By: Chika Ebuzor
"and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness." - 2 Corinthians 12:9 (MSG).
Many times, like Apostle Paul, we pray to God to deliver us from situations that carry the ladder to our next level.
Proverbs 24:10 (TLB) says; You are a poor specimen if you can’t stand the pressure of adversity.
Most people let problems weigh them down to the extent that they develop a negative attitude and then miss out on what God originally planned to elevate them. If you get offended, rattled or give up when problems show up, you will miss the hidden nutrients you need to build your spiritual muscles. Could it be that you have been going round in circles because, you are focusing on the challenge and not rejoicing and thanking God for the grace and strength hidden in it?
Every problem carries the ladder for your next level so learn to embrace it. Never let a problem unsettle you. Even if it does initially, get a hold of yourself and address it from the standpoint of victory and advantage. Your Father owns the whole world and He is the Monarch of the universe. You are not a victim, so learn to thank God for His grace and strength hidden in any problem.
In John 11:41 and John 6:11, before Lazarus' grave and when he wanted to feed the crowd, two distinct problem scenarios, Jesus gave thanks to the Father, first.
Thanksgiving takes your focus away from the magnitude of the problem and helps you see how mighty your Father is. When you thank the Lord, you are declaring his lordship over the problem, thereby depriving it of the power to steal your joy. Your reason for thanking God is for the Grace and strength hidden in the problem. As you thank the Lord and rejoice, the Holy Spirit will put songs in your spirit.
Go ahead and worship him and continue thanking him for the elevation in the problem and let the joy of the Lord rise in you. Let the joy of the Lord overflow from your spirit and consume you because that is what the devil actually seeks to take away when challenges and problems of life come. If he can steal your joy, he has you cornered.
Nehemiah 8:10 says; ...for the joy of the Lord is your strength. No wonder James 1:2 admonishes that joy should be our response when we encounter problems.
Let thanksgiving be your daily practice. Ephesians 5:20 says; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Don't allow desperation make you look for a way out in the flesh. God knows the way out, let him show you.
1 Corinthians 10:13 tells us that God has a way out of every problem.
It says; There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].
Stay in the place of thanksgiving daily and exalt the Lord above the challenge. Angels enjoy an atmosphere of joy. As you maintain your joy and continue thanking Him, study the scriptures and expect him to speak to you through his word, because He certainly will.
Psalm 107:19&20(MSG) says; "Then you called out to God in your desperate condition; he got you out in the nick of time. He spoke the word that healed you, that pulled you back from the brink of death."
Be sensitive to know what He will say, and know that in your obedience lies your deliverance. Thank you for taking time to read this article. I pray that the Lord grants you strength to stand in the day of adversity in Jesus name.
Comments