KEY SCRIPTURE:1Pe 5:7 KJV “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”

We have certain individuals who have acquired professional training in some aspects of life.We turn to these people whenever we are faced with a difficulty in that aspect of life.Our heavenly father is the superior designer and creator of our universe.He is an all time professional who can handle any matter that is beyond our ability to solve.The word of God says we should be anxious about nothing… Philippians 4:6.We must rather cast all these matters that weigh heavily on us unto the Lord for He is well able to handle them for us..King David wrote in Psalm61:2 that” …when my heart is overwhelmed, lead me to the rock that is higher than I.. ” God does not want you living under the burdens of this life. He said come unto me all ye that Labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Matt 11:28.Refering one more time to king David, he expressed his dependence on the Lord as follows ” Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.” May we trust the Lord enough to leave all our burdens on him

The following prayer is a sample prayer to release your burdens unto the Lord, while you ask for His guidance. Dear Father, i worship .You are the almighty God
You, I praise You.You know that i am faced with such a challenge( voice out whatever it is to him). I need your wisdom and guidance .I ask you to direct my steps.I trust you completely.Thank you father in Jesus name.I Thank you, Lord, for divine wisdom and supernatural intervention.I give you all the praise. , the glory and the honour.In this way you cast all that heavy load over your head on Him.Trust him to direct you as to what to do and also to supernaturally intervene when you could do nothing about it.One difficulty of men is to lose control of certain issues to trust in the Lord absolutely.They seek to always be in control. The end result is a defeated , worried, and dejected person.One great virtue is to learn to release matters into God’s hands and enjoy life knowing that it is in a very safe hands. 2 Tim 1:12

There is a story of a father who was clearing a large heap of sand with a heavy land moving machine.The son came along with a small shovel to assist his father.When the father got closer to where the son was, The boy said daddy allow me to do this part. Looking at the quantity of sand and the boy”‘s equipment to clear all that heap, it would be almost impossible.The father asked him to come sit beside him on the tractor as they worked together.This way the work was done in mo time.zplease allow the Lord to move the problems of life off your shoulders.

THOUGHT:GOD IS ALWAYS READY TO CARRY OUR HEAVY BURDENS, IF ONLY WE PERMIT HIM.

FURTHER STUDIES

2Ti 1:12 KJV” For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.”

Proverbs 17:23
A happy heart is good medicine, and a cheerful mind works healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones. [Prov. 12:25; 15:13, 15.]

KEY SCRIPTURE:1Th 5:18 KJV” In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Christianity is a life of rest. It is a walk with the creator of the Universe. It is an expression of the supreme Lord of all things, even our Lord Jesus, through us. It must be full of joy always. Phi 4:4 KJV Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” Joy is always a function of praise. It is when the greatness and goodness of God excites us to the point that we burst out in singing to tell Him how great, how powerful and all the amazing things about Him. Thanksgiving is a part or function of praise. It is expressing an appreciation for what He has done. Why must we praise Him? We must praise Him because He commands us to do so. Psa 98:4 KJV “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.”

Secondly, because God says praise is beautiful in His sight. Psa 147:1 KJV” Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.” The scripture says it is a good thing to praise Him. It is also comely or very beautiful in God’s sight.
We praise God in troubled times because He is always with us. Which means no evil can befall us or conquer us. Isa 43:2 KJV “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” His presence means we are above the waters, although everything may look like we are being overwhelmed.

When Peter was walking on the water to meet Jesus, it looked like he would drown, yet he walked on the water. He rather started drawing when He turned his eyes from the Lord. Praising the Lord in troubled times means your focus is not on the difficulty, trouble or the challenge. SO long as you praise Him, you are sailing above the trouble. What helps us to effectively praise God in times when we seem to be threatened? It is the knowledge of God’s word in our hearts and our submission to it. This is all that faith is about: submitting to the word and doing what it says. Says. says.No. No problem has really beaten us down until we accept it is over. Continually feed your heart with the word of God and always accept what God says. Praise is a practical expression of the word we have believed
Praise is always faith in action.

TJOUGHT; PRAISE IS FAITH IN ACTION

FURTHER STUDIES

Psa 145:1 KJV David’s Psalm of praise. I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever. Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.

KEY SCRIPTURE:2Ch 20:21 KJV “And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.”

Please read 2 Chronicles 20:1-25

The kings of Ammon and Moab came with a very great host of men to attack King Jehoshaphat and Judah. The Jews were exceedingly afraid and so called a national fast. At their gathering, the king prayed unto God. A Levite was inspired to prophesy that they would not lift a hand, but the Lord would fight for them. King Jehoshaphat appointed singers to lead the people. The Lord fought for them, and they only watched what He did. Praising God in the midst of trouble is a great expression of one’s faith in God. It is saying that God is mighty over whatever difficulty or challenge may be. It also declares that the victory has already been won. God would always act when His children act in absolute faith in Him.

The Lord instructs us to sing joyfully unto His name. Joy is an expression of liberty from the desire of the enemy who seeks to excite sorrow, misery and gloominess in the hearts of men. Joyful singing is an expression of the Holy Spirit’s control and filling of that individual, which gives no place to Satan or his demons to function in that individual. Rom 14:17 KJV” For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” Please note that such moments of
Praising the Lord in troubled times comes forth naturally from our hearts when we have meditated a lot on the scriptures and have been exulting the Lord in our hearts. Dear one, we can not overemphasise this point, that is, giving quality time to the word of God. Any child of God who is not seriously given to God’s word lacks the oil of the Spirit and is basically very lean in the Spirit. It is unfortunate that most people are given to social media or games like football. You would have to repent if you wish to help yourself in the things of the Spirit.

In Acts of the Apostles chapter 16, the apostles Paul and Silas were thrown into the dungeon with their feet and hands in stocks. They had been beaten up earlier. Instead of these men lamenting over their pain, disgrace, and the danger they found themselves in, they started praying and then sang praises to God. Act 16:25 KJV “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly, there was a great earthquake, so the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bands were loosed.” God visited them in their trouble. Please, it is your moment to lift the name of the Lord high in praises even at the time when everything looks gloomy.

THOUGHT: IF YOU PRAISE GOD IN TROUBLED TIMES, HE WOULD SURELY SMILE ON YOU

FURTHER STUDIES

2Ch 29:30 KJV “Moreover, Hezekiah the king and the princes commanded the Levites to sing praise unto the LORD with the words of David, and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed their heads and worshipped.”

Psa 18:49 KJV” Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Jas 1:8 KJV “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

God’s word describes a double-minded person as a wave of the sea, which the winds move about.
It is very unstable
The bible says let not that man think he can receive ANYTHING from the Lord. It is never the Lord who is angry with such a person, and so would not give him what he desires; rather, it is the inability of this person to possess what God has already stretched forth His hands to give Him. The man who hops from faith to doubt or fear shows a great degree of disloyalty to the Lord. God always seeks His children to have an undivided trust in Him. The scriptures are filled with instances of men and women who showed a great degree of absolute trust in the Lord. In 2 Chronicles 14, King Asa of Judah was attacked by over a million soldiers from Ethiopia or Africa. This was an overwhelming challenge. King Asa with an absolute trust in God prayed as follows2Ch 14:11 KJV” And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee.” By this confidence in the Lord,” God intervened, and they were saved.

How can we develop such an unwavering, mind-informed trust in the Lord? I believe we can do this through a renewal of our minds. We do so by flooding our eyes, ears, and mouth with the word of God. We would have the true picture of our Father. We would know deep down in our consciousness that He is the true and faithful God who cannot lie or fail when fully trusted. ( Rev 3:14, Num 23:19, 1Co 1:9 EasyEnglish” God always does what he has promised to do. …,” As you keep focusing on the word day and night, you would also establish in your consciousness God’s magnificent power available to you. Luke 1:37, that He is closer to you than your very breath. We would also know that when we are very weak humanly speaking, that is when the power of God in us is at its peak.1 Corinthians 12:9,10

We should never allow any problem in our lives to appear bigger than our Father God. Jer 32:17 EasyEnglish I prayed, “LORD, ….Your hands have made them. Nothing is too difficult for you to do.” Take time to feed your mind and heart on these scriptures. When you are faced with crises, do not allow your mind to feel sorrowful or anxious; rather, let your heart set its gaze on God’s abiding presence in you, as well as His promises of faithfulness to honour His word.

THOUGHT: ATTEND TO GOD’S WORD AND IT WOULD DEFEND YOU IN THE CRISES HOUR

FURTHER STUDIES

Luk 1:37 EasyEnglish “There is nothing that God can not do.’”

Jer 32:17 EasyEnglish I prayed, “LORD, king of all people, you have made the earth and the sky by your great power. Your hands have made them. Nothing is too difficult for you to do

KEY SCRIPTURE: Psa 1:1 KJV “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

In our previous discussion on this topic, we looked at the fact that the man who is programmed for success does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. He does not stand in the way of sinners, nor does he sit in the seat of the scornful, but he delights in the law of God. He also meditates on it day and night..This man does not live by the traditions of men. Traditions, or better still, transmissions are human ideals that have been passed on from generation to generation. The Lord said such teachings or persuasions make God’s word of no effect. Mark 7:13
“Thus, you are nullifying and making void and of no effect [the authority of] the Word of God through your tradition, which you [in turn] hand on. And many things of this kind you are doing.” Many of us have wondered why we have not been so successful in our relationship with God. Most people have not been careful to determine the kind of teaching that comes their way. The psalmist said the successful man is very careful about the kind of information that he takes in. Jesus, our Lord, said, “Be very careful what you hear. Mark 4:24
And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing……..’

To be in tune with God’s way, there is a need to unlearn lots of things. You can do this by approaching the word with a very open mind, without allowing the prejudices of old-held traditions to becloud the truths of God’s word. Isa 55:7 KJV” Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” Wickedness is in relation to one’s actions, while unrighteousness is in relation to error in one’s beliefs or teachings. The answer to this is an unbiased attention to the word of God. An example of a common error is those who claim they believe in God, and so they anticipate or hope to get what they expect. Such a person is not acting in faith but in hope( hope does not receive but postpones to the future). True faith receives, and so has an inner assurance that his request has been answered, although what he expects may not be physically present with him.

With all that has been said, in hindsight, God’s way of dealing with us is by the word. Isa 55:10 KJV” For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” If you would open up to His word, your victory or success cannot be denied. God further assures us that so long as God’s word is given that first place, instead of failure, success, or glory, there is no shame. Isa 55:13 KJV “Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” God’s word created all that we see and holds everything in space together. The dominance of His word in us programs us for success

THOUGHT: PLANT GOD’S WORD IN YOUR HEART AND SEE THE CHANGE
OF YOUR STATE TO A GLORIOUS ONE

FURTHER STUDIES

2Ti 2:15 KJV Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Heb 4:11 KJV” Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Psa 1:3 KJV “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”

The first psalm describes the man who is programmed to succeed. The bible says such a person does not walk in the counsel of the ungodly. It is very amazing listening to the news headlines as they are broadcast. It is mainly filled with calamities, murders and many negative happenings across the globe. Nothing is mentioned about the many life-transforming programs of the church happening all around. The secular music of these times is mostly about sensual arousal. Anyone who occupied his life with such things would definitely not excel according to God’s order. Isaiah 55:3 counselling us as follows: Isa 55:3 KJV” Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.” Our key scripture is a follow-up to an earlier statement about the man who delights in the law of the Lord. The psalmist added that this man meditates on the law of God day and night. This man is likened to a tree planted by the rivers of water. Such a tree is programmed, prepared or positioned to succeed. It is located by a water source. It would not know when drought comes because it has a constant supply of water. It takes in water during the daytime and nighttime.

The above condition of a tree planted by a water source is the same picture God’s word paints about the man who meditates in the word day and night. He does not have to worry about any problem. All he needs to do is keep feeding on the word both day and night. Isaiah 55:3 says, “We should incline our ears and come.”This statement is quite insightful. It says before you hear God’s word, decide to humble yourself to its instructions. With such an approach, you would hear, and your soul shall live. You would delight yourself in fatness.
The Lord says that because you have humbled yourself and have received His word, He will make or cut an everlasting covenant with you. What is the Lord saying here? He says He would bind Himself to honour that word which you have wholeheartedly accepted. He talks about the sure mercies of David.

All these favours that our Father is talking about stem from the fact that you decided to make His word your greatest attention. You actually lived on His word. You spent a good part of your day and even night to eat the word. Just consider what He says about the man who positions himself by the word of God. Isa 55:5 KJV” Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the LORD thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.” He says you would have a global impact because He, the Lord, has glorified you, Hallelujah, what an honour. All these proceed from feeding ferociously on the word of life.

THOUGHT: GOD’S WORD IS A PACKAGE FULL OF POWER, LIFE, HEALTH, WISDOM, WEALTH, FULFILMENT, ETC

FURTHER STUDIES

Joh 1:3 KJV All things were made by him( the word); and without him(the word) was not anything made that was made.

Joh 1:1 KJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

KEY SCRIPTURE: Gal 5:16 KJV “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.”

We must always cooperate with the Spirit of God through the word of God. We must not do as the Israelites did. They wandered through the wilderness for as long as forty years, a journey which should have lasted only forty days. If we allow depression, discouragement and anxiety to fill us, then we are acting against the word of God. Man’s natural nature acts negatively to God’s way 1Co 2:14 KJV “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” When we respond to the issues of life from our natural reasoning, we would surely miss God’s way

The word assures us that the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit, Rom 8:7, showing us the carnal mind is enmity against God. Well, in moments of trials, it is the business of demons to convince you to go the way of the natural man, or the carnal mind. If you allow the flesh to have its way, fear and insecurity would be built up in you, which would ultimately reject God’s supernatural way. God’s ways are higher than man’s ways. Isa 55:9 KJV “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”

We must consistently be speaking to ourselves about yielding always to God’s way. Tell yourself God’s way is superior. Note that wrong actions are responses to external instructions that are contrary to the word. Be vigilant to instruct your mind to take God’s way. This keeps your faith alive and delivers your victory into your hands. This is a battle, and you must be ready to fight and win 1 Tim 6:12.
This aspect is very important if you were to win this fight on faith. Speak God’s word continually to silence the voice of the senses so that your faith would be sustained to win the victory for you
Remember that God’s word is always superior to the circumstances that come against us. We must consciously reject every voice of defeat and negativity. Jesus, our Lord, said ‘My words are life ( John 6:63). They would prevail if we allow them to dominate us.

THOUGHT: IT IS THE TRIUMPH OF OUR FAITH THAT WINS FOR US: KEEP FAITH ALIVE

FURTHER STUDIES

1Ti 6:12 KJV “Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.”

Isa 55:11 KJV ” So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”

KEY SCRIPTURE:2 Timothy 3:16
Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action),

For a quick recap of some of the lessons we have gone through in our discussions;
1 We have learnt and established that our God does not want us to worry, be anxious or afraid about anything Philip 4:6,7
2 Our Father has promised to be with us at all times, and as a result, we should never feel lonely, Isa 43:2
3 He has also promised to go through every difficulty or challenge with us. Isa 43:10
4We must resolve to trust Him absolutely

We now proceed with various scriptural instructions that show us what to do during challenging moments.

One thing that most of us may not have power over is what comes our way. The bible calls some of these fiery darts of the wicked Eph 6:16 KJV” Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.” Although we can not prevent the enemy from throwing these at us, we can definitely determine how we respond to them according to God’s word. The scripture instructs us to take the shield of faith. We would con̈sider various attitudes and actions that will constitute taking the shield of faith.

The Lord encourages us to praise him even when the tides are rough against us. Rom 4:20 KJV” He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;’ Abraham our father of faith after God had declared him to be the father of many nations although he was very old and the wife had passed the flower of her age: did not consider the deadness of Serah’s womb or his body which was as good as dead, but gave glory to God. I believe he made statements like Thank God I am very fruitful and My wife is exceedingly fruitful. Thank God, we are parents of nations. This would be praise unto God and a builder of his faith as well. Always learn to give God praise.

The next thing to do is to be at rest in your soul. He that trusteth the Lord shall not be in haste. Isaiah 28:16. The word says those who have believed in the Lord have entered into their rest, Heb 4:3. The first sign of the rule or reign of God over any heart is peace. Let your heart be at rest over whatever issue is at stake. Colossians 3:15 .Let the knowledge of His presence with you calm you down completely.

For our next step, you must know what the problem is really about. You are not to ignore what it is, but have a fair view of what is at stake, although you are not to allow it to dominate your mind and heart. Certain matters are not real in the first place, yet people worry, cry and gripe over them. Knowing what it is gives you a halfway solution.

Once you become aware of what it entails, then turn your attention from it to the word of God. Please remember that what you focus on is the seed you are planting in your heart, and according to God’s word, all things proceed from the heart Prov 4:23..
Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance, and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life.” How dangerous it is to worry, or set your mind on the very thing you hate. If it is in your heart, then be sure that after some time, you are going to give birth to it, like a woman gives birth to the seed she has kept for nine months.

You must rather occupy our hearts, minds, thoughts and emotions with the word of God.. 1Ti 4:15 KJV Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all. The Lord Jesus in the gospels, when speaking about the parable of the power, said the ground that bore fruit was the one that received the seed( word) and KEPT IT Luke 8:15

The scriptures said the ground that kept the seed ultimately yielded fruit in all quantities. YOU would surely have your answers when you keep God’s word in your heart.

THOUGHT; HEARKENING DILIGENTLY TO THE INSTRUCTIONS OF SCRIPTURE ALWAYS YIELDS BLESSINGS

FURTHER STUDIES

Deu 28:1 KJV And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:

Heb 4:12 KJV” For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

KEY SCRIPTURE: Joshua 1:5
No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you.

Dear reader, in this series, I seek to help all brothers and sisters who have been overburdened with various life challenges, to come out of such torments in their minds and to learn by means of the scriptures how to come out of such issues. God our Father does not want any of His children to live in worry or anxiety. Beloved one, it is not the inner struggles that bring the transformation, but the strong faith in the word of God.
We grow this faith as we keep looking and meditating on the scriptures to the point that we see all things from God’s point of view. To God, nothing is big, dangerous or impossible. Luk 1:37 KJV “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

Isaiah 8:13 says
“The Lord of hosts–regard Him as holy and honour His holy name [by regarding Him as your only hope of safety], and let Him be your fear and let Him be your dread [lest you offend Him by your fear of man and distrust of Him]”.Please, the Father wants you to see Him as great and very big.

We are very helpless without our father, and so He wants us to find our strength in Him2Co 3:5 WEB” not that we are sufficient of ourselves to account anything as from ourselves; but our sufficiency is from God,” As we relate our strength and sufficiency from His completeness as well as feeding on the many great and exceeding promises .2 Peter 1:4
By means of these, He has bestowed on us His precious and exceedingly great promises, so that through them you may escape [by flight] from the moral decay (rottenness and corruption) that is in the world because of covetousness (lust and greed), and become sharers (partakers) of the divine nature.” The last part of this verse shows us that the exposure of the scriptures or promises to our souls gives us a supernatural transformation; we partake or share in the divine nature.2nd Peter 1:4 reveals two main ideas
1 Trusting and depending on the word of God that grants us access into the supernatural realm, where God functions

2 The second idea reveals that a focus or trust in the flesh will entangle us in corruption or defeat.
Dear one, God’s word teaches us to always take a positive stand with His word: no matter how unreasonable it may appear, you will come out victorious.

Dear one, our Lord would always want us to know that He is always with us, no matter the weight of the challenge that may come our way. Just maintain the assurance that God is solidly with you, working to see you through. Please note that we are always His representatives, and it is His glory that is at stake. In John 2:11, the bible said Joh 2:11 KJV This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. When God answers prayer, they manifests His glory. He always seeks the manifestations of His glory. Team up with Him to trust His word, so He would have the privilege of manifesting His glory in you.

THOUGHT: STOP WORRYING BYJ̌ RECEIVING GOD’S WORD

FURTHER STUDIES

Hebrews 4:11
Let us therefore be zealous and exert ourselves and strive diligently to enter that rest [of God, to know and experience it for ourselves], that no one may fall or perish by the same kind of unbelief and disobedience [into which those in the wilderness fell].

2 Corinthians 6:16
What agreement [can there be between] a temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God; even as God said, I will dwell in and with and among them and will walk in and with and among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. [Exod. 25:8; 29:45; Lev. 26:12; Jer. 31:1; Ezek. 37:27.]

KEY SCRIPTURE: Isaiah 43:2″
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they will not overwhelm you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned or scorched, nor will the flame kindle upon you.”

The above verse is God’s candid promise to see us through every challenge that comes ouŕ way. He uses water and fire, which have been elements of creation that God used to judge men for their sins. These are highly devastating elements that can virtually destroy everything in their path. God says even that would not end your journey. The Lord establishes that he will be with us in that moment of difficulty. Please personalise this verse. Please note the word through, and the number of times it appears in the verse. You may note that God would allow you to go through the challenge, but it would not destroy you. You would come out victorious. There may be certain instances in which you may not go through the difficulty at all. All that matters is to place your absolute trust in the Lord to see you through.

Dear child of God, as a Christian, know that the almighty God, the omnipotent one, the all-wise God, the true and faithful God lives inside of you. Just pause and consider the great potential that has filled your being. Therè is no problem too difficult for him to solve. ( Matt 19:26, Mark 10:27, Luke 1:27, 18:27) Dear one, the ability of the power of God in you, taking the ascendancy through you to bring viable solutions, is for these scriptural truths to fully take over your heart. This was the advice Apostle Paul gave pastor Timothy in 1 Tim 4:15.” Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.” Psalm 1:2 says this must be done day and night. In effect, give attention to the scriptures. God works not with physical means but supernatural; and that is by the means of His word. Isa 55:11 KJV So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. The word can only do what it was sent to do if it has the opportunity to stay in the heart of the man who needs that miracle.

The mistake of some brethren is that they dwell too much on the severity of the problem or the symptoms. Jonah 2:8 calls it ‘lying vanities’, Jon 2:8 KJV “They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.” God’s mercies are the solutions He brings to us, yet if we fail to attend to His word but rather focus on the problems, then we certainly would forsake our mercies. The Easy English translation says we worship such challenges, if we give too much attention to the problem. Jon 2:8 EasyEnglish” Some people want to keep things that have no value. They worship them. So they do not receive God’s love that could be for them.” Please note that as the book of Genesis said in Gen 8:22,, so long as the earth remains, seed time and harvest shall not cease….” What you attend to is the seed you have planted, and that is what is permitted to grow into a harvest. This is the plain reality. Isaiah 55:1-3 gives an invitation to anyone in crisis,difficulty or challenge to come and receive a turnaround. It shows that the way to your answers is to attend to the word of God. I have titled the chapter 55 of Isaiah as “God’s recovery program” It shows you all you have to do to come out of every difficulty that you find yourself in.

THOUGHT: GOD’S WORD HOLDS THE ANSWER TO EVERY CHALLENGE, PROBLEM, OR DIFFICULTY OF MEN.

FURTHER STUDIES

Jos 1:8 EasyEnglish “You must keep on speaking about the words of God’s law. Think about what it says all the time. Then you will be careful to obey it. Then you will help yourselves to do well and to win.”

Pro 4:20-22 EasyEnglish Listen to what I say, my son. Listen to my words. Never let my words leave you. Think about them and obey them. They will give life to anyone who understands them. And they will give health to their whole body.