GOING THROUGH SITUATIONS

MLB Job 13:15 Although HE SLAY ME, yet I KEEP hoping. Yes, I will MAINTAIN my ways before Him.
KJV-R (Webster) Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him.

MLB James 1:2 Consider it complete joy, my brothers, when you become involved in all SORTS OF TRIALS,
MLB James 1:3 well aware that the TESTING OF YOUR FAITH brings out steadfastness.
MLB James 1:4 But let steadfastness have full play, so that you may be completed and rounded out with no defects whatever.

MLB 1 Peter 1:6 You rejoice in this, although now for a little while, if it must be, you are DISTRESSED BY VARIOUS TRIALS,
MLB 1 Peter 1:7 so that the testing of your faith, far more precious than perishable gold that is tested by fire, may prove to be for praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed,
MLB 1 Peter 1:8 whom having not seen, you love. In Him you have faith, though now you do not see Him, and you rejoice with inexpressible and heavenly joy,
MLB 1 Peter 1:9 while you obtain the salvation of your souls as the goal of your faith.

1.We Are To Expect Challenges On The Way

•The bible says we will be challenged and confronted by challenges, situation, temptations, etc
•We have not been promised life free or exempt from problems
•Challenges are not proof of sin or wrong doing
•There are times when we suffer for our sins or actions
•We are to expect challenges
•Trials are for our good, they test and perfect our faith
•Sometimes God allows situations to come on us to test us.
•In Jeremiah 18 He says we are the clay and he is the potter. For the potter to make a perfect vessel, there are things that he does to the clay:
i) prepare the clay, beat it to be fine and ready
ii) mix it with water
iii) mould it to the vessel he wants
iv) put it in the sun
v) put it in the fire
vi) test it by knocking
vii) put it on display
•Most people want to be on display which is the last stage but do not want to go through other stages which are not comfortable

2.Jesus Said We will Have Challenges

MLB John 16:33 I have talked over these things with you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you WILL HAVE TROUBLE; but have courage! I have overcome the world.”

MLB John 15:18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me first.
MLB John 15:19 If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world and I have selected you from the world, therefore THE WORLD HATES YOU.
MLB John 15:20 Remember what I said to you: a slave is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me they will persecute you; if they observed My word, they will observe yours;
MLB John 15:21 but they will do all this to you on account of My name, for they do not know the One who sent Me.

MLB Mark 10:29 Jesus said, “I assure you, there is no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields on account of Me and the gospel,
MLB Mark 10:30 but will receive a hundred times over now in this life homes and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions, and in the future age eternal life.

3. Your Attitude / Actions Are Important
MLB 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Under all circumstances give thanks, for such is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

•James says, “Count it all joy…” In other words, “rejoice…”
•The attitude we are to take is that of going through situations rejoicing
•Paul says, “In all things give praise…”
MLB Philippians 4:4 Be joyful in the Lord always; again I say, Rejoice.
MLB Philippians 4:6 Entertain no worry, but under all circumstances let your petitions be made known before God by prayer and pleading along with thanksgiving.
•Jesus said to have peace in the midst of challenges
•So, we need not to fret or blame God or other people
•We need to have peace in Christ, remain steadfast & rejoice in challenges
•When the devil does things or throws challenges on you, what you do will either make or break you.
•You need to realize that you have a challenge and act in the right direction. Do not run around wailing with arms or your head! Be sober, pray if need be and remain calm.
My Example:
In November last year, break pads for my car were almost worn out, I sent the car to the garage to get new pads fitted in. Unfortunately because of the current situation in our country and it being a Japanese car, there was no stock in Zimbabwe. I tried South Africa and they did not have them, the only way was to get new ones made which took time, almost two months. In January I managed to get the new break pads and got the car on the road. After about five days, it broke down again. This time the computer box had burnt out. I had to get a new one ordered from Japan. Because of the long process through different companies, it finally came in April. Unfortunately, they had ordered a wrong type. The car is a Nissan Super Saloon and they ordered an Almera box, it could not work. The order has to be placed again and I do not know how long it will take. In the meantime, at work, I asked for another car that was not being used, after a month, it was taken to be sold. Then I got another one. On the 2nd of April, I had an accident which with somebody car I had borrowed going to Harare, I had to give that person the car I was using. On the 25th of April I had borrowed another car from somebody, the cables got burnt when I was driving to get my wife and new baby from the hospital, the car almost got burnt.
When you have not been walking but driving for 4 years and you start looking for public transport, it is not easy! But I have not been complaining, even when I realize that this could be a challenge. Whether it is God wanting to test or show me something, the devil attacking me or just a coincidence of events, I do not know. What I know is that it is a challenge to me but, I refuse to lose it! I refuse to go around complaining. I know after this situation, I would be a step ahead. I just laugh at times when I these things happen.


4. Endure Or Resist?

•Some of the situations need to be resisted while in some situations we need to endure
•Being persecuted for the gospel is an example of challenges we need to endure Jesus endured the cross
ASV Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus the author and perfecter of ourfaith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising shame, and hath sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
•Acts 5v40-42, the Apostles endured and rejoiced after being beaten.
MLB Acts 5:40 Persuaded by him, they called in the apostles, had them flogged, warned them not to talk in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
MLB Acts 5:41 Then they went out from the presence of the Sanhedrin happy indeed for being thought worthy to suffer disgrace for His name.
MLB Acts 5:42 They never stopped for a single day to teach and to preach Christ Jesus in the temple and at home.

•Acts 16v20-26. In this case, Paul & Silas were jailed for the gospel they just praised God after being beaten, they endured the beatings.
MLB Acts 16:22 The crowd also joined against them, and the officials, after having them stripped, ordered them flogged;
MLB Acts 16:23 then, after giving them a severe beating, they threw them into prison, charging the jailor to guard them securely.
MLB Acts 16:24 In view of this order he threw them into the inner prison and fastened their feet in the stocks.
MLB Acts 16:25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.
•Examples of challenges we need to resist are poverty, sickness, temptation to sin, etc
5. Trial / Challenges Cannot Be An Excuse
KJV-R (Webster) Romans 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Young's Literal 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation hath taken you -- except human; and God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what ye are able, but He will make, with the temptation, also the outlet, for your being able to bear it.
Young's Literal 2 Peter 2:9 The Lord hath known to rescue pious ones out of temptation, and unrighteous ones to a day of judgment, being punished, to keep,

•We cannot be excused for failing because of challenges because there is enough grace and provision for our success
•Those that went before us are an example of victory over trouble
•The bible in Hebrews 12v1 says, “we have a cloud of witnesses…”
•All challenges that we may face have happened to somebody before, it does not necessarily start with you, there are some who faced difficult situations more than that which you are going through.
•Some people cry because they missed a meal, did not have bus fare, failed to get a job in 1 year, not married and they are 30 years, have had their parents die, did not get a salary increase, the teacher does not like you, other people are talking about or slandering you, high inflation, ZEC not announcing results, current political environment in Zimbabwe, etc!
•Job, Joseph, David, Hannah, Paul, Lazarus, Jesus, Steven, Peter, etc, went through worse things that you possible have ever experienced
•Despite the challenges they went through, the above never quit or give up, they are a cloud of witnesses to us!
•When you are tempted to give up, ask yourself, did not any of the heroes of faith or examples in the bible (the cloud of witnesses) experience that?
•Somebody once preached about “So that man are without excuse” he was saying at the judgment day, one will come before God and say, “Lord I wanted to serve you but because of poverty I failed”, then from the group, Lazarus will rise and say, “I also was poor, had no food, was eating with dogs, but I never quit my faith”. (Pick other examples from the above list).


6.Victory Is Guaranteed

MLB Philippians 4:13 I have strength for every situation through Him who empowers me.
MLB 1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
MLB 2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who invariably leads us on triumphantly in Christ and evidences through us in every place the fragrance that results from knowing Him.
MLB Romans 8:37 But in all this we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

• When you are faced with challenges, do not quit
• Learn to hold on, endure and or resist, be steadfast, do not give up, your victory could be near. As children of God, we may seem to be losing but if we stand, victory is certain
• So, it does not matter what happens, never give up or quit, its worthy holding on! Even if things are surrounding you, trouble on every side, even if Zimbabwe does not change for the better, even if we experience worse things than we currently have, even if you starve to death, even if you are killed for political differences, never quit the faith! Nothing is worthy quitting for.

KJV-R (Webster) 2 Corinthians 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;
KJV-R (Webster) 2 Corinthians 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
KJV-R (Webster) 2 Corinthians 4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak;
KJV-R (Webster) 2 Corinthians 4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day