YOU MIGHT HAVE TO TAKE THE TEST OVER

I HAVE BEEN TOLD, WHEN WE ARE TRIED, AND DON’T PASS THE TEST OF ENDURANCE, AND TRUST GOD TO FIGHT OUR BATTLE —- BY THIS, I MEAN, WE TAKE IT IN OUR OWN HANDS —-WE WILL AT SOME POINT IN LIFE, HAVE TO TAKE THE SAME TEST OVER AGAIN.

IT IS MUCH BETTER FOR US TO GO AHEAD AND WATCH GOD MOVE ON OUR BEHALF, AND WAIT IT OUT, AND LET GOD GET THE VICTORY FOR US, THAN TO HAVE TO FACE THIS AGAIN.

YOU WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN THROUGH A TRAIL, DON’T KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT; BUT YOU WILL FACE  ONE AT SOME POINT AND TIME AS YOU SERVE THE LORD.

II CORINTHAINS 8:2 –  HOW THAT IN A GREAT TRAIL OF AFFLICTION (OR IN A TIME OF MUCH TROUBLE)  THE ABUNDANCE OF THEIR JOY AND THEIR DEEP POVERTY ABOUNDED UNTO THEIR RICHES OF THEIR GREAT LIBERALITY.                                                                                                                                                    PAUL IS WRITING A LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS TO INFORM THEM OF HOW THE MACEDONIAN CHURCHES WHO WERE GOING THROUGH A TIME OF GREAT TROUBLE, WERE STILL FILLED WITH JOY THAT THEY COULD BE IN AN OVERFLOW OF GIVING TO THE CHURCHES IN JERUSALEM.

MANY OF US WHO ARE GOING THROUGH A GREAT TRIAL, WHETHER IT BE PHYSICAL OR FINANCIAL, WHATEVER IT IS, COULD LEARN FROM THESE MACEDONIANS. THEY WERE ONLY ACTING ON THE PRINCIPLES OF THE PROMISES OF GOD.

THEY DIDN’T ALLOW SATAN TO STEAL THEIR JOY, AND THEY WERE SOWING AN OFFERING AGAINST THEIR OWN POVERTY TO MINISTER TO THE NEEDS OF THE SAINTS. WHAT A WONDERFUL EXAMPLE TO US.

IF WE ARE BEING TRIED, WE SHOULD FIRST, PRAISE GOD THROUGH IT, AND THEN, TRUST HIM FOR THE OUTCOME.

ALSO, WE SHOULD ASK HIM, “LORD,WHAT CAN I LEARN THROUGH THIS?”

I PROMISE YOU, HE WILL SHOW YOU, AND BRING YOU TO A GREATER UNDERSTANDING OF HOW HE WORKS.

JAMES 1:2-4 – MY BRETHREN, COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN YE FALL INTO DIVERS TEMPTATIONS  (OR VARIOUS TRIALS):

     KNOWING THIS, THAT THE TRYING OF YOUR FAITH WORKETH  (DEVELOPS)  PATIENCE.

     BUT LET PATIENCE HAVE HER PERFECT  (COMPLETE) WORK, THAT YE MAY BE PERFECT  (MATURE)  AND ENTIRE, WANTING NOTHING  (OR LACKING NOTHING).

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE IN GOING THROUGH TRIALS THAT DEVELOPE PATIENCE, AND BEING TEMPTED TO DO EVIL. BEING TEMPTED TO DO EVIL , IS BEING DRAWN AND ENTICED BY YOUR OWN LUST.

GOD DOES NOT TEMPT MAN TO DO EVIL (JAMES 1:13-18).

JAMES 1:12 – BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT ENDURETH TEMPTATION:  FOR WHEN HE IS TRIED, HE SHALL RECEIVE THE CROWN OF LIFE, WHICH THE LORD HATH PROMISED TO THEM THAT LOVE HIM.

JAMES TELLS US TO COUNT IT ALL JOY WHEN WE FALL INTO TRIALS (VERSE 2), BUT HE IS NOT TALKING ABOUT FALLING INTO SIN, HE IS TALKING ABOUT DISCOVERING THAT WE CAN FIND STRENGTH TO OVERCOME TEMPTATION AND ENDURE TRIALS, THROUGH THE LOVE OF GOD AND HIS POWER.

WITHOUT THE POWER OF GOD IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER, TRIALS CAN CAUSE HIM OR HER TO BECOME BITTER AND CRITICAL AND LOOSE THE CROWN OF LIFE.

VERSE 12 READS …WHEN HE IS TRIED… THIS SHOULD TELL US  SOMETHING: WE WILL BE TRIED AT SOME POINT IN OUR LIVES. 

LETS PASS THE TEST THE FIRST TIME, SO WE WON’T HAVE TO TAKE IT OVER AGAIN!!! 

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WORDS PART II

PICTURE IN YOUR MIND, A PERSON STANDING IN THE CENTER OF A ROOM. WHEN A NEGATIVE WORD IS SPOKEN, THAT WORD IS CONSTANTLY SHOUTED AT THAT PERSON. THE PERSON IN THE CENTER BEGINS TO LOOK BEATEN DOWN. THEN, WHEN POSITIVE WORDS AND STATEMENTS ARE DONE THE SAME WAY, THE PERSON IN THE CENTER, REACHES OUT AND GATHERS (OR RECEIVES) EACH POSITIVE WORD AND BEGINS TO REJOICE. IF THE PERSON RECEIVES THE NEGATIVE WORDS, THEY WILL REMAIN IN A CAST DOWN CONDITION.

IF YOU CAN GET THIS PICTURE, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE MESSAGE.

SOME OF THE NEGATIVE WORDS AND STATEMENTS; OR WE COULD CALL THEM CURSES, ARE: “FAILURE; NEVER AMOUNT TO ANYTHING; JUST LIKE YOUR FATHER; NO GOOD; GOING TO HELL; DRUG ADDICT; ALCOHOLIC; PROSTITUTE; JOHN; LAZY;” AND PROBABLY THE WORST OF ALL IS: “I HATE YOU; I WISH YOU WERE DEAD; I WISH YOU WERE NEVER BORN; WE’RE GETTING A DIVORCE; IT’S YOUR FAULT; I’M GOING TO KILL YOU; REJECTION; DESERTION; GET OUT; YOU’RE SICK!

YOU MAY EVEN BE HEARING VOICES FROM THE OTHER SIDE, “KILL!, KILL!; COMMIT SUICIDE!!”

FEAR AND ANGER ARE TWO OF THE FIRST SPIRITS OF EVLL THAT ENTERS THE LIFE OF THOSE WHO RECEIVE THE NEGATIVE WORDS FOR THEMSELVES, AND BELIEVE THEM. THEY BECOME A PART OF THEIR LIVES; WHAT THEY THINK ABOUT THEMSELVES.

I MIGHT ADD, BELOVED, ADULTS, AS WELL AS CHILDREN ARE SUSCEPTIBLE AND SENSITIVE TO RECEIVING SUCH WORDS AS A PART OF THEM, IF THEY HEAR THEM ENOUGH.

II TIMOTHY 1:7 – FOR GOD HAS NOT GIVEN US THE SPIRIT OF FEAR; BUT OF POWER, AND OF LOVE, AND OF A SOUND MIND.

THE DEMON SPIRIT OF FEAR CAN PARALYZE ANYONE INTO BELIEVING ALL THESE LIES ABOUT THEM.

JOHN 10:10 – THE THIEF COMETH NOT, BUT FOR TO STEAL, AND TO KILL, AND TO DESTROY: I AM COME THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND THAT MORE ABUNDANTLY (OR IN IT’S FULLEST  MEASURE).

SOME OF YOU CAN HEAR YOUR SAINTLY GRANDMOTHER PRAYING NOW, “O GOD, SAVE MY BABY; DON’T LET MY BABY GO TO HELL!”

MANY OF YOU WHO ARE SAVED, CAN LOOK BACK OVER YOUR LIFE, AND SEE WHAT IT TOOK TO GET YOU TO THIS PLACE OF SURRENDER TO GOD.

IT WAS THE DRAWING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

IT WAS THE PRAYERS OF SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT YOU.

WHEN JESUS CHRIST COMES IN TO LIVE, AND WE BEGIN TO STUDY THE BIBLE, AND HEAR ANOINTED PREACHING AND TEACHING, WE BEGIN TO HEAR, AND DISCOVER POSITIVE WORDS IN THE SCRIPTURES: THAT TELL US WHO WE REALLY ARE IN CHRIST.

THAT IS, WHEN WE SEE OURSELVES AS CHRIST SEES US:  LOVED, JOHN 3:16; SAVED, EPHESIANS 2:8; HAVING ETERNAL LIFE, JOHN 3:15; NO CONDEMNATION, ROMANS 8:1; DELIVERED, LUKE 4:18; HEALED, I PETER 2:24; CHILD OF GOD, ROMANS 8:16; JOINT HEIR WITH CHRIST, ROMANS 8:17; FREE, JOHN 8:32, 36; NEVER ALONE, MATTHEW 1:23; RIGHTEOUS, ROMANS 5:19; I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST, PHILIPPIANS 4:13; FORGIVEN, LUKE 6:37; VICTORIOUS, I CORINTHIANS 15:57; A NEW CREATION, II CORINTHIANS 5:17; OLD THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY, II CORINTHIANS 5:17; PROMISE OF HEAVEN, HEBREWS 12:22, 23; WILL REIGN WITH CHRIST, ROMANS 5:17.  REWARDS, PEACE.

CHRIST NEVER TOLD ANYONE, “YOU’LL NEVER MAKE IT; YOU’RE A FAILURE; I HATE YOU; GO TO HELL.”

BELOVED, EVEN IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, THE MIND IS THE BATTLE GROUND.

WE ARE TO RENEW OUR MINDS DAILY, BY READING AND STUDYING THE WORD OF GOD.

*WATCH FOR  “WORDS” PART III

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