When things go beyond your ability to endure
At last Saturday's UFC Georges St. Pierre fought Nick Diaz. The thought of the fight, the pressure and endurance both fighters went through helped me with this post today.
Do not be uninformed life has challenging circumstances.
"We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself." 1Corinthians 1:8
Even the best of Christians experience trouble under great pressure FAR BEYOND one's abilities. Sometimes to the point of desperation for life itself. I know I have.
"Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death." 2 Corinthians 1:19a
Paul said these circumstances are like having received the "sentence of death." On occasion I've asked God why would you allow such a thing to happen to me? The Bible tells us:
"But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead." 2Corinthians 1:9b
One of the reasons God allows these things to happen to us is to bring us to the place where we do not rely on ourselves but ONLY on God. To trust that even the toughest situations and most extreme situations (like raising the dead) is something only He deliver us from.
So if you find yourself in tough, desperate situations including being wrestled down by Georges St, Pierre. Remember...
"He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,..." 2Corinthians 1:10
In this one verse we find the word deliver repeated three times. We know that when the Bible does that the writer is emphasizing the point. God desires to deliver us. Three key thoughts here:
1. God will deliver us. The word deliver literally means to take one from the clutches of a strong power to bring him into the hands of a greater power. It means to be rescued. What ever situation the devil has you in - realize that God wants to deliver you from it.
2. He will deliver us again. No matter how many times you find yourself held captive by any power, situation or even death itself - remember He will deliver you again. And again and again, repeatedly.
3. He will continually deliver us. Paul makes the final point that God wants to, he desires to deliver us in all our situations. Don't think that God's deliverance is a one time event. The good news is His deliverance is timeless.
Much like the Gospel of Christ is not a one time experience but a timeless truth - God's deliverance will be there each and every time. Our assurance has and always will be the death of His own Son to deliver us from the stronghold of sin and Satan.
As you start your Holy Week put your trust in the reality that God has delivered, continues to deliver and will deliver us from any trying situation we face - continually!
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