Tag Archives: Manifestation of the Power of God

Power of God to endure sufferings – Contending for our Faith

16 Monday Dec 2013

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Jude 1:3-4 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord Godand our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some of the sufferings of Job reflect the shadow of the new covenant suffering. He contended with his friends who are also his adversaries in a sense of accusation. They accused Job that he is a sinner, and his sufferings are because of his unrighteousness and sin. They also accused that he is pride and unrepentant. The real suffering of Job is to stand fast in the righteousness of God. Because of his continual fight against his adversaries, he became weak and this weakness made him to lament before God for his justice. Today, the accuser of the brethren who is the devil and his servants accuses the saints of the new covenant like how the friends of Job did to him. Like Job, we also have to contend against these evil workers of darkness who comes against our salvation or faith in Christ. This is our true suffering for sake of the gospel and Christ. What are those sufferings? These accusers of the salvation will try to nullify the grace of God, remove the inheritance that we have in Christ Jesus, defile our flesh, bring unbelief in our walk with our Lord and destroy the unity that we have through Holy Spirit in the Body of Christ. When we contend against these dark forces, there will be a strong opposition and when we stand steadfastly against this, then tribulation and sufferings will come in our life for the sake of our salvation. Our salvation makes us to be a light of the world; which means we have to be a light burning and bring brightness to those who are in darkness. Sometimes these sufferings for our faith will go beyond the spiritual realm and move to our physical lifestyle oppression (testimony), sickness or weakness and pain in flesh. The Promise of God when we are suffering for our salvation is that He is with us. He is Immanuel and our Lord said, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” This is the power of God that is in us to endure the sufferings for God and for His kingdom. Are we ready to suffer for our faith?

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Power of God to endure sufferings – For the sake of purity & faithfulness

15 Sunday Dec 2013

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Gen 40: 14-15 “But remember me when it is well with you, and please show kindness to me; make mention of me to Pharaoh, and get me out of this house. 15 For indeed I was stolen away from the land of the Hebrews; and also I have done nothing here that they should put me into the dungeon.”

When we look at the life of Joseph, he was sold as a slave and suffered in the dungeon to safe guard his purity before the Lord. He mainly suffered for two things, one for a life of holiness before God, and the other is to proclaim God’s plan and purpose that was revealed to him. Many today avoided temptation in their youth life to be righteous before God and ended up in a dungeon kind of marriage. Satan can ask them now, what happens to your purity, you are now in a mess. If you would have married or enjoyed with the other person in your youth, you would not be in this position. Like this many are harassed by the devil today with these questions. These questions are directed towards us to spoil our purity before God and the faith we have in our Lord Jesus Christ. If anyone among you in this situation where marriage became a dungeon and that is because you want to live a life that is right before God and men, remember Joseph. When Joseph suffered Jacob might have mourned for his child. But your loving Father God says this to you from Isa 57:16 “For I will not contend forever, Nor will I always be angry; For the spirit would fail before Me, And the souls which I have made.” Your suffering will pass like a dark cloud that brought forth the storms, though it may seem dark to you now, there is always a daylight after the dark clouds. When God has designed such a way to nourish the land in nature, He will definitely do the same in your life to nourish you and bless you when you patiently endure this suffering. Be submissive in your situation right now and in due time like how He got Joseph out of the dungeon and lifted up his name to a great extent, He will pour abundant blessing on you.  A life of peace and joy in the Lord awaits you. So be cheerful and endure the suffering by the power of God until God changes this situation in your life.  Isa 58:11 The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

 

Power of God to endure sufferings – Burdening for others – Part 4

14 Saturday Dec 2013

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Do not be overburdened

Acts 6:2-4 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.  3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

When Abraham and Lot were staying in one place the land was unable to sustain their weight of their possessions.  They have to separate in order to avoid strife between their servants (Gen 13:5-7). If we look at the life of Moses, he was single handedly bearing all the burdens of the people.  When he was doing so, both he and the people got tiered because of heavy burden upon Moses. His father in law told him to appoint several leaders who will bear the burden of the people along with him. The Apostles selected seven disciples among them and made them to look after the responsibility of everyday task in order for them to concentrate on their own calling. Throughout the scriptures, we can see God gave His children the wisdom to distribute the burden, so that they can continue their walk with the Lord, not bogged down by excessive weight on their shoulders. Same way in our life today, if we feel overwhelmed by others weight on our shoulder both spiritually and physically, then we need to seek God’s wisdom to distribute the responsibility and at the same time regaining our own strength in our walk. The burden of others should not overwhelm us; if it is, then we should seek God’s guidance to shed or distribute the unnecessary burdens. In this way, we will not be overburdened in our race and at the same time we also let others to grow unto maturity. Let your suffering be according to the will of God which fulfills God’s righteousness and not your own peer pressure.

Power of God to endure sufferings – Burdening for others – Part 3

13 Friday Dec 2013

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Hindering Spiritual Growth

Gal 6:2-5 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.  3 For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.

Mat 11:28-30  Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

IF a mother carries an infant then it is good for the infant because the baby can not walk. But if she carries her toddler like the same and not allowing him to walk, then she will hinder the growth of the child. This is a natural wisdom that God has given to many of His creation where there are young ones to be raised. Likewise, in the spiritual walk, we should not carry others in our shoulders when they are supposed to walk on their own. Sometimes, we, out of excessive love and affection, tend to carry some of our friends or relatives burdens on ourselves. What will happen if we do carry them is, they will be lame or lack understanding to a particular situation and it will hinder in their spiritual growth. We have to seek the counsel of God and to evaluate our motives behind this carrying of others burden on ourselves. IF we do not obey the Holy Spirit, then they will have some serious obstacles in their spiritual life and we will suffer some headway in our walk with God.  This is very delicate and emotional situation, which will have different consequence in relationship and their understanding of our testimony. If we take their burdens or leave their burdens for them to learn, either way we have to endure that suffering for the glory of God and for His righteousness. It is the power of God that will help us in taking the burden or to leave the burden. Holy Spirit Who works in us will give us the strength to withstand the consequences and give us peace. Let us pray for this understanding and the courage to lay it down if needed, for His Kingdom.

Power of God to endure sufferings – Burdening for others – Part 2

08 Sunday Dec 2013

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Disobedience

I Sam 15:10-11 Now the word of the Lord came to Samuel, saying, 11 “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the Lord all night.

I Sam 16: 1 Now the Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go; I am sending you to Jesse the Bethlehemite. For I have provided Myself a king among his sons.”

I John 5:16-17 If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. 17 All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death.

When Samuel heard about the disobedience of Saul, he grieved for him the whole night. He cried out to the LORD for the whole night. Later, LORD said to him to stop mourning and do His will to anoint a king from the sons of Jesse. Here we see that Samuel was burdening for Saul even though he was disobedient. But one point, God stopped him and asked him to do His will. Burdening for one another in prayer is a powerful bond of unity and a potent weapon against the enemy’s stronghold. When there is a disobedience or sin in another brother or sister as Paul said in Gal 6:1, we have to warn them with spirit of gentleness because we also will come under the same temptations. Even though they sinned against God, we can forgive and warn them and carry them in our prayer according to God’s will and give support to steady them and bring them out of their situation and trap. If we look at I John 5:16, John warns us not pray for those sins which is leading to death. In these conditions we should seek the help of our God the Holy Spirit, Who will give us the discernment to pray accordingly or support the brother or sister about their unrighteousness. When God does not want us to take that burden then we should not take it because of our self righteousness. That will weigh us down on our spiritual life. As Apostle Peter said, we have to be vigilant and sober minded not to be arrogant as saying to others that you have sinned, but in gentleness we take the burden and in God’s wisdom we should be ready to leave the burden to fulfill God’s righteousness in others life. 

Power of God to endure sufferings – Burdening for others – Part 1

07 Saturday Dec 2013

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Gal 6:1-2 “Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

2 Cor 8: 13-14 “For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened; 14 but by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may supply their lack, that their abundance also may supply your lack—that there may be equality.” 

Heb 12:1 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…”

There was a group of people who went for an adventure trip in the deep forest of Amazon. The leader of the camp selectively chose the place of rest and also he planned their time of rest and adventure. One day when they were supposed to rest, a man wanted to explore on his own. He went away from the camp and returned back on time when the resting time was over. So he again joined them to explore more with the group now. But as they were walking this wandered man could not continue because he lost his energy during his own little adventure. His friend saw that he wont make this trip, he carried him in his shoulder and continued their journey. Now the weight of this man is growing heavy on this friend and the wandering man enjoyed the joy ride on his friends shoulder and did not want to get down after some time. The friend became tired and now pain was shooting all over his body because of excessive weight. Because of the fatigue and imbalance in his walk, he also fell down not able to continue the trip. If we look at this story, many of us like to take the burden of others according to the scriptures, which is the right thing to do. But there are some things that are not stoppers to carry others burdens but these things should be discerned wisely and dealt with love according to God’s will. One, we have to see if there is any disobedience in the life of other man or woman. In our story the other man disobeyed and did not rested when he supposed to.  The next thing is, when we support other person, that support should not be a hindrance to their growth. The third thing is that the burden or suffering that you go through because of your help should not weigh you down in your spiritual walk.

 

Power of God – Enduring sufferings – Part 2

06 Friday Dec 2013

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Perpetual Suffering:

Mat 5: 13-16 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

A perpetual suffering is a suffering that will be in our life till we are in this earth with this body. Jesus our Lord calls us to be a light and salt to this world. This simply means He is calling us to display the testimony of Jesus Christ in our character as a light, which we received from the greater Light through Him. And He is also calling us to proclaim the testimony of Jesus Christ to those who are in darkness through our character, which is like adding taste to their dying life as a salt. When we are used as a light and/or as a salt, there is something that goes out of us in terms of our sacrifice. That sacrifice is the perpetual suffering in a life of a Christian. The intensity of this suffering depends on how much you want to burn for Him as a light and add taste like the salt. Based on this intensity, the Oil will be poured into you to withstand the sufferings. It is the power of God that manifest in you as a fuel and flavor, which will help in your testimony and character during the sufferings. Let us pray that we would live as a Christian and endure the suffering which is a sacrifice that is being poured out for the benefit of many in our lifetime.

Power of God – Enduring sufferings – Part 1

05 Thursday Dec 2013

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Job 8:13-15 So are the paths of all who forget God; And the hope of the hypocrite shall perish, 14 Whose confidence shall be cut off, And whose trust is a spider’s web. 15 He leans on his house, but it does not stand. He holds it fast, but it does not endure.

There was a spider web in between two trees in a mountain top. A small fly got trapped in it and wanted to get out of it. But then it decided that it needs to suffer till that web unweaves on its own. It was there for a while without food or anything, suddenly an eagle flew past through the web tearing the web. The web was no match for an eagle. The eagle did not even saw that as an obstacle. Likewise, many in our lives enduring a kind of suffering which is like a web when it is not even an obstacle in our race. Many are bounded by the sufferings when it needs to be unshackled. Christians should know which sufferings to endure and which should be broken by the power of God. This discernment will reduce unnecessary yoke that is placed on the believers by many wolves and Pharisees in the church of God. Discern the sufferings whether it is worthy to be endured for the glory of God. A suffering that needs to be endured will bring glory to God and His will be fulfilled through us in His kingdom. When we endure those suffering that are worthy to suffer, God will give us the grace to withstand the suffering and this pain will not break us like a reed, but will enable us to grow in His branch.  

Power of God – Enduring sufferings

04 Wednesday Dec 2013

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I Peter 5:8-11 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.  9 Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 10 But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. 11 To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

When we talk about sufferings, we immediately reminded about men like Job, King David and then Paul. The sufferings they passed through and their endurance is a good testimony of their faith in the Lord. How did they endure the sufferings? What is so special with them that we miss many times when we suffer?

When one is suffering, it is because either a loss of relationship, health, job or anything that disturbs the normal life. Suffering brings pain, grief, frustration, unlovingness, loneliness, rejection and humiliation etc…  When sufferings hits us, the first question that comes in our mind ‘did I do anything wrong’ or ‘Have I sinned against God and that is why this is happening’. These are the common questions that pop in our mind. Though this may be a right question, but not all sufferings are because of iniquity. If we see in the life of King David, we can see a mix in his sufferings. When the first child who is born of Bathsheba out of sin died, the sufferings he went through could be based of his sin. But the fugitive life in the days of Saul and the sufferings he endured by his own son Absalom may not be because of any sins. So, not all sufferings in the life of a child of God are because of his/her sins. A child of God should discern what he/ she going through with the help of the Holy Spirit. Let us meditate on this topic. May God the Holy Spirit would help us to understand the richness of God’s mercy and the sacrifice and sufferings of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Power of God – Overcoming Temptations – Final Part

03 Tuesday Dec 2013

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Rev 3:21 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.”

All unrighteousness is sin. Anything that does not produces God’s righteousness including self righteousness is sin. There are temptations that makes you to do wrong things and there are tempatations that makes you not to do the right things. Let’s go back to Mat 7:6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs”. Our body is Holy and it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Cor 3:16& I Cor 6:19). If we spoil our body, which is the holy temple and feed it to the dog that is sin, then the dog will turn against us and tear us in pieces. My testimony is that, after I knew my Lord, I have to continuously fight with my sin either habitual sin or natural sin that I have in myself. I did not have the victory over it. One day after many years, I found out that I lack the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised us all is missing in my life. I began to desire earnestly for it. Lord, I do not want this defeated life; I want a victorious life over this dog in my doorstep. It is enough that I am everyday afraid of Prov 29:1, fill me with Your Spirit. God is loving and gracious to a sinner like me and He gave the power to have the victory over my habitual sins. I am also slowly ruling over my natural sin by frequent convictions and repentance. Every day I am asking for His anointing so that I will have the power to overcome my temptations like anger, lust of my eyes and motives behind every decision that I take. He wants us to be an overcomer like Him. Not like Samson who defeated the lion but defeated by a dog (lust), but like Paul, we have to live a victorious life in Jesus Christ. Rev 3:21 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Amen.

All unrighteousness is sin. Anything that does not produces God’s righteousness including self righteousness is sin. There are temptations that makes you to do wrong things and there are tempatations that makes you not to do the right things.  Let’s go back to Mat 7:6 “Do not give what is holy to the dogs”. Our body is Holy and it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Cor 3:16& I Cor 6:19). If we spoil our body, which is the holy temple and feed it to the dog that is sin, then the dog will turn against us and tear us in pieces. My testimony is that, after I knew my Lord, I have to continuously fight with my sin either habitual sin or natural sin that I have in myself. I did not have the victory over it. One day after many years, I found out that I lack the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus promised us all is missing in my life. I began to desire earnestly for it. Lord, I do not want this defeated life; I want a victorious life over this dog in my doorstep. It is enough that I am everyday afraid of Prov 29:1, fill me with Your Spirit. God is loving and gracious to a sinner like me and He gave the power to have the victory over my habitual sins. I am also slowly ruling over my natural sin by frequent convictions and repentance. Every day I am asking for His anointing so that I will have the power to overcome my temptations like anger, lust of my eyes and motives behind every decision that I take. He wants us to be an overcomer like Him. Not like Samson who defeated the lion but defeated by a dog (lust), but like Paul, we have to live a victorious life in Jesus Christ. Rev 3:21 “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Amen.