Gtcotr/ss111625
Exodus 1:12 But the more the Egyptians afflicted the Children of God, the more they multiplied and grew. And the Egyptians were in dread of them.
God designed life in such a way that every problem we face comes power packed with the potential to make us stronger and more like Him. Life is exercise. God does not tempt us with evil or burden His children with trials and tribulations. These things come from any number of other sources including the devil and our own wanderings. Nonetheless God is committed to using everything we face in life for our benefit and for His glory. He will comfort and increase our strength and substance so that the more we are mistreated by this world, the greater our potential to multiply and grow becomes. It is a law of God.
The more we are afflicted, the more we multiply and grow.
Often when we encounter problems, we don’t stop and imagine the potential resident in that problem. You can begin to access the power of a problem by inviting God into that problem. He helps us find victory in the midst of the problem, even before we gain victory over the problem. And, many times We experience victory in the situation before we experience victory over the situation.
Problems come power packed with potential. God is never farther away than the mention of His name. He will suddenly bring a peace which will pass all understanding; He will suddenly manifest His overriding power; He will suddenly show up with the undeniable answer. We don’t need to understand why when the answer is God. Today we are going to discover how to find and release the power resident in our problems and turn our trials into testimonies.
Even when you walk through the valley of the shadow of death God prepares a table for you in the presence of your enemies and He also commands goodness and mercy to follow you everywhere you go. We don’t always recognize His promise of provision and the potential in the valley because we get so focused on the problems in the valley.
I believe that the James who wrote the New Testament book of James was also the Lead Pastor of the first Church in Jerusalem. James would have been given the responsibility of leading the Apostles, Elders, Deacons and congregation members through those difficult early years of the great persecution in Jerusalem. Problems abounded and trouble seemed on every side. Neither the religious Jewish leaders nor the Roman government had much tolerance for these new followers of Jesus. Persecutions and executions were commonly dealt out to the Believer along with all manner of temptation which the devil brought during those days.
In efforts to help the Believer focus on the potential and not be swallowed up by the problems, Pastor James wrote:
James 1 NKJV
2 ¶ My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Pastor James reveals two key elements to unlocking the potential resident in trials and tribulations. He gave us two factors which Turn trials into testimonies are:
- 1. Trust (faith)
- 2. Time (patience)
If you are in the middle of a temptation, or even in the middle of the Great Tribulation, you can turn your trial into a testimony and release the potential hiding in your problem. You don’t have to be a victim, you can be victorious – even over death, hell and the grave – how much more over the temporal afflictions of this life.
2 Corinthians 4 NKJV
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,
18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
At times it’s hard to imagine a testimony when you are facing a trial.
However, God inspired James to teach us how to walk through difficult places without being defeated by those difficulties.
Every testimony was at one time a trial.
We don’t have to treat broken things as if they cannot be mended by the Lord. Faith and patience works.
Job 36: 11 If they obey and serve Him, They shall spend their days in prosperity, And their years in pleasures.
This world is broken. It is our trust in God which holds us steady on course during the time We are going through some things we do not want, in order to get to some things we do want. Our trust in God enables us to maintain focus on the promise and not the problem. Trust in God gives time to discover the potential and release the power. When we trust God, He turns our trials into testimonies.
This was true for Noah, it was true for Job, it was true for Moses and Esther, Rahab and David, it was true for Paul and true for Jesus, and it is true for me and true for you as well.
Trust and time will turn your trials into testimonies.
Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of patience, that after you have done the will of God, you might receive the promise.
Hebrews 6:12 Don’t be spiritually dull or indifferent, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
Psalms 27:13 I would have fainted, had not I believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
There is potential in the problem you are facing. God will find a way to make it work for your good. There is a testimony hidden in your trial. When you give it to God it will serve your best interests and bring glory to Him. There is potential yet undiscovered in the pressures you are experiencing right now. Instead of letting them get you down and potentially affect your physical and mental health, turn them over to God, be patient, and watch Him grow your spiritual strength.
Trust God, Invite Him into your problem and be patient. Give Him the time He needs to complete His work in you and on you so He can work for you and through you.
Do you lack faith; do you need patience? They are both fruits of the Holy Spirit. These two fruits will grow quickly and sufficiently as you exercise your trust in God. These fruits of the Spirit are watered and weeded through prayer, the Word of God, and fellowshipping with other Believers.
Don’t let the devil convince you that you are a victim or that you are all alone in your trouble. Reach out to God and to other Believers, and keep yourself involved in life, work, family, and the Church. God wants to insulate you; the devil wants to isolate you. Invite God into your problem.
God is speaking to some of you right now – on campus and online. He is that voice in your head … that little nudge. You need to turn your situation over to God and trust Him with the outcome. Believe me, no matter how bad it may be, God will make it better. The one thing you need to add to your problem is God … He can make something good out of anything you give Him … He will help. What you need to do is ask …
The journey to turning your trials into testimonies begins with the first step. That step may just lead you right down here to the altar where you can present your decision to God in prayer. Decide to invite Him in …
Let’s pray!
