When the enemy strikes!

Hello, this is truth and love so glad you could be with me tonight good evening to you

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Decide to spend a little bit of time with me time in God's Word glorifying him sharing Jesus Christ Looking at him setting him apart

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This is truth and love and we get truth and love from Ephesians chapter 4 verse 15 But speaking the truth in love we are to grow up in all aspects into him.

Who is the head even Christ? That's our goal. That's our aim to grow up in all aspects into Christ speaking the truth

Truth in love both things going on at one time speaking of prayer

Again, let me know if I can pray for you. All you have to do is type me But we

I want to remember that Today, I know that the the funeral for the police officer happened

The officer of Mount Holly lived in Kings Mountain Kings Mountain area We want to remember that family, of course in prayer and we want to remember

All of our officers and all of our emergency workers in prayer. We want to lift them up to the

Lord We're so thankful for them. God gives a special gift to to those that serve police officers fire rescue

Military, I believe that God gives a special special gift to those folks to give them the courage and and the the desire to do those things that that not everybody has the desire or or Ability to do and so we thank

God for those folks and we want to pray for them We want to pray for that family who lost their loved one and And all officers that that died that that we've lost

I don't know how close you live to an emergency facility but we now live closer to a fire and police department and so we hear

Sirens more often than we than we used to when we lived a greater distance from Police or fire station or department and and every time

I hear the sirens go off It's always a reminder to me to pray for them because you don't you don't know what they are going into Sometimes the the calls for firemen are are are calls that they're required to go out to but it's not necessarily an

Emergency for them. So we we don't ever know but when I hear the siren sirens

It is a reminder for me to to pray for them to remember them to be thankful for them

And so I just wanted to share that with you as we as we started tonight remembering those who serve

Law enforcement fire rescue military all all those guys every one of them we're so thankful for them and and The gift that God has given them.

So Join me in praying for them. Um Let's go ahead and jump in and get started the uh

The topic the the video discussion that I want to have tonight Um is carrying on with the theme of Jesus is

King. So how do we live in that victory if Jesus is King? How do we live in that victory and tonight's topic was?

If Jesus is King, which he is Living in that victory when the enemy is striking

So we want to learn how to do that when the enemy is striking. How do we live in that victory? That Jesus is

King not just our King not just you know a spiritual kingdom, but but Jesus is King He has all authority in heaven and earth.

And so how do we live in that victory in this? specific Particular area when the enemy is striking

And and a lot of it starts with with our thinking from my perspective

Wrong Thinking leads to wrong living and right thinking lives to right living and a lot of our wrong

Thinking comes from many different places Of course if we if we proclaim to be

Christian if we Proclaim to be followers of Christ and then we of course need to to dig into his word to to know who he is who he says he is and How he wants us to live but but our bad thinking which leads to bad leaving living

Comes from so many different places throughout our life We were often nurtured as we grow up as we're raised to think a certain way because of the

Where we live Geographically our culture that we live in the the church that we go to we we often

Are taught certain things. Sometimes we're taught bad theology. Sometimes we're taught things that People believe are from Scripture, but are not necessarily found in Scripture and we're taught to believe that this is how

God is or who God is and this is you know his word and Sometimes and I think it was one of the last videos that we did.

We've looked at some of those Misconceptions where people think this is a

Bible verse but it's really not found in the Bible And so we oftentimes get our our bad thinking from so many different places and that bad thinking leads to bad living

So we want to have right thinking which comes from God's Word so that we can have right living When it comes to the subject tonight the subject matter for tonight when the enemy is striking how to live in the victory that Jesus is king we want to have right thinking we want to get it from Scripture so that we can have right living because Going through those difficult times we want to be prepared and we want to know how to live in those times of Struggling of strife of trials and tribulations

And so we want to prepare ourselves have right thinking so we can live rightly through those times

That we're going through Because they are difficult

Am I right? Again, thank you guys for watching. Let me know that you're watching say hello Share like so that we can reach out to our community with the gospel with the

Word of God Let me know if I can pray for you. I'd love to be able to do that One of the

One of the ways I want to start out, of course recognizing and pointing out that that wrong thinking that leads to wrong living and And that wrong thinking and wrong living is

Living in defeat where we think in defeat and live in defeat and so therefore we our struggle intensifies so much more when we go through those difficult times because We we think in defeat and therefore we live in defeat and we don't want to live like that the struggle and the trials are difficult enough on their own so living and thinking in defeat

Just intensifies those difficult times that we go through When the enemy is striking or if it's something else whatever is going on and so With those things being as difficult as they are.

Anyway, we want to think rightly and live rightly but to identify that that wrong thinking so that we can

Remove it, you know, you've got to identify it so that you can remove it and then replace it with something else

One of those one of those areas of wrong thinking that we have Is Now I'm thinking specifically of our subjects tonight when the enemy strikes

And so when we go through difficult situations in our life or or things aren't things aren't going our way

Throughout the day And this this is just gonna be you know, some silly examples or whatever and you can probably come up with with your own examples, but you know, let's say that You're going to the store and you you don't get the the close parking space that you would like you have to park further away

So you you have to walk, you know Further to get into the store and walk further to get back to your vehicle carrying your groceries or whatever

The The at the restaurant they get your order wrong Your your pet

All of a sudden has fleas where they didn't have fleas before, you know things just roll

Let me look at the comments. I don't have my comments up here. There we go. Hey, Mary. I Noticed somebody had sent me a message and I see it now

Thank you for messaging. It's good to see you So You've got those difficult things that happen in your life those things where life just isn't isn't going right and and a lot of times

We we put the blame where it doesn't belong And we say the enemy's after me the the enemy is striking when you know that That is not the the enemy striking at us

Just making our day because We we think that our our day should go a certain way our day should go our way.

We we deserve You we may not say it. We may not think it but because we

We respond in such a way That we get aggravated when we don't get the right parking place when our order gets messed up or you know things just You know aren't going smoothly at home or wherever or at work

Because we behave that way and get aggravated about it our our thinking where our heart is is that you know

We deserve that we deserve the best, you know, we we deserve to be you know

Everything to just just go great. We should get the best parking place all the time and everything should just go great all the time

And so that comes from a heart a heart attitude of Thinking that we deserve it.

And and so we need to recognize that that bad thinking so we can remove it and replace it

Another area of bad thinking is um And I think

I brought it up just a second ago was that we we we blame no I'm gonna

I'm gonna reverse it because I haven't mentioned it yet. I Things things go wrong in our life and We we go through difficult times and circumstances and what they really are are consequences of things that that we've done and then we will we will blame the enemy for Striking or attacking us when actually in all reality

It is consequences because of decisions that that we made And so we we don't want to blame ourselves.

We want to blame someone else because you know, of course I Deserve better than this even though I you know,

I did mess up I deserve not to go through the consequences and of the

The decisions that I make we believe that way we feel that way about ourselves

Naturally, I mean that just comes naturally to us That we we feel that we don't we shouldn't have to go suffer the consequences of our decisions

So when when we are suffering consequences and and things aren't going right and we're struggling

We don't want to blame ourselves We'll say the enemy is striking and and or something else's is attacking us and coming after us and we just won't blame ourselves but in reality

When when we think we're thinking wrongly when we think that we we don't

We don't deserve, you know, this this trial or suffering that we're going through and and the reality is is that we

Not only do we not Not deserve it and I don't even know if I wrote that correctly because it sounds weird in my head not only do we

Not not deserve it but and if I didn't say that correctly,

I Think you know what? I'm what I'm trying to say, but it's worse than that Not only should we should not have the attitude that that we don't we don't deserve to be going through this trial or this tribulation or why have you it's worse than that as deep into that Romans chapter 3 verse 23 and Most of you are probably familiar with that verse that says

For the wages of sin is is death. So Not only do we

Not not deserve that we deserve worse

Scripture says the wages of sin is death and so How do we respond to that so we

We're replacing it. We're pointing it out. We're pointing out that that bad thinking and And we're pulling it out and we're wanting to replace it.

So We've come to reality with face to face with Scripture with the circumstances that we go through in life where the whether we

You know ultimately caused it and and we can draw a connection between this

This Circumstance is Connected to this behavior, you know that like we can do with a consequence of a certain behavior whether we can make that connection or not what we ultimately deserve is an eternity in hell because we've sinned against an eternally

Holy God and We've we've just faced that reality with Scripture and so We how should we respond to that reality?

Um, I think Romans chapter 9 verses 14 through 21 Gives us a good idea of how we should respond to that reality.

Now. We're in the mindset of What I deserve ultimately isn't is eternal punishment eternal hell because I've sinned against an eternally

Holy God So this is this is a response therefore of a person who now realizes

This is this is who I am. This is what I deserve. Um, this is my relationship between me and the

Creator Romans 9 14 through 21 says what shall we say then there is no injustice with God is there

Far from it for he says to Moses. I will have mercy on whomever

I have mercy I will show compassion to whom whomever

I show compassion You see how our thinking is changing with the reading of God's Word We are no longer the center of Attention we are we are no longer the the center of our being we are removing self from from having control

Or thinking we need control over everything and and we are correctly putting in place

The the Creator the God of the universe in his rightful place in in our mind

And we're letting scripture tell us who he says he is He will have mercy and show compassion on whomever

He wills verse 16. So then it does not depend on the person who wants it nor the one who runs

But on God who has mercy verse 17 for the scripture says for scripture says to Pharaoh for the scripture says to Pharaoh for this reason

I raised you up in order to demonstrate my Power in you and that my name might be proclaimed throughout the earth 18 so then he has mercy on whom he desires and he hardens whom he desires

You will say to me then why does he still find fault? for who has

Resisted his will on the contrary Who are you you foolish foolish person who answers back to God the thing molded?

Will not say to the molder Why did you make me like this? Will it or does the potter not have the right over the clay to make from the same lump one object for honorable?

Use and another object for common use God is our Creator and it's his decision on How he wants to use his creation and and how he wants to distribute his compassion and his mercy

God therefore in it is put in the right place in our mind and in our thinking and We realize that that he is the

Creator he is the decider. It's it's his will and And and what he wants to do and how he decides to do it

And so we we as in response to what we've learned about ourselves what we deserve

And and who God is You know, we realize, you know, we are the ones that have been molded by the motor

We are the clay and he is he is the potter and and we Do not say to him, you know, why did you make me this way?

How does he say it the thing molded when I say to the motor, why did you make me like this?

The potter has right over the clay. So that's that's the position that we in that is our relationship with our

Creator and Once we begin to think that way

We are moving in the right direction Of thinking rightly so that we can live rightly through those those trials and circumstances, so We've got through that The next question we want to answer is, you know, is it is it us?

Is it a consequence of something that that we've done, you know instead of Blame shifting and saying this is the enemy the enemies attacking the enemy striking the enemies just coming after us and he won't leave me alone, he's just got a hold of me and Instead of looking at ourselves and how we could have been had caused this

Issue or problem and it'd be a consequence of our lives. I'm gonna look at first Peter chapter 4

Verses 12 through 19 and it says beloved do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you

Which comes upon you for your testing as though something strange were happening to you

He says don't be shocked. Don't be surprised but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ keep on rejoicing and I would like for us to keep a mental note of every time one of the scripture writers gives us a

Command or an admonition to to do a certain thing One of those things here is keep on rejoicing

So we want to keep a mental note of that or we want to write it down or underline it in our Bible Because there's there's going to be several things as we continue to look at scripture that that God is going to Encourage us to do teach us how to live through these these trials and circumstances

So he says keep on rejoicing so that at the revelation of his glory

You may also rejoice and be overjoyed If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you

This is And we could use that scripture to talk about our subject tonight

But what I wanted to pull from 1st Peter chapter 4 tonight was was the following it says make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer or a thief or evildoer or Troublesome meddler, but if anyone suffers as a

Christian, he is not to be ashamed but is to glorify God in this name for it is time for judgment to begin with a household of God and If it begins with us first what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God and If it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved what will become of a godless man and the sinner therefore those

Also who suffer according to the will of God are to entrust their souls to a faithful creator in doing what is right and there's another one doing what is right entrusting our souls to a faithful creator and The result is doing what's right, but the focus here in this particular instance is

We want to make sure that we are not blame shifting but we are We are looking at ourselves first You know, are we the cause of this circumstance?

Is this a consequence of my action and no we might not fall under, you know, one of these categories but this is just a list of a short list

That could be lengthened tremendously You know Are you a gossip it could be added, you know gossip is going to cause

Tons of consequences and trouble in your life There's going to be consequences for gossip backbiting there's going to be consequences for All sorts of sin in your life that we cannot blame the enemy.

We cannot blame Satan he says make sure you that none of you suffer as One of these things and you can just insert, you know any sin in your life and let's make sure that we're not blame shifting but we are

Being introspective. We're looking at ourselves so we can repent Remove it and think rightly and live rightly so I Think that we've

Realized that not all trials and circumstances not all bad things that happen to us who we can blame or is the result of the enemy striking

I Think a lot of times we want to lump everything in Bad that happens to us every trial every circle bad circumstance that we go through tribulation

We want to lump it all together and and say that the enemy's attacking. He just won't let me go he's you know, he's after me he's attacking and I'm just tired of you know, the enemy coming after me all the time

But we don't want to I think we realized and saw that it's not a hey

Roger. Hope you're doing good tonight I think we've seen that We can't always blame the enemy

But but when is it the enemy? When is it the enemy that's attacking? Well?

What I did was I looked at Ephesians chapter 6 and Most of you some of you may be familiar with the

Ephesians chapter 6 the the second half Starting in verse 10. We're it's the famous section speaking of the armor of God And without reading at all

The Paul tells us in Ephesians what what the armor of God is and and what that particular piece of armor and a military gear what it represents and I think we can look at those things and See how we can tell if there is if there is suffering in our life

We can identify And I think it will help us to identify that if it's the enemy

Striking by looking at the the opposite of what the enemy is.

I hope that makes sense So let's look at the first one The the first part of the armor

Well any just a reminder Looking at those things Go back and read

Ephesians chapter 6 verses 10 through 10 through 18 just to save time

I don't want to read it all but just like in the other verses that we read where it says rejoice

Entrust entrust your heart to the Lord and do what's right Here in Ephesians three times he says to stand firm stand firm stand firm another thing that that that we are to do and And just a reminder to in verse 12

There are times that these trials and circumstances that we go through Are coming from the enemy

Paul tells us that our for our struggle is not against flesh and blood. So we want to recognize who our enemy is not it's our fellow man

Ultimately, they are they are not our enemy But against rulers against powers against the world forces of this darkness against spiritual forces of weaknesses in the heavenly places

So we're in a spiritual war. We're in spiritual battle. And and so we we need to take up spiritual armor

To fight this spiritual battle spiritual war and and the enemy when he does strike he's going to strike

Spiritually, and so by looking at these things, I think we can kind of identify

When it is the enemy striking so the first one is

Verse 14 stand firm therefore having girded your loins with truth So, you know

God's Word is truth it says that of itself and we know that to be true from experience from study

We know God's Word is truth. And so therefore and I'm going to try to go quickly with these things so if there's anything that is

Within this trial within this circumstance this struggle this striving where there is

Truth is being attacked when we can we can think or we can

Lean towards thinking that This is coming from the enemy because this is a this is spiritual warfare.

This is spiritual battle rulers forces in the heavenly places and So when when truth is being attacked when you're standing firm and you're standing firm on truth

The truth of God's Word not your own truth, not my truth, but the truth of God's Word and truth is being attacked

We can possibly look towards the enemy striking us. The second one and having put on the breastplate of Righteousness and I heard someone once Explained that righteousness is is right living.

So we have truth which comes from God's Word and then we have Righteousness, which is right living.

So if you have Something that is coming striving after you struggling causing you to struggle and in the realm of Not behaving rightly according to truth then we can look at the enemy as a possible source

I hope that's making sense how we can identify When the enemy is striking if something is coming against the truth of God's Word coming against you for standing on the truth of God's Word and then you are applying that to your life, which is righteousness right living and And and something is coming after you to tear you down for for living right?

Then we can look at the enemy Verse 15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace and ultimately

What is the gospel of peace? We know that we know that the gospel is is itself Jesus Christ and then who he is and what he did on the cross and the result of that is reconciliation between us and God for God's glory, but also the the effects of that gospel is

Reconciliation between man and So the if we shot our feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace

We are we are always prepared to be applying the gospel so if we are if we are working towards reconciliation and and part of that is forgiveness and restoration and and we're working towards that goal if that's our heart and that's what we're working towards and you have something intervening in your life that is that is causing

Unforgiveness or to to block restoration to to block

Reconciliation, you know to block all those things to tear all these things down then we can look towards the enemy because the enemy maybe is

Is Hindering the gospel effects there in your life and also

Sharing the gospel in itself and and Preventing you if if you're being attacked and Struggling and striving because In your efforts to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to win souls as well

Then we can look at the enemy. I mean the enemy is going to be attacking the things that glorify

God truth Righteousness right living the gospel of reconciliation between man and God and and each other

That's that's where the enemy is going to be striking not when we don't have when not when we don't get the the

Parking place that we think we deserve or or when the waitress messes up our order

The enemy is going to be attacking here in these places the next one is verse 16 in addition to all

Taking up the the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming missiles of the evil one and and the faith is our trust in the

Lord Jesus Christ Setting Christ setting apart Christ as Lord We're gonna read that verse a little bit later in your hearts

He is Lord and we put our trust in him and that trust is

A shield that protects us against the enemy And so whenever we have something striking against us to tear down our trust in the

Lord Jesus Christ We can look to the enemy in that spiritual warfare in that spiritual battle

The Next the next one is Verse 17 and take the helmet of salvation

To me you know the helmet is a protection for your head and and this is where your brain is your mind and your thinking is so How does that relate to salvation in my opinion and and there's probably

You can probably go a whole lot deeper into into these thoughts than than what I'm going into But in in my association and making these connections our mind is where we have our our doubts

And so we don't want to we won't we don't want to doubt God. We don't want to doubt his work

In our lives that doubt our salvation doubt what doubt what he is doing in our lives and what he has done in our lives so we put on that helmet of salvation to to protect our thinking and And so that we we don't get discouraged in our thinking so if we have something attacking our

Our thinking to cause us to doubt To cause us to think wrongly about God and about Jesus Then we can

Possibly look to the enemy as the one striking Because that is that would be a part of the spiritual battle and then the last one and the sword of the spirit the sword of the spirit which is of course the

Word of God and then you know that one's a no -brainer if If something is coming after the

Word of God Then we can look at possibly the enemy striking

So I think looking at Ephesians chapter chapter 6 verses 10 through through 18 We it helps us to identify

The enemy and the enemy strategy and where the enemy works When we look at the truth and we look at God and we look at how he works and I just want to point out

That we're making a list in our mind or we're making a list in our notes in our in our paper on our paper

Of some of the commands that we read as we go through these verses We've seen that that we've been encouraged to entrust entrust our souls to the our faithful Creator in Doing what is right?

rejoice entrust stand firm here in Ephesians chapter 6 and Then verse 18 with all prayer and petition pray at all times with all prayer and petition pray at all times in The spirit and with this in view be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the

Saints so entrust rejoice stand firm and pray and Pray all the time and pray for the

Saints. So our list is growing What do we do when the enemy is striking what do we do through any trial?

tribulation or difficult circumstance Rejoice entrust stand firm and pray.

So we're working on our list So sometimes it's us

Sometimes it is the enemy striking But we want to be clear and we want to make sure that we are not lumping everything up together and Giving all the credit to Satan or the devil or the enemy

Sometimes it's us Sometimes it's him, but ultimately Ultimately God is sovereign

God is in control of everything and those things that happen are Things every he allows everything to happen and things will happen according to his will

Some of the things that we go through are are not just things that he Allows where the enemy attacks or Consequences for our actions, but some things come into our life where we we struggle we strive

We go through trials because Hebrews chapter 12 verse 6 says the Lord Disciplines who he loves

So a lot of these trials and I was I would say all these trials difficulties circumstances that we go through We could view them as opportunities

For us to be discipled for us to grow Because the Lord loves us and he's not going to leave us alone

Now that we made it to this point. I And look look at an article that I found

And I thought he had some really good thoughts on this subject

And I wanted to share it with you. I'm going to share with you these thoughts from this article The title of the article is ten reasons

God entrusts us with trials and it's by Kyle Farron and you can google it you can look it up on the internet, but just want to give him credit

For this article and this is going to come from come from, you know, his article

I think maybe I Added just a little bit of my own thoughts in here, but not much it comes from his article

And I thought it was very insightful and it goes along with our subject matter tonight ten reasons

God entrusts us with trials So it helps us to understand that it's that the things that we go through are not pointless

They're not Worthless there they have they have meaning they have purpose and so You know

It's not a time to abandon all hope because what we go through God knows

God allows and God will use For his glory and our good.

So let's look at the ten things that that Kyle Farron points out in his article Number one trials are part of God's work

And like I just said God is in control of the trials

Romans 828 It says and we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love

God to those who are called according to his purpose so we know that that God is sovereign

God is in control and He's gonna cause all things to work together for his glory and and our good and we can we can rest in that One thing that that we can be sure of that that will not happen in In any circumstance any trial no matter how deep and difficult it is

We can be sure that God is not going to backtrack and go back on his promises And here's one of them

God is in control and he is going to cause all things to work together For good to those who are called according to his purpose got to remember that part

We want to be in him number two trials point or trials put

God's power on display and Isn't isn't that what we want to do?

It shouldn't that be our desire as well? We want to be instruments so that we're putting God's power on display

He is getting the glory and not us and and so we want to be those those that are molded

We want to be those clay pots that God uses for his glory where he demonstrates

His power and trials allows that to happen in our lives

You remember remember the scripture says let him that boasts boast in the Lord So when when things work out when when we come out on the other side or or when we have strength

And we're able to make it through those difficult times we can boast in the

Lord because We don't have the power. We don't have the strength to make it through these things in and of ourselves not even

We have zero Ability to do that according to scripture It's all

God's strength. It's all God's power and So we can boast in him

I listen to Judges chapter 7 verse 2 and the Lord said to Gideon the people

Who are with you are too many for me to hand? Midian over to them.

Otherwise Israel would become boastful saying my own power has saved me, but it's not and That's not gonna happen

Nobody is going to rob or steal God's glory and we want to be ones that that put his power and glory on display number three trials

Prepare us for service Listen to Luke chapter 16 verse 10 it says the one who is faithful in very in a very little thing is also faithful in much and the one who is unrighteous in a very little in a very little thing is also unrighteous in much and we want to be we want to be those people who are faithful in little things and So we can be entrusted and be faithful in When we're given much in the

Romans 5 3 through 5 says and not only this but we also Celebrate and there's another one for our list celebrate in our tribulations

Sometimes you have to sometimes I have to pause Because the

Lord asked us to do things in his word That if you've been through any trial any circumstance any difficulty

You know, this is an impossible request being made of us rejoice entrust our souls to the

Creator and Do what's right? Pray without ceasing and Celebrate How in the world am

I supposed to do that in my own strength? I'm so incapable of doing that to celebrate

It's unfathomable to imagine Being able to celebrate

There's some of the things that I've been through and some of the things that I'm going through But the

Lord tells us to celebrate and so we must rely on His strength.

We also celebrate in our tribulations knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance and Perseverance proven character and proven character hope and hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been

Poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has given to us

So trials prepare us for service Prepares us for service and it also prepares us for something else

When we go through these trials and and in it and it proves our character it causes us to persevere

It anchors us in hope and it does all these other wonderful things

Scripture teaches us that Christ is going to present his bride

To the Father and he's not going to present a bride with spots and blemishes

So he is preparing us as a Presentation to the

Father of his glorious work and What an amazing display of his glory that we get to be a part of number four trials sanctify me

Listen to James chapter 1 verses 2 through 4 Here's another one for your list.

I hope you're making this list with me. He says James says consider it all

Joy My brothers and sisters when you encounter various trials knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance and Let endurance have its perfect result so that you may be perfect and complete

Lacking nothing. So there's there's the goal. We're complete lacking nothing and that trial is is working that in our lives and And what is it doing?

How does it help sanctify us? So these these trials Help reveal what's inside of us

So when we're going through a trial We need to look at how we respond to that trial and that response will tell us, you know, what's in our heart and What needs to stay or what needs to be removed what our attitude is how we respond?

And so the trial reveals what's inside of us and we can repent and we can

Move forward in in these verses like James chapter 1 2 through 4 number 5 trial makes

Makes me depend on God um What a trial does it breaks that dependence on self so often and You're fortunate if you've if you've never been through a trial like this

But so very often trials ultimately bring us to the point where we realize

There's nothing left for me to do There's nothing

I can do I am helpless my hands are tied

Yeah, and then you're at the point of abandoning all hope giving up or Releasing your dependence on yourself and let the trial

Deepen your dependence on God It makes you aware and it makes you grow in your dependence on God number 5 listen to 1st

Corinthians chapter 1 verses 28 through 29 and the and the insignificant things of the world and the despised

God has chosen These things that are not so that he may nullify the things that are

So that no human may boast before God so that just as it is written

Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord And we're just you know, we mentioned that verse before but we're reminded that that verse again

Let him who boasts boast in the Lord because we've released that dependence on self

You know what what from the beginning Put our confidence in ourselves

Yes, there are things that God requires of us and wants us to do amidst the trial

But trying to solve it trying to handle it ourselves in our own wisdom in our own ways that's what

God wants us to release our dependence on ourselves and Depend on him so that the boasting that happens is a boasting in him number six trials

Show others that God is dependable. This was pretty interesting having peace

When everything is comfortable is normal. So when everything's going smooth when everything's fine

You know, nothing's out of the ordinary Everything's you know, go quote going our way

Having peace having contentment That's normal having peace in the midst of trials

That's what's not normal for the world for our culture for those

Looking in so we need to make that distinction for those looking in out who are outside of Christ Having peace amidst trials is not normal Number six as trial shows that shows others that God is dependable.

So when we are when we are complaining instead of Instead of finding our peace

You know releasing our dependence on self depending on God finding our peace in God through our trials

If we're not doing that but instead complaining and having a bad attitude and And showing that attitude that takes away the opportunity that God Would would have given us to speak of his greatness

When we are when we are displaying peace through the midst of the trial

Boasting in the Lord we can speak of his greatness But when we complain when we when we're bitter when we're angry

We're taking away that opportunity To speak of his greatness to speak of the gospel

Because no one's going to believe our words When they see our actions if we were to if we were to display a lack of trust a lack of peace in God No matter what we said

It would not match up With how we were living Listen to 1st

Peter chapter 3 verses 14 and 15 It says but even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness

You are blessed and do not fear. There's another one that we can add to our list

Do not fear Intimidation and do not be in dread but sanctify

Christ set him apart set apart Christ as Lord now and we've got to get this straight here

Christ is Lord whether we sanctify him or set him apart or not.

He is Lord, but we want to We want to set him apart

We want to worship him and submit to him in our hearts as Lord Always Being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you

But with gentleness and respect So When when we suffer for the sake of righteousness when we go through these trials and tribulations and we have this peace

That that God has given us when we've released dependence on self and we depend on God To carry us through these circumstances knowing that he's going to work all things for our good and his glory

We're trusting in him and we have this peace That's abnormal to the world and they see that and we and it gives us an opportunity just to speak of God's greatness and It gives us an opportunity when we're asked

About the hope that's within us We're ready and able to give a defense of That peace of that that hope and then that joy that we have in Christ If that's making sense

If you're just joining us I'd encourage you to go back and try to get the rest of the information

That I pray and hope that it's good and encouraging and helpful to you. I know that it's being in God's Word and learning these things is helping me

To learn to think right and and so that I can live it out and live right number seven

Just a just a reminder. I'm going going over an article That was very

Encouraging. I thought it was insightful ten reasons God entrust us with trials by Kyle Farrin You can google it.

You can find it on the internet. It's very insightful and helpful on this subject Watching the replay.

Thank you Thank you, Tammy. I hope it would be encouraging to you

I know these things get long and I'm not going to stop until I get finished and so it's gonna be a long one

But this is really important information And I hope it's encouraging to you.

Number seven Trials show us and others that God is infinitely valuable.

I hope you can follow along with me in these next few notes Number seven says trials show us and others that God is infinitely valuable

Others are watching. So we're still on that theme of others watching Therefore I want to respond in joy

So they see the goodness and worthiness and trustworthiness and value of God They can't see those things when we're complaining when we're angry when we're have a bad attitude

But they can see how good how worthy how valuable God is and how trustworthy is when we

Get our strength and Let the joy of the

Lord fill us when they see that And this is this next point is important to trials teach me

That Jesus is better than anything Learning this allows me to respond in joy.

So how can I respond in joy? That that's another one of those things

That we can add to our list and everything on this list that we're making these requests that God Thank you

Mary and thank you Tammy. Thank you for watching. Um, thank you for sticking with me

Um These things that God wants us to do to celebrate To to entrust ourselves to him

You we want to hang on to that to that control so bad to entrust ourselves to rejoice and to have joy these things

To to our human minds are so impossible and I know most of you have been through through those trials

They that are so difficult that and I've heard this comment so often here lately

Going through the year 2020 with with kovat and with the hopelessness that people have and the comment has been made

I don't know how people make it without Jesus and That's the whole point here

We can't That's why there's so much hopelessness That's why there's so much depression

Because we cannot make it without Jesus and so How do we have joy?

How do we celebrate? How do we rejoice? How do we do all these things?

So that other people can see it in us trials teach me That Jesus is better So it works hand in hand

The trials teach us how to have joy so that we can have joy in the trials

The trials teach me that and this is the the whole key here trials teach me that Jesus is better than Anything you remember

Job even when we lose everything

Jesus is better than anything. We don't want to lose everything. I Don't want to lose everything

But I must be settled in my heart With the reality that Jesus is better than anything and his ways and his decision his sovereign will his what he chooses to do is better Than anything

So when I can have trust in that therefore I can then have joy and then the

World outside looking in can see that joy in me and therefore boast in the

Lord Psalm 73 25 to 26 whom do I have in heaven but you and with you

I desire nothing on earth Shouldn't that be our attitude Who do I have in heaven but you and there's nothing on earth that I desire

My flesh and my heart may fail But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever

Luke 6 23 says rejoice on that day and jump for joy

When when you're going through a trial These things make no sense other than in Christ other than the reality and the

Acknowledgement that Jesus is better than anything Luke said Luke chapter 6 says rejoice on that day and jump for joy

For behold your reward is great in heaven for their fathers used to treat the prophets the same way number eight

Trials are an opportunity for reward and we just saw that first Peter 1 6 through 7 says in this you greatly rejoice

Even though now for a little while if necessary you have been distressed by various trials

So that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold which perishes though tested by fire

May be found to result in praise glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ So Trials are an opportunity for Reward.

Oh my I think

I'm missing something. I'm missing a few verses Let me look here. There's number nine

All right. I got too many papers here. All right great is your reward in heaven we read that verse and So that's where we store up our treasure and and the and the trials and the things that we go through You know

It's for God's glory and you know Not only is Christ going to present his bride that spotless and blameless to the

Lord And that that's a purpose in the trials is you know creep making us into into that bride

But also, you know We read in scripture that the crown that that is offered to us for for the good work that we did will then be offered back

To the Lord because it was only him who did it in us number nine trials may be spiritual warfare and and we've already talked about that a lot so I'm not gonna go deep in Detail about that just gonna read you these verses 2nd

Corinthians 2 11 says so that no advantage will be taken of us by Satan for we are not ignorant of his schemes and then first John 4

Verse 4 says you are from God little children and have overcome them

Because greater is he who is in you than he that is in the world.

Amen to that Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world now number 10 last one trials may be for our discipline and God disciplines those whom he loves

Hebrews 12 5 through 6 says and you have forgotten the

Exhortation which is addressed to you as sons My son do not regard lightly the discipline of the

Lord nor faint when you are punished by him for whom the Lord Loves he disciplines and he punishes every son whom he accepts in Psalm 139

Verse Verses 23 and 24 search me Oh God and know my heart put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts and see if there is any hurtful way in me and Lead me in the everlasting way trials could be for our

Discipline and I would say ultimately all trials are used in that way

Because all trials are our growing us where we are relinquishing ourselves we are getting rid of ourselves our selfishness our pride, you know every sinful way about us and Then we are being led we are

Continuing on that path the way the everlasting way. He says the psalmist says

So Those are the ten things the ten reasons why God Entrust us with trials and here's the last quote that I want to give you

It says God entrust us with trials because he is using us for his glory and if we are in Christ if you're a brother if you're my brother and sister in Christ and God has

Caused you to be born again if he has saved you You have you have that heart in you as well that you want nothing more than God's glory and Because I know we have the same

Holy Spirit living within us We may have differences in some of our beliefs and theology and interpretations of Scripture But there is one thing true within each of us who have the

Holy Spirit and that it is we want God to receive the glory and So, how do we behave

How do we behave through these trials? tribulations and circumstances Whether it may be the enemy attacking or not

And if you if you didn't catch the first part the first part of it, I went through Ephesians chapter 6 to help us

Identify when when it could possibly be the enemy attacking But no matter what the trial is

How do we respond to it? Well, if you're following along and making your list with me

There are things that God has requested commanded

Exhorted us to do in his Word rejoice

Entrust our souls Do what's right? pray pray without ceasing

Celebrate Leap with joy Rejoice and and all of those things are

Repeated multiple times that they're not just found in in those those few verses that we read tonight and sometimes in even certain passages

Like in Ephesians chapter 6 he repeats the phrase stand firm three times in those few verses

But it it's found Anywhere that you can that you read on trials and tribulations

Suffering you will see these things repeated over and over again. This is what he wants from us to rejoice to entrust ourselves to Celebrate to look to him and to pray

You'll see that repeated over and over and over again pray pray pray pray

Let me read James chapter 1 verse 2 I'm gonna

I'm gonna leave with this James chapter 1 verses 2 through 4

James tells us Consider it all joy My brethren when you encounter various trials

Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance and let endurance have its perfect result

That you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing But if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who gives to all men generously without reproach

And it will be given to him But let him ask in faith without doubting for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven tossed by the wind

There are so many other verses in James James chapter 4 Verses there we go

James 4 4 through 7 But verse 5 or do you think the scripture speaks to no purpose he jealously

Jealously desires the spirit which he has made to dwell in us, but he gives greater grace

Therefore it says God is opposed to the proud but gives grace to the humble verse 7 submit therefore to God Resist the devil and he will flee from you

Ephesians chapter 6. How do you flee from the devil? How do you resist the devil?

Ephesians chapter 6 and also James chapter 4. How do you flee?

How do you resist verse 7 says? Submit and what is what is submission of?

Obedience Obeying him and That is being humble

God explains Exactly how we're supposed to live how he wants us to live.

He gives grace to the humble How are you humble you submit to the Lord and you obey him and that's how you resist the devil

Verse 10 and I'll leave with this one. I promise humble yourselves in The presence of the

Lord and He will exalt you Leave the exalting up to the

Lord release it let it go and and leave it in God's hands and And he will work it out for his good or for his glory in our good

Thank you guys for watching. Thank you for sticking with me Let's see no one requested prayer tonight

But I thank everybody for watching and commenting we do want to pray for our all those who serve like I said at the beginning the law enforcement and All all people who serve the community law enforcement fire rescue military we want to remember the family of the officer that And the officers that that died here recently the one in line of duty that they had the funeral for today

We want to remember his family and and all of those who serve So if you're still with me, let's let's close in prayer and remember those folks and if you watch the video later

All you have to do is type me. I'll see the notification And I'll pray for you.

Then when I see it father We thank you for giving us this opportunity to spend time on your word to spend time together to learn from you how to deal and handle

These circumstances in life you have not left us alone and not only have you not left us alone

You you have given us the comforter who who is living within us who is

Working these things through us and you promise that you will never leave us nor forsake us and you

You will never backtrack on your promises because you are faithful. You are holy.

You are good You are merciful and you are compassionate and so we praise you and we worship you we thank you and we thank you for your son,

Jesus, Jesus, we Honor you and glorify you and you are Lord you are

You've been given all authority in heaven and on earth And so we we submit to your reign.

We thank you for the victory that you won The victory that you have and so help us we ask

To live in that victory through our trials and circumstances so that we can

Boast in you we can give you all the glory and honor we can celebrate your greatness and we can tell other people about your greatness and how good you are and We just rejoice in you tonight and look forward to To The good that you are going to work through and work in all of these circumstances father help us to trust and stand firm in Jesus name.

Amen. All right. Thank you guys for watching remember that Jesus is King go live in that victory and let's continue to go out there together and Share the gospel.

I hope to see you soon. Oh I just saw that Tammy We want to pray for pastor

Jeff and and April Pastor Jeff that joins me sometimes and hopefully we will be getting back together to do some more videos.

They they are suffering the illness So we want to pray for their family.

Let's do that do that right now Father we pray for brother pastor Jeff and his wife

April and their family their boys We lift them up to you. We ask that you would protect them give them strength

Give them quick recovery and and help them and father

Let them know that that we're here we we don't always know how to help but father Encourage them that that you know, their brothers and sisters are here if they need anything and We we know that You have them in your hands and father.

We we thank you for them and for their ministry and for their service and father we We asked for you to help them tonight in Jesus name.

Amen. Thank you for that reminder Tammy I really appreciate that and we do want them to recover and get well soon, but Thank you for watching

You may not have time to watch all of the video at one time, but I believe that This information was very helpful helpful to me.

I hope it will encourage you so maybe you can come watch it in pieces But if it's encouraging to you