NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS GOD IS FAITHFUL!
INTRODUCTION:
– It is great to know that God is faithful.
– God wants to see us through whatever we may be facing.
– The truth is that we do face challenges and difficulties in the course of life.
– BUT we can rejoice to know that God wants to be with us – no matter what.
– The promise of God is that He will never leave us or forsake us.
– This is something we can depend upon at every stage of life and in the midst of the situations and circumstances we face in life.
– What are you facing today?
– What is it that feels like you need God’s help to see you through?
– God is there for you and He wants to see you through.
1. LIFE AND TROUBLE
– The Bible indicates again and again that trouble is one of the aspects that we will have to contend with in life.
– The Bible speaks of WHEN trouble comes not IF trouble comes.
– We think that a trouble-free, problem-free life is the ideal life to live.
– We go so far as to avoid, bypass and escape trouble – but we all taste of this aspect of life.
– Psalm 37:39 ‘The Lord saves the godly! He is their salvation and their refuge when trouble comes.’
– The issue is that God is with us and wants to be with us as we pass through difficulties.
2. IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE
– Usually when we are facing trouble, we know about it.
– Deep within us we are contending with what we are going through.
– The Bible speaks of this reality: Psalm 138:7 ‘Though I walk in the midst of trouble…’
– David writes in Psalm 23:4 ‘Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me!’
– I want to encourage those who feel like they are in the midst of some form of trouble.
– I want to encourage you by reminding you that you are not alone – God has not abandoned you! He will see you through.
– Great men and women of God faced trouble, David, Joseph, Moses, and Jesus.
– You are not alone – you are in good company.
3. THE WALK OF LIFE
– Life is a walk! Our Christian lives are a FAITH WALK.
– John Bunyan wrote the book entitled PILGRIM’S PROGRESS. This is a novel about the progress of the life of a Christian Pilgrim and all the stages and things that must be walked through.
– Psalm 138:7 ‘Though I walk in the midst of trouble…’
– The issue is that when we are facing times of trouble, we must keep walking.
– Then it is not the time to stop, lie down and die or give-up.
– Trouble is not a place at which we set up camp.
– Trouble is a period that we must move through!
– We must keep walking!
– The Bible tells us that we are in a fight and we must fight on!
– 1 Timothy 6:12 ‘Fight the good fight of the faith.’
– We must have a ‘WE WILL NEVER SURRENDER’ attitude.
4. REVIVED IN TIMES OF TROUBLE
– The joy is that we can know what it means to be revived in the midst of what we are going through.
– Psalm 138:7 ‘Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me!’
– I sometimes wish God had said: ‘In the midst of trouble I will remove the trouble’. Unfortunately, He does NOT say this.
– What God does say is that in the midst of trouble He will revive us!
– What does it mean to be revived?
– It speaks of living again, being brought back to life. It includes regaining life and being alive again and it speaks of being able to flourish anew.
– Other versions speak of God preserving our lives and this speaks of being KEPT or GUARDED or MADE SAFE.
– This is what God wants to do for us in our times of trouble.
5. GOD WANTS TO WORK ON OUR BEHALF
– This is such an encouragement!
– Psalm 138:7 ‘You will stretch forth Your hand’
– God wants to stretch forth His hand on your behalf.
– God wants to work in and through your situation.
– When God’s hand is involved in any way in our lives, something changes.
– It could be that He will deal with the situation or that He will deliver you.
– It could be that He will make a way where there seems to be no way.
– God’s hand could even restrain things that were destined to destroy you!
– The issue is that God wants to work on your behalf.
– It is as we entrust our lives to Him that He can begin to do this for us.
– Either God works and we rest, or we work and God rests – the decision is ours.
6. PRINCIPALITIES AND POWER versus FLESH AND BLOOD
– We have to constantly remind ourselves of what we are fighting against.
– We often direct our defence against other individuals.
– The question is how does God see it?
– Ephesians 6:12 ‘For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.’
– When we grasp this aspect, it can bring us great freedom and release.
– Psalm 138:7 ‘Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies.’
– Please note that it says that God will stretch out His hand against the wrath of the enemies and not against the enemies themselves.
– Your fight is not against flesh and blood! Remember this.
7. GOD WANTS TO SAVE US!
– God wants to step into our lives and save us from those things that would seek to destroy us.
– God does not want to see us destroyed.
– Psalm 138:7 ‘Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.’
– Psalm 23:4 ‘Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for You are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way.’
– This is God’s plan and purpose.
– Claim this as a promise for your life – take hold of it!
8. LET GO AND LET GOD!
– God is at work in each of our lives.
– He is using the things we are facing or going through to work on various aspects of our lives.
– Firstly, let me remind you that God has not forgotten you.
– No matter how you may be feeling – God is there for you!
– Psalm 138:6 ‘Though the Lord is on high, yet He regards the lowly.’
– He knows what you are facing, and He is aware of what you are going through, even those things deep within your heart.
– God wants to bring those things that He is working on in our lives to a point of completion and perfection.
– God does not want you to battle with the same thing on and on.
– Psalm 138:8 ‘The Lord will work out His plans for my life!’ (LBT)
– Psalm 138:8 ‘The Lord will perfect that which concerns me!’ (NKJV)
– The question is, can we find the courage, to rest in His faithfulness, knowing that no matter what happens, He will be faithful?
– Let go and let God!
By Pastor Andrew Roebert
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