacting is this connection with God. We come to a point where you feel there is no need for pray anymore. You begin to, you know, tell those who are still encouraging you to pray that with all my prayers, how come this happened? With all the fasted, the video, how come this still happened? And then before you know it, you begin to withdraw even from church. So this connection with God and spiritual matters. And then you become persistently late for even absent from church meetings. They are not the wrong way of reacting to try as is isolation. So shall we drive? You just want to be left alone. That's war. That song just wants to be left alone. She just wants to be left alone. These are wrong ways of reacting. You start avoiding people. You stop your normal activities due to lack of interest in the world and general activities around you.
Then another wrong reaction to trials is crying for no obvious reasons from time to time. You know, you just see the person cry, weeping, and cry, whippin. It's good to sometimes express yourself emotionally, but after a while, you must not allow this to continue endlessly.
And then lastly, but certainly not an exhaustive list, is that some people at this point, in the midst of trials, they begin to resort to the use of alcohol. Some go into drugs in the midst of trials. And these are wrong ways of reacting.
Now, we close by sharing on the right ways to handle challenges, 200 trials. One, in times of crisis, you have to be very prayerful and possibly have someone who someone else who is also interceding on your behalf. In times of challenges, crisis, you have to be very prayerful. And it's advice that you try and confide in a mature believer who is close.
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To also intercede and long with you over whatever I teach you are faced with. In Luke chapter 18 verse 1, Luke 18 verse 1, contemporary English fashion, Jesus taught his disciples a story about how this you keep on praying and never give up. Keep on praying and never give up. Then he gave the story of the widow who had our own fair share of trials. She had suffered injustice, but rather than just people, she continued to push her case. There was a very difficult judge that the Bible tells us had no fear of God and had no fear of man. But because of our persistence, because of her persistence, she eventually had a breakthrough. You will have a breakthrough. God will give you a breakthrough. In fact, your breakthrough is coming soon. And is one of the reasons God has sent this message to you at this very time you are listening to need. Connect the Lord here. You say, ma, in the Living Bible, Luke 18 verse 1, he said, one day Jesus taught his disciples a story to illustrate they are need for constant prayer and to show them that they must keep praying until the answer comes. As you are listening right now, is anyone sitting close by? Tell that person, keep on praying until the answer comes, because the answer we call. Can I hear you see loud right now? That might be answer to my prayer. Come say, it is a contain the answer to my prayer. Wake up and then say, the third time, the answer to my prayer will surely come. Socially B.
Then in some 15 verse 15, some 50 verse 15, from the contemporary English fashion, this is, pray to me in time of trouble.
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Pray to me in time of trouble. Then what will happen when we pray? I will rescue you and you will honor me. So God will surely respond to your cry for intervention. He will rescue you out of that delayed blessing, out of that persistent challenge, and he will, and you will honor him with a public testimony. So the second thing that you should do, the right, second right way of handling trials, responding to them, is that don't allow pressure to weigh you down and don't be discouraged. Don't allow the pressure, pressure from whatever is that issue to wear you down, and don't allow yourself to be discouraged.
Number three, don't give in to negative emotions like self-pity. Let's aside Attar's like depression. Don't attend them. They will come, but don't give room for them.
A number four, rise up to the challenge. There is nothing new on leather heaven. If you ask around, you are going to find out that there are other godly people who have experienced twice or even more of whatever you have currently experienced. So rise up to the challenge and deal with it, because with God's up, there will surely be a way out. 1st Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13.
And number 5, always think more about finding a solution to the challenge rather than dwelling I'm thinking so much about the pain, the pain that the challenge has brought you. Dwell mourn thinking about possible solutions, because in the midst of that, God would drop something.
And at number 6, prayerfully seek for God's direction. Prayerfully sick for God's direction. He's waiting to hear your prayer, and they will show you the way out, the way forward. And whatever he tells you would be his instruction, whooping his instruction. God can never lead you in the wrong way. He will not raise your hopes in vain.
A number 7, sick for godly and wise counsel from the right waters of godly and the right counsel from the right Cuates.
And number 8, be optimistic, determined, and focused on solving the problem. Be very, very optimistic, be determined, we focused on solving the problem. At whatever level is it, personal is it at the individual level, family is in a corporate platform, is it even facing the challenge facing a community, is it a common challenge at the national level? God will surely make a way out. So before cost, be determined, because each can and it will be overcome.
Now, one of the vision you need to be made is that which you should be conscious of is that you should remember that the way you react and respond to trials will influence how God would make your trials end. If you handle your trials, your season of trials, in a way that pleases God, so well, it can God can solve turnaround your adversity. And then in addition, he would add a major promotion. There was a scriptural instance in the case of measure three, he boots Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. And they were trolling two into the fire for refusing to bow to the image of the king. And they had boasted that their God is able to deliver them. But at however, even the God does not deliver them in that instance, they still will not power that confession, that declaration, that stand that they took. Touch the heart of God so much. And so the time they were thrown into the fire, the divine intervention happened in an in a very unique way. The fire had no effect on them. To make a further statement, God did not even allow the fire to burn their clothing. And when they came out of the fire, there was no smell on their bodies, which mix is a big statement that by the time you come out of your tires, there'll be no scar of that beautiful past. Can the Lord hear you say Amen?
And then number 10, don't give up. Don't give up. Proverbs 24 verse 10. Never give up in a mess of trials.
And one last word I want to just put across is that sometimes handling trials actually rests in the hands of the friends, the loved ones, the family of the victim of such a trap. Because when people go through a particular dimension of trials, there could be health issues. The puzzles obviously cannot pray anymore. So the only person that can pray on behalf of that person is a loved one, is a friend, is a fellow brother or sister in the church. And so have it in mind that we all have a role to play in turning around the trials of our friends and our loved ones.
A second thing we should do is to extend acts of messy. When Jesus was speaking in Matthew chapter 25, is they will appreciate us on that day for certain things we did in the realm of acts of mercy. He said, I was in prison and you visited me. I was sick and you visited. I was hungry and you gave me something to eat. I was naked and you clothed at me. So when people are in such conditions in their times of trials, one way God can use you to intervene is to extend such acts of mercy to them. You can also give to them. You can visit them. You can console them. I'm even more importantly, let's be very careful about the kind of webs that we'll share, who speak the kind of things we'll say.
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To people win in their times of trials. Let's not be like the friends of Joe, who added to his emotional pain instead of giving him consolation and healing. Let's not incite people going through trials, even against God, by the kind of words we use, like the wife of Joe. Because surely, there is an end, and there is gonna be a major turnaround, which is something now for someone listening to this message. Let the Lord hear your email. Just lift up your right hand wherever you are. Lift up your right hand. And I'll pray with you now. I'll pray with you. Father, we thank you for your war that has gone forth. We ask, Lord, that you will show great mercy on to this family. Show grit messy, Lord, until this young man. Shall grip messy onto this woman that has been battling with this particular issue for so long. Father, we pray that you will bring an end to the season of trials. And let that major turnaround for good begin now in the lives of your sons and daughters in the name of Jesus. The Lord of might will show you Messi and intervene. The Lord grant you deliverance. The Lord grant you restoration. The Lord bring to you and that loved one complete and permanent healing. The Lord command on your behalf a great composition, great composition, great compensation. The Lord Almighty bring back that which was taken away forcibly from you. Receive a divine restoration. And for you that touch the heart of God by the way you handled your trial so far, does say the Lord, I bring you up into a higher level. The Lord grants unto you a major divine promotion. Who receive it from him in the name of Jesus. So shall it be in the name of God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The blessing God's intervention on your behalf shall be permanent in Jesus name. Amen. God bless you. Thank you for this time out in the presence were the Lord in the presence of the Lord with us. And we'll encourage you to please join us for the final teaching on these seven blessings on the travel the righteous will be you coming up in the coming week. God bless you richly. God bless your household. God bless your loved ones. God bless your nation and our nation in Jesus name. Ma.