A World of Trouble
Joseph Herrin (7-26-02)
“In this world you will have trouble, but take courage! I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33
I have an important question to ask you. We often get in the practice of doing things simply because something is natural and all the world is doing the same. Yet as Christians, and as those called to be Overcomers in Christ, we are to not be conformed to the pattern of this world. We are to stand out as lights in a dark world.
The question I would ask you is this, “Have you ever considered how much of your life is spent trying to avoid trouble?”
Yahshua said that we WOULD HAVE TROUBLE. It is understandable that those who do not know Yahshua would spend their lives trying to avoid trouble, but why should the saint of God spend their time and energies trying to avoid that which their Savior said is inevitable?
I admit that I have spent an inordinate amount of my life trying to avoid trouble, yet without success. Yahweh will make sure that His children do not escape the troubles of this world. He wants His children to overcome their troubles, to exercise faith in the midst of them and to rise above them. David knew many troubles, and he had this testimony:
Psalms 54:7
For He has delivered me from all trouble...
If you know the history of David’s life, you know that Yahweh did not keep David from experiencing troubles. David spent many years in peril with threats on every side. Yet David testified that Yahweh never abandoned David in his troubles. Instead, He brought deliverance to David as David set his eyes on Yahweh and called on Him for help. By allowing David to undergo so many perils and so much trouble, Yahweh proved David’s heart and He declared David to be a man after His own heart.
In the church age, the man who most corresponds to David in having experienced one trouble after another is the apostle Paul. Paul echoed the same confidence in God that David declared.
II Corinthians 4:8-10
8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing;
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.
II Timothy 4:18
The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed, and will bring me safely to His heavenly kingdom; to Him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul, in this same letter to Timothy, declared that suffering and trouble were not just a portion assigned to apostles, but such would be the lot of every saint that desired to live a godly life.
II Timothy 3:12
Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Yahshua will be persecuted.
Paul had a much different attitude than most saints today, and even those saints of his own day. He knew that suffering was unavoidable and troubles would come, so he did not seek to avoid them. Instead he looked to Yahweh to rescue him and to bring him safely to His heavenly kingdom. Paul realized that nothing could separate him from the love of God.
II Corinthians 12:9-10
9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
10 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
Are we well content with such things? Do we not rather seek to avoid with great force and unceasing effort all distresses and difficulties, and to avoid situations in which we will be persecuted and receive insults? Do we not seek to approach this world from a point of strength instead of weakness?
Paul declares in this passage that the reason he has become content with these things is that he has realized that the “dunamis” miracle working power of God is only perfected, made complete, and fully exhibited through our own weakness and inability. Only when we are placed in situations and circumstances that are beyond our natural abilities to deliver ourselves can we see the awesome power of God displayed in our circumstances and through our lives. Paul desired for God’s power to be displayed to the whole world, so he was content to be placed in one trouble after another where only Yahweh could deliver him. Then the credit would go to Yahweh alone.
In the past several years our heavenly Father has been leading my family and I through many troubles where we have had to cast ourselves wholly and unreservedly over onto Him in order to be delivered. We have had no means of delivering ourselves. In every case we found Yahweh to be faithful, as He has met us in our moment of need. We have seen the miraculous occur, and it has been evident that only God could receive the glory for our deliverance. Yahweh continues to lead us down paths where our own resources are insufficient to deliver us as we are faced with one trouble after another. We are dependent upon Him for our daily bread, for our clothing, for our shelter, for our health, and for many things that are necessary for life and for a walk of godliness. Without Him we would be sunk. Yet He continues to deliver us.
This week storms have been raging in the circumstances of our lives and we have looked at troubles looming before us that we are incapable of overcoming in our own strength. Yahweh has given me promises and has called me to walk a certain path, and according to human sight it appears impossible for the promises to be realized and for disaster to be avoided, yet we are told “for we walk by faith, not by sight...” (II Corinthians 5:7).
This week I gathered my wife and two children together and I told them that we were facing circumstances and demands that were beyond my natural ability to cope with. I told them that we needed to see Yahweh’s provision and I asked them all to pray that Yahweh would manifest His provision. After we prayed I gave them each a piece of paper and sent them to their rooms with instructions to write down what God would speak to them. I then got alone and prayed that Yahweh would speak to me through my family.
It was only fifteen minutes later when we all gathered back together, and each family member had written down something that the Father had spoken to them, and all of it was encouraging and affirming. I would like to share here what my fourteen year old daughter (Kristin Noel Herrin) wrote down, for it seems to capture the heart of Yahweh concerning the trials and troubles that all those who desire to live godly lives will face. These are the words exactly as she wrote them down:
I have great things in store for your family.
Marvelous things that only I can get the credit for.
My sheep will hear My voice and they will know
that it is I, the Lord thy God.
My provision is on it’s way. My timing is perfect.
You need not fear any trouble, instead, trust Me.
The time has not yet come to reveal all things,
but behold, it is drawing nigh.
You need have no less than great expectations, for
I, the Lord thy God, am in control.
Watch and wait.
You must put behind you all foolish thoughts of
doubt and disbelief, for great is My reward for
those who trust.
Forget not those things which I have done for
you, and expect greater things in the future.
I am a just God, those who put their life in
My hands need never fear.
Await with anticipation the things that are to
come. They are drawing near.
Those things which I have spoken to you will
be fulfilled, for I do not lie.
I have listened to your heart’s cry. I have
not turned a deaf ear.
I am a father who loves to give good gifts to
His children. Trust My timing.
You must learn to listen to My voice, and My
voice alone. Take the path which I have set for
you. Do not turn to the right or to the left.
[end quote]
My heart was encouraged and refreshed by these words. In this world we will have trouble, but the voice of God through a fourteen year old girl speaks loud and clear, “You need not fear any trouble, instead, trust Me.” We will have trouble, but we need not fear the trouble. Trouble is merely an opportunity for Yahweh to show Himself strong. What a depth of revelation and truth are in the words “I am a just God, those who put their life in My hands need never fear.”
Are you in circumstances that are beyond your means to cope? Are you out in the depths that are way over your head? Is trouble pressing in around you as you have done all you know to stay the course and walk the path the Father has set before you? Then know that it is in such times that the mighty, miracle working power of God is perfected, made complete, and revealed in our circumstances and through our lives. Take courage in the words of the Spirit spoken through scripture and echoed through a young girl,
Those things which I have spoken to you will be fulfilled, for I do not lie...
I have listened to your heart’s cry. I have not turned a deaf ear...
Await with anticipation the things that are to come. They are drawing near.
May you be encouraged with these words.
