In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” John 16:33
Earthly life is replete with problems, trials and temptations. The unexpected may strike like an earthquake or steal in like a thief. The most striking thing in life is the unpredictability in human life. These must come when they will come, and if God has charted them into the course of a life, there is nothing man can do about them. As for the Christian nothing happens to him which God has not permitted since nothing can reach him without first piercing the glorious “shell” of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
Their lives are hid with Christ in God. “All things work together for good to them that love God” Roman 8:28. If this be so, then Christians need not lose their spiritual comportment when the unexpected occurs, even if the unexpected assumes, the magnitude and momentum of an avalanche. In 2 Kings 1: 1-4, the story of how King Ahaziah had an accident and sent to consult an oracle – Baalzebub at Ekron. Many Christians when they encounter problems do that today. They forget God when the unexpected hits. They abandon their churches and move from one prayer house to the other to consult demon smeared oracles. Some hurry home to their unbelieving parents or relatives to provide them with funds for sacrifices to devils. All these happen because they cannot believe that God can love and care for them and still allow calamities to knock at their gates.
Yet this is the time to exercise the faith which they had always professed in God. This is the time to demonstrate the strength that comes from God. Because if your strength fails in the day of adversity then your strength is small” Provb. 24:10. This is because strength and faith are for trials and adversities. Job was a righteous man as recorded in Job chapter one but overnight all he had including his children were lost. But because of his deep knowledge of God he boldly declared in Job 13: 15 “Though he slay me: yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him”. Christians are not exempted from evil. In fact, when you become a Christian, Satan hates you with a perfect hatred and goes all out to eliminate you. Most Christians think that when they accept Christ, they will have smooth sail on the sea of life without any storm.
To be precise, if we do not have challenges, we will become complacent and non- challant about life. To overcome means that one will combat or fight the enemy. The problems we have are to make us be at alert. In Ps 34:19 the Bible says “many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivereth him out of them all”. If there are no afflictions you will not know God can deliver. Job saw problems even his wife was against him yet he maintained his unalloyed faith in God and at last God blessed him. Jehoshaphat was an upright King, but he still had to fight a serious battle 2 Chron. 20:1-3. David the King of Israel fought almost all his entire life time even though he was a man after God’s heart. Paul the apostle had the greatest confrontation in the New Testament. He was imprisoned, stoned, beaten etc (2 Cor. 11: 23 -30) for no known sin that he committed. The apostles of Jesus were attacked and opposed by the Jerusalem authorities for preaching in the name of Jesus. Even Jesus himself had troubles. The storm that He created arose against His boat when he was crossing the sea with his disciples. The Jewish authorities opposed His ministry” If Jesus was harass you are not free from been attacked.
In times of adversity heaven pays particular attention to reactions even devil also does so. Would the Christians bow to the unexpected or will he stand firm in faith. King Ahaziah failed this litmus test, he consulted oracle and he died. Christians in the crucible of trials don’t succumb to the devil. Always we should be vigilant and fight the good fight of faith. We should remember the Heroes of faith like Joseph, Shedrach, Meshack, Abednego and Daniel who have gone before us. Let us look unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith, so that we will not be swallowed up in the hour of trails or darkness.
For further reading, How to plan and respond to the unexpected | M&G Skills for Life (mandg-skillsforlife.com)
God bless.
Pastor Njujima Egbe
Lifting Ministries
08037993451, 08037313323
