We never know what each day has waiting
for us. But we do have the capability to do our best to prepare
ourselves for whatever may come. Whether a day brings us temptation,
a trial or even a day of disappointments, we can overcome if we are
prepared. Everyone faces temptation. Everyone faces disappointments
and hurts. And everyone faces trials and tragedies. But the truth
is, very few people are prepared to deal with it effectively and that
shouldn't be the case and it doesn't have to be the case for
believers.
2 Chronicles 12:14 says, “And he did
evil, because he prepared not his heart to seek the LORD.”
This was speaking of Rehoboam, the king
of Judah and the son of Solomon. He started off as a good king who
was seeking the Lord. But just as many people today, he wasn't
prepared for what would inevitably come his way. When satan throws
temptation our way or we become bombarded with many trying things and
become overwhelmed, if we are not already prepared, it will be too
late and we'll probably lose the fight or make the battle more
difficult than what it should have been.
Jesus prepared himself. He spent 30
years preparing for his encounter with the devil. He started at an
early age and his study continued all His life, spending hours of
reading and studying but even Jesus needed more.
Before he was tempted by satan face to
face, he was anointed with the Holy Spirit at His baptism by John in
the Jordan River. Jesus went into the wilderness to be tempted by the
devil, full of the power of the Holy Spirit.
Being filled with the Holy Spirit is an
absolute necessity for overcoming temptation and trials. We must stay
FILLED. One way of doing that is to speak in tongues on a regular
basis. Jude 1:20-21 says “But ye, beloved, building up yourselves
on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves
in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ
unto eternal life.”
Praying in tongues builds us up on
our most holy faith. How many times have you needed your most
holy faith to take you through a certain trial, and yet you haven't
used this gift of the Holy Spirit? Verse 21 also says we keep
ourselves in the love of God when we speak in tongues. Have you
ever asked the Lord to pour out His love on you? I imagine you have.
I know I have. But this doesn't say to pray that way; it says we are
to keep ourselves in the love of God and we do this by praying in
tongues. We don't ask God for that which He's already given, we
simply stir up the love that has already been commended toward us, by
speaking in tongues. This is a powerful gift. We should never lack
the Love of God because the love of God is shed abroad in our
hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. (Romans 5:5)
Isaiah 28:11-12 says, “For with
stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. To
whom he said, this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to
rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.”
Do you ever need rest and
refreshing? This verse says that speaking in tongues is the way
to get it. We have this most powerful gift available to us through
the Holy Spirit, but few take advantage of it. Instead we keep asking
God to do what he told us to do. We need to use this gift of speaking
in tongues to stir ourselves up, or we risk sinking to the bottom.
When adversity comes our way, we may
think that God is a careless God because He allows things to happen
that He is capable of stopping. But we must remember in those times,
He has fully equipped us to handle whatever comes our way. What we
really need is HELP in using that “equipment”.
God's Word and His Spirit are freely
available to help us. The Bible imparts to us essential wisdom: He
promises to be near us and take care of us, He shares exhortations
that help us avoid sinful snares, and there are many offers of
forgiveness when we “miss the mark” and much more.
God does indeed equip us to handle
adversity well, But we have to make the effort to use what He
provides: His Presence. His Word. His Spirit.
People need to be taught how to pray
and how to study the Bible. For us to be prepared, we must have that
relationship with God and that only comes through communication with
Him....through prayer and through His Word. LEARN HIS WORD.
MEDITATE ON HIS WORD. PRAY THE WORD. BE FULL OF HIS SPIRIT. KNOW HIS
VOICE. BE PREPARED!
The last example I want to use is
Joseph. You can read his story in Genesis 37-50. He went through many
things in his life from being sold by his brothers to being falsely
accused and placed into prison. But he had a relationship with God
and always held on to the dream that God gave him that showed him his
destiny. He was given gifts from God that always got him out of the
situations that man placed him in. Interpreting dreams was one gift
given to him through God. He had favor from God no matter what.
People could tell the Lord was with him. He held on to that faith He
had in God. He stayed prepared for whatever came against him and
sinned not against God. He acknowledged God in all that had
happened to him. What his brothers meant for evil against him, God
meant for good. (Genesis 50:20)
When trials come upon us, we can get so
overwhelmed and worked up instead of just asking God to “STEADY MY
HEART”. Keep your heart fixed on God. Be steadfast in your walk
with Him and you will always live in His Peace when storms come. As
with Joseph, It can be the same for us. If we begin each day with
God, in the Word and in prayer, He will always give us what we need
to be prepared for what awaits us out there in the world. When we
trust God and and begin to acknowledge Him in every area of our life,
He will continue to direct our path towards the plan He has for our
life (Proverbs 3:5-6). STAY PREPARED through His Presence. His Word. And His
Spirit.
Psalm 108:1 My heart O God is
steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul
Psalm 57:7 My heart is fixed, O God, my
heart is fixed. I will sing and give praise
Psalm 112:7 He shall not be afraid of
evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord.
So you see from these Scriptures, we
must keep our heart fixed, or steadfast, confident, never doubting
and let our prayers and complaints be like David's, turned into
praises. His heart was fixed, it was prepared for every event, being
stayed upon God.
We will have no fear in bad news. Our
hearts can be steadfast, trusting God. If we prepare our heart in
advance, we will never fall.
Stand firm, let nothing move you.
Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord for you know
that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. (1 Corinthians
15:58)
Connie J. Schmoll
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