TRIAL TO TRIUMPH

Have you thanked Him?

Have you praised Him?

Have you made it your priority to agree and cooperate with Him today?

Have you taken that deep breath and listened for what He has for you today?

1 Timothy 2:1 (The Message)

1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know.

Ephesians 6:12 (ESV)

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

This little passage is often reserved for those SPIRITUAL WARFARE series on SUNDAYS.  It doesn’t often make it into the fabric of a daily devotion other than to serve as a passionate warning that “things” are evil “out there”.

But yesterday this passage not only was “alive and well” but manifested in my office and was quoted by a person who was clearly under siege by those “cosmic forces”.

I see a lot of troubled folks. 

A lot. 

Yet this gentleman was “troubled”.  Capital "T" trouble as Professor Henry Hill would say. Obi-wan-Kenobi would have sensed a real disturbance in the “FORCE” with this one.  And I am NOT making light of his affliction.  Rather quite the contrary.

He was in the trial of his life.

And unfortunately I sometimes get a little focused on trying to provide “fixes” to what afflicts my clients rather than focusing on the probable source of their affliction.  Clearly my new friend was oppressed.  The enemy had been throwing just about everything at him.  

Lost children. SEVERE addiction. Homelessness. Isolation. Despair.  He was embattled.

We needed Jesus for this one and not a fix.

Yet what was remarkable is that he was not WITHOUT HOPE.  In fact as we meandered through his story I was so impressed that in spite of ALL his trouble, he still was seeing and feeling a calling to hope!  He believed that he was going to turn his trials into triumph; that someday his STORY of perseverance was going to BRING GOD GLORY.

And why not?

John 16:33 (AMP)

…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.]

Jesus promises HOPE and VICTORY even when the gates of HELL are flinging every cosmic catastrophe and conflict our way!

What are we to do?  

Simply…

Ephesians 6:13

…resist the enemy whenever he attacks, and when it is all over, you will still be standing up.

So today while you may not be facing the onslaught like my new friend or wilting under the pressure of supernatural stress, I am sure that you too are feeling your own stresses. 

GOD wants you to remain hopeful in the face of it.

Resist that attack!

STAND!

The GATES of HELL can’t and won’t prevail against you.  What lives in you is GREATER than anything the enemy can conjure up to distract, disappoint, and deceive you with.

Do as my friend.  Cling to the HOPE that is CHRIST!  Trust the OVERCOMING PROMISE OF JESUS! 

Your trial may lead to a triumph too!

"If God can bring blessing from the broken body of Jesus and glory from something that's as obscene as the cross, He can bring blessing from my problems and my pain… - Anne Graham Lotz

 

I love you all…

Freedom Church