The man called Job described life after his experiences and devastation this way, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble” (Job 14:1, NKJV).
Another statement by Jacob in Genesis 47, after a life of hard labor to acquire his wives, the loss of his favorite wife, and the grief of his supposed dead beloved son; express a similar sentiment to Pharaoh, after reuniting with missing his son, a prime minister, in Egypt. “So Jacob said to Pharaoh, “The years of my living abroad are 130; few and unpleasant have been the years of my life, nor have they attained the years that my fathers lived during the days of their living abroad.” (V. 49).
Every human has experiences that are bothersome either currently or at some point in life. In a search for a solution to the daunting issues, many found themselves in unexpected and worse situations devoid of hope.
Do these problems and challenges have to control life or lead the human to the worst nightmare?
The painful aspect of the imminent distress is most people end up in obscure situations they never intend and get stuck to the point of no return.
Where Then do We Run to for Help?
The scripture makes it clear the Lord is a sure help. There are many references which encourage, comfort and give strength in time of distress. Life’s troubles can get overwhelming to halt the victim. The Lord knows this since the time of human fall in the garden of Eden. He made room for their rescue and relief through the cross. There are help and Victory at the cross, which avails for all human challenges. Jesus gave this reassuring word and said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33). The man David who walked with God understood the secret of dwelling in Him and gave this hint, “Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear. What can flesh do to me?” (Psalm 56:3-4).
The Evidence of the Power that Dwells in Us
In the book of 2 Chronicles 20, some nations decided to invade Judah; Jehoshaphat, the king, was afraid of the threat and decided to seek the Lord. He declared national fasting, and the people gathered for a prayer meeting. Jehoshaphat began the petition session with worship unto the Lord for who He is, His promises to His people, Judah. He again presented their fear and helplessness in prayers.
The Lord sent a message to the assembly during the prayer session and said, “Listen, all you of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and King Jehoshaphat: This is what the Lord says to you: ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow, go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; take your position, stand and watch the salvation of the Lord in your behalf, Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow, go out to face them, for the Lord’s with you.” (2 Chronicles 20: 15-17).
The following morning Jehoshaphat and the rest of Judah journey to the place the Lord revealed about the enemy. Judah amazingly found dead bodies lying on the ground at the site. The Lord kept His word and gave them victory. Our God remains the same yesterday, today, and forever. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8).
“Thus, says the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask Me of things to come concerning My sons; and concerning the work of My hands, you command Me.” (Isaiah 45:11).
Dear child of God, precious is the blood that healed us, the grace of God that sealed us, and the hand stretched forth to shield us, and He walks with us. “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God, The Holy One of Israel, your Savior;” (Isaiah 43:25).
The Activation of the Power that Lives in Us?
- We must be born again with the resultant gift of the Holy Spirit’s indwelling at the new birth; the seal of God the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit in us (the power of God). Unless one is born again, we cannot relate with the kingdom of God. (John 3:5).
- Live by faith. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” ; “But without faith, it impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:1; 11).
- Read the Word, and it is powerful and essential for a victorious Christian living. It existed from the beginning; by the spoken Word, the Lord created heaven and established the earth. It is the power of God unto salvation. (Romans 1:16). “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11). We must read the Word, digest, and live out the Word in season and out of season. ” Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:16-17).“Now by this, we know that we know Him if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him” and does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this, we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” (1 John 2:3-
- Attend Bible believing Church. “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:25).
- Follow the Lord in the believer’s baptism through immersion in water, an identification with your Lord through profession and action. “Therefore, we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done with away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now, if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the end that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise, you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:4-11)
- Live a life of sharing the good news verbally as well as through your practical living as a child of God.
- Pray always in the Holy Spirit. Confess any sin, be repentant, ask for forgiveness, and ask the Holy Spirit to refill your life. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, live a life of reactivating the Holy Spirit. Jesus showed the example of bringing our requests before God. He demonstrated the act of faith in the God who answers prayers. Therefore, putting away lying, “Let each one of you his neighbor,” for we are members of one another. Speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. “Be angry, and do not sin”: do not let the sun go down on your wrath, nor give place to the devil. Let him who stole steal no longer, but rather let him labor, working with his hands what is good, that he may have something to give him who has need. Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:25-32).
- Throw away habits. No one is born with a habit Jesus cannot rectify with total surrender to Him; habit is an evidence of the old man. Paul said, “This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to sensuality, to work all uncleanness with greediness. But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.” (Ephesians 4: 17-24).
- How to Use All the Power of God in Us. (Weapons of Our Warfare). “Finally, be strong in the Lord and the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God so that you will be able to resist on an evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm, therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every petition for all the saints” (Ephesians 6:10-18, NASB).
God Invested So Much Inheritance in Us.
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love, He predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, with which He favored us in the Beloved. In Him, we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our wrongdoings, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight, He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He outlined in Him, regarding His plan of the fullness of the times, to bring all things together in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him, we also have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things by the plan of His will, to the end, we who were the first to hope in the Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of the promise, who is the first installment of our inheritance, regarding the redemption of God’s possession, to the praise of His glory.” (Ephesians 1: 1-14).
Having received the Lord Jesus Christ, now walk with Him, so you can approach the throne of God boldly, and enjoy the benefits of His power at work in our lives.
You may Link to the hymn “Mercy Seat.”