oftentimes god uses our struggles to
shape our character
in fact i believe that god can even use
our pain to position us
he can do so to position us for a bigger
blessing for a bigger victory
for a bigger breakthrough
romans 8 verse 28 says
and we know that for those who love god
all things work together for good
for those who are called according to
his purpose
now i like how the amplified translation
puts it by saying
and we know with great confidence
that god who is deeply concerned about
us
causes all things to work together as a
plan for good
for those who love god
to those who are called according to his
plan and purpose
and so we should be encouraged as
children of god
because regardless of how painful things
currently are
regardless of how tough they may be
behind the scenes we have a god who is
orchestrating our future
he's ordering our steps
not only that but god can and sometimes
does use the pain we face in life to
enable us to grow and mature as
christians
he can use the pain we experience to
open our eyes to his power and might
he could even use the pain we
experienced to position us for a
blessing or a breakthrough
that's what i believe romans 8 28 is
telling us
for those who love god all things work
together for good
meaning there is something working out
for my good
for your good even though you're in the
middle of difficult circumstances
and so as children of god
we need to change a perspective in order
for us to see and appreciate the hand of
god in our lives
i admire the three hebrew boys in daniel
chapter 3 who were cast in the fiery
furnace
they are an example of a group of
believers who had shifted their
perspective
because oftentimes if we knew that we
were about to be cast into trouble
if we knew we were about to face a fiery
trial
our prayer would be for the lord to stop
it we would pray that god would not
allow it and we would rebuke it
but these three hebrew boys didn't do
that
they knew the consequences of their
actions but equally they knew that they
had a god who was bigger than the fire
all they said was in daniel chapter 3
verse 17
if this be so
our god whom we serve is able to deliver
us from the burning fiery furnace
and he will deliver us out of your hand
o king
look at their perspective they were not
focused on the fire
they focused on a god who promised that
for those who love god all things work
together for good
so i encourage you today to shift your
own perspective
pray that god would give you a
perspective that is fixed on him
may you see your problems through the
lens of faith
and focus once again on romans 8 verse
28 which says
and we know that for those who love god
all things work together for good for
those who are called according to his
purpose
once god has taken you to a new level
you become a higher threat to the enemy
new levels new devils
you see this is what happens when god
begins to bless you
he lifts you up for his glory
and when the people around you begin to
see the hand of god over your life
you become a living testimony
your life begins to be a ministry all by
itself because of god
those who saw you and thought you
weren't qualified enough
those who saw you and made the decision
that you weren't good enough
those who doubted you and said there was
nothing to you
all of them will witness your turn
around when god starts moving
all of them will be watching when god
prepares a table for you in their
presence
you see there's no denying our god
those who once plotted against you they
will see you reach new heights despite
their plans and they'll know they will
know that you serve a living god
a miracle-working god the king of kings
but don't take it for granted
remember to be sober to be vigilant do
you think the devil will sit back and
watch that
if he can't stop you from being blessed
he will try and get you to lose your
blessing so your intensity must match
that of your enemy your prayer life must
match or be greater than the evil the
devil throws your way
when god lifts you up to a new level
understand that the devil will raise his
level of opposition against you
new levels new devils
and if you didn't know
your opposition prowls to and fro
looking for whom he may devour
your opposition throws fiery darts in
the middle of the night he comes to
steal kill and destroy so you can't be
praying on a level down here when your
opposition is fighting you on a level up
here
you need to raise your game pray at a
higher level praise and worship god at a
deeper level search and chase god in a
way like never before
and when it comes to growth as a
christian
we all have room to grow
as children of god we can never achieve
perfection but we can grow we can
improve
there is a higher level to be sought
after a higher level of faith a higher
level of obedience a deeper relationship
with the holy spirit a burning prayer
life
a more intense outreach to the lost
there's always a new level a higher
level to be reached in our walk with
christ
as for me
i am desperate to have a deeper closer
relationship with god i want to get to
the level where i can have a burning
bush experience
i desire to get to the level where i can
enter the lion's den of life's problems
and know that i will not be moved i will
not be shaken i will not be afraid
i desire to be a servant in god's
kingdom
to live a life of purpose so that i may
hear the words
well done o good and faithful servant
that's my desire
and my brothers and sisters i'm not
naive to the enemy's ways he will not
simply step aside and let me get to a
higher level of faith or an improved
prayer life
i am fully aware that he will devise
schemes schemes that are designed to
discourage and distract me schemes
designed to make me doubt
schemes that come to tempt me into
falling out of god's will for my life
but even then
i am not afraid i am not living in fear
nor am i anxious because greater is he
that is in me than he who is in the
world
so god may lift me up to a new level and
the devil might raise his opposition but
i have victory through jesus
i will put on the full armor of god at
all times
i will take it day by day and be
confident that he who has begun a good
work in me will complete it until the
day of jesus christ
[Music]
you