UNDERSTANDING ADVERSITY: THE CONCLUSION

CONCLUSION

 UNDERSTANDING ADVERSITY: THE CONCLUSION

          Now that we have come to the end of this study on understanding Adversity and before we go into what Paul said about counting it all joy when we fall into adversity, let’s summarize what we have found out. There is a mystery involved here. It is the mystery of what I call the Eagle and of Godliness.

The writer of Proverbs 30: marveled at “the way of an eagle in the air”. And acknowledged that it was “too wonderful” for him to comprehend. Proverbs 30: 18-19;.

In the New Testament we find the same sentiment from the writers of Timothy and Ephesians.  I Timothy 3:16 says,

And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:  God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

Ephesians 1:19 says,

And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power,

The writer explained that this power “hath raised us up together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:6;

Remember in an earlier segment I told you there is a parallel between the eagle soaring in the air and the believer living above the power of temptation.

Another part of the mystery is the law that causes the eagle to fall. It’s called the law of gravity. The law of gravity involves forces which have predictable results when the same circumstances are in effect. The law of gravity is universal. The same results will take place anywhere in the world. The law of gravity is non-discriminating. Every creature is subject to it’s effect’s whether they want to be or not.

If the eagle which is flying in the air suddenly draws in its wings. It will fall to the ground like a stone. The same experience will happen to every eagle in the world if they do the same thing.

That describes Christians as well. The law that causes the Christian to fall is no different. It is the law of sin. The law of sin involves forces within each of us to do things which we know are wrong. The Apostle Paul alluded to that in Romans 7: 21-24;

“I find then the law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

But there is still another power and that is the power that overcomes the law of gravity. An eagle falling to the earth needs only stretch out it’s wings, and the force of the air blowing and moving over it’s wings will lift it up. The law of gravity is still in operation and it still exerts it’s force on the eagle. However, the power of flight is stronger than the power of gravity and thus overcomes it.

The Christian who continues to fall into sin needs only reach out by faith and appropriate the victory which Christ has already won through His death, and resurrection. The law of sin will continue to be in operation. It will continue to exert it’s force in our lives. However, Romans 8: 2 says,

“. . .the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.” Romans 8:2.         

 So, We are to “Count It All Joy!” Don’t become down and discouraged when you encounter various tests and trials. Instead, count it all joy!  One step toward joy is a step in the right direction! James 1:2 says. . .

 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.”

 Folks, if a Christian does not have joy, it is their own fault, because the Bible says,

“. . .the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace , and joy in the Holy Ghost”  Romans 14:17.

When an individual becomes a Christian, he is translated from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of God.

Colossians 1:13; says, 

“Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” and Romans 14:17; says there is joy in God’s Kingdom.

 “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

Therefore, if a Christian doesn’t have joy, he is letting something else take the place of what is rightfully his. The Bible also says that the joy of the Lord is our strength.

Nehemiah 8:10;

“Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Many people do not have any strength because they do not have any joy. Remember, it is the joy of the Lord that gives us our strength!

James 1:2 says, . . . “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations.”

The Greek word translated “Temptation” in this verse can also be translated trials or tests.

So we could read James 1:2; as, “Count it all joy when ye fall into divers, or different, trials or tests.”

The Bible is God speaking to us. Even still, some people still say, “God never speaks to me.” Does that mean that these people never read their Bible? No, that’s usually not what they mean when they say God doesn’t ever speak to them. They just want God to speak to them in a special way. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes God does speak to His children in a special or spectacular way. But even if God speaks to us in a special way, what He speaks will still be in line with His Word.  If what is said does not line up with God’s Word, then it is not God speaking.

Right now you may be going through the greatest trial of your life. Are you counting it joy according to James 1:2? Someone might say, “No, I’m griping and complaining about it.” “I’m complaining about the trial and feeling sorry for myself thank you very much.”

Well, that’s not what the Bible tells us to do! The Bible says to count it all joy! If the trial or circumstance was literally a joy, then we wouldn’t have to count it a joy. The trial is not joy in itself, it’s a trial and a test. But we are to count or consider it a joy.

There was a time when I was going through one of the hardest trials of my life. I got a hold of James 1:2; and I did not feel like being joyful but I started rejoicing anyway. And, if Christians would do the same thing and just start counting, or considering, it joy, they would soon enter into real joy.

I believe there are some folks who would be healed instantly if they would begin counting it all joy. Someone might ask, “Well, how do you do that?” Folks, You just do it!

James said count it all joy, so count it all joy! In other words, start acting the way you would if you were full of joy and just as if the answer to the problem were already manifested before your eyes!

Remember, we walk by faith and not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7; “For we walk by faith, not by sight:” and, Romans. 4:17; “As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

 So count it all joy! In other words, call that which is not joy as though it were joy. Then act like it is so, and it shall become a reality. You might be praying that God would help you and do something in your life. Well, how would you act if He did do it? Would you continue to gripe and complain about the situation?   No.  If He did it, you would start praising , thanking, and worshiping Him.

By faith, you need to start praising, thanking and worshiping God right now! Rejoice that God has already given you the victory! It may feel as though you are merely rejoicing in the natural, but continue to praise God by faith and soon, you will be over in the Spirit.

Remember, we have a part to play. Sometimes, people quote Mark 9:23; by saying,   “all things are possible.” But the rest of the verse says,   “. . .to him who believes.” 

You see, we have something to do in order to qualify. We must do our part, and our part is simply to believe. We must have faith in God. No matter what you have been praying about, I encourage you to believe you receive.

Someone might say, “But I can’t see the answer yet.” Remember Romans 4:17;?

 “As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations, before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.” Romans 4:17;

 I believe that if Christians would move from praying to praising it would not be long before the answer came. So, start praising God for the victory! Philippians 4:6; says,

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

For most readers of the King James Version today, the phrase, “be careful for nothing” is a little vague. In this day and age, we wouldn’t normally tell someone to be careful for nothing. We would say, “don’t worry” or something like that. But in the Amplified Bible we read it like this,  “Do not fret or have anxiety about anything.” Philippians  4:6;.

We can miss a great deal in life by being overanxious about some things. When we are overanxious, we open the door to the devil, so to speak. And we give him the opportunity to gain a foothold in our lives.

Philippians 4:6-8; says,

“be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

If you do verse six, then the peace of God will keep your heart and mind.

“Finally brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” Philippians 4:8;.

The Bible tells us what to think on. The reason many people are in the mess they are in is because they have been thinking on the wrong thing. And even though God wants to help them walk in victory, He can’t help them as long as they are thinking on the wrong things.

 Philippians 4:9; says,

 “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do; and the God of peace shall be with you.”

Notice this verse says, “those things which you have learned.”

This means that Paul had to have taught these things to the church at Philippi in order for the Philippians to have learned them. I’m sure that Paul used his experience of being unjustly thrown into prison as an opportunity to teach the Philippians how not to be anxious for anything, and also to show how to present requests with thanksgiving to God and also to show how to think the right thoughts in every circumstance.

Do you remember Paul and Silas sang and praised God while they were in prison. Notice, the answer did not come while they were praying. They  were delivered while they were praising God.

Don’t misunderstand me. Praying has it’s place, but if that is all we do we haven’t done enough. We need to start praising. When an individual is counting it all joy according to James 1:2, he will be praising God. He will be thanking God and his mouth will be filled with praise. Many Christians do not control their thoughts and that is what defeats them. Some say they cannot control their thoughts but according the Bible you can. You see, God would not tell you to do something you could not do. Remember Philippians 4:8; Some things are true but they are not honest.

The Bible says that our thoughts should be both true and honest. Some things are true all right but they are not just. Some things are true all right but they are not pure. So don’t think on those things. Many Christians will become victorious in life when they change their thinking and their though life.

Some Christians are praying and waiting for God to change what they think about. But it’s up to them to change their own thinking. We can’t stop adversity from coming but we can control how we dwell on it. We need to choose to think on God’s thoughts. As Christians we ought to be thinking on pure true honest and good thoughts. As we change the way we think about adversity, and count it all joy and praise God in the situation. We will see a difference and see God change the adversity to a joyful blessing. This will ultimately bring glory to God and transform us to His image. Then the joy of the Lord will be our strength and enable us to live a victorious life.

This concludes our study on Adversity and I trust you were helped and blessed. Please leave comments or discussion and don’t forget to subscribe. I will be doing more short series soon and I trust you will join me, also check out the amazon book page to get your copy of this study that you can use or share with someone else..

Shall we pray. If you do not Know Jesus as your Savior today, I invite you to say the sinner’s prayer with me now.

Lord Jesus, I come to you today in need of a Savior. I believe you came to this earth as a man and walked among us teaching and healing and saving souls. I acknowledge today that I am a sinner and that you died for me and rose on the third day, ascended to Heaven and are seated by the Father. I ask you to forgive me of my sins and come into my life and be my savior today. I believe I am now born again and one day I will be with you forever. Thank you in Jesus name.

 Amen

 Have a blessed day.