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RECOVERING FROM DISCOURAGEMENT
(I’ve Lost Heart)



The first step: Paul Begins With Prayer

“14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that,,, 3:14-16a NIV



The Second Step: Paul Addresses His Father

“14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that,,,†Ephesians 3:14-16a NIV



The Third Step: Paul Reaches For The (Resources) Glory Of God

“14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches,,, Ephesians 3:14-16b



Your Personal Prison! Some of you have painful experiences that keep you from legitimate freedoms and rights. For whatever human reasons, you no longer have those rights and freedoms. You Have been restrained from what is rightfully yours. Divorce, Broken Relationship, Long-term Family Problem, Unexpected Health Problem, Employment Termination, Financial Difficulty, Personal Failure – Guilt, Disappointment, Loneliness, Unresolved Conflict or Unfair Criticism



Discouragement leads to spiritual depression.



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OVERCOMING SPIRITUAL DEPRESSION



Step # One: Start With Your Inner-Man.

That is the first step: "strengthened with might by his Spirit [literally] 'into' the inner man."

“I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.†Ephesians 3:16 NIV



This is not a reminder that the Spirit dwells in the inner man, although that is true. Rather, the idea here is that the Spirit might infuse his own strength into your inner man. Well, what is your inner man? You and I are of course familiar with this distinction between the outer man and the inner man. We take care of the outer man carefully. We dress it, we clothe it, we feed it, we comb it, we pat it, we primp it, we wash it, we dry it, we smear it with cream. We are always concerned with the outer man -- the body and its needs. But we are also aware that there is an inner man.



Many commentators, I find, take this to mean the soul, the inner soul, with its faculties of reason and emotion and will, our thought life, and so on. But I don't think this is what Paul means here, because in Second Corinthians 4 he gives us a clue to what he does mean when he says "the inner man." There he says that "the outer man is perishing, but the inner man is being renewed day by day," (2 Corinthians 4:16 KJV). That is, for Christians there is something about us which is getting old, decaying, deteriorating, but there is also something about us which is getting better, getting fresher and more vital, increasing, and becoming richer and deeper and stronger every day we live. And that is what he calls "the inner man."



The inner man here is the spirit, the human spirit. And it is here that God begins the work of recovery -- not in the soul, in the spirit. Not in the realm of our feelings, in other words, but in what psychologists would call the realm of the subconscious, the deep-seated part of our life, the fundamental element of our nature. You know that when you are really discouraged, really broken-hearted, and have given up, the way your condition is often described is as dispirited. That is an accurate term. You have become dis-spirited. Your fundamental nature is dissatisfied, discontent. It is not merely a question of temporary boredom. That would be in the realm of the soul. But this is something which touches the spirit, right at the very deepest level of human life, and you find yourself filled with ennui, with despair and indifference, and it persists for hours and days on end.



This is where the recovery must begin. And what the apostle tells us about here is the capability of the Creator himself, our loving Father, to give us a fresh infusion of strength by his Spirit into our spirit the inner man. We are strengthened with might by his Spirit into the inner man. In First Corinthians 12, speaking of believers, Paul says, “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.â€Â



That is what our human spirits are for -- they are to drink of the Spirit of God, so that the Spirit of God is able to refresh us and revitalize us. Just as taking a drink refreshes your body, so drinking of the Spirit refreshes your spirit, at the deepest level of your life.



Now, that is not the realm of feeling. I want this to be clear, because we get so hung up, in this process of spiritual recovery, by always wanting an instantly good feeling. We seek some instant sense of relief. Well, relief will come, but it doesn't start there. It starts down at the level of the spirit, and may be nothing more than some consciousness of reassurance that things are going to work out eventually.



This beginning step is not your responsibility; it is God's. Doesn't that help? You don't have to start it. He does. All that is necessary is that you ask him for it. You ask, or someone else asks on your behalf -- one or the other. Paul prayed that these Ephesians might have this granted to them. And they could have prayed for themselves, if they had known what to pray for, because a prayer is nothing but a cry of helplessness: "God help me." When we ask on that level, God promises to give.

Remember what Jesus himself taught in that great passage on prayer in Luke 11, at the end of the story of the importunate friend:

“11 Which if you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, you give him a snake instead? Luke 11:11 NIV Would any earthly father do that? Would he tantalize, torture his son that way?



“Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? Luke 11:12 NIV

What kind of a father would do anything like that? "No, of course not;" Jesus says, "neither will God."



“If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, Luke 11:13a NIV

“Do you feel the force of his argument? "



“How much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!†Luke 11:13b

He is not talking about how to be indwelt by the Spirit, but about how to recover from losing heart. The way to start, the first step, is to ask God to grant you that your spirit will receive a new infusion of strength, that you can drink again of the river of the Spirit of life which is in you, and that your spirit will be restored so that you can begin to operate as God intended you to. You won't feel this, necessarily. We sharply feel what occurs in the soul, but only sort of deeply sense things taking place in our spirit.



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Step #2: Trust - Depend On God’s Holy Spirit.

This moves us to the second step, which immediately follows.

“16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.†Ephesians 3:16-17a NIV

Paul prays that God may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit into the inner man so:

...that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; (Ephesians 3:17a RSV)



Notice the connection -- literally, it is not "and that" but "so that." You are strengthened by his Spirit so that Christ may, literally, "make his home" in your heart. The strengthening of your spirit results in your sensing the personal presence of the Lord Jesus, as your reborn faith takes hold of his promise once again. The key to that second step is the words "through faith." Why have you been languishing, why have you been growing weak and unable to operate? Well, because your faith is failing. You are not as clearly and as sharply believing the reality that God reveals. Your faith is dragging. What the infusion of the Spirit does is to awaken faith, so that you can begin to believe again. And the first thing to believe is the most fundamental fact of Christian life -- Jesus Christ has come to live in you. Even yet there may not be much feeling involved. It is just a fact that faith again rests upon Jesus' promise given in the Upper Room in John 14. Do you remember how he put it to Judas, not Iscariot? Judas said to him,



“22 Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, But Lord, why do You intend to show Yourself to us and not to the world? 23 If anyone loves Me, he will obey My teaching. My Father will love him, and He will come to him and make our home with him.†John 14:22-23 NIV



That is what Paul is referring to. Faith is awakened now. You remind yourself that Jesus Christ lives in you. You are a believer. He has taken up his residence in you. He will not leave you. He is at home in your heart, and you belong to him.



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Step #3: Realize Your True Identity (security).

That immediately brings the third step. Do you see how Paul is leading us, step by step, back to recovery?

“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love.†Ephesians 3:17 NIV

“ And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love.†Ephesians 3:17b NIV

...that you, being rooted and grounded in love, (Ephesians 3:17b RSV)



Mixed metaphors:

Reassured by Jesus' promise to be with you, you now know that you are loved, and that he cares for you, and that he will not change that relationship. Therefore, your self-identity returns. In other words, as Paul puts it, you are "rooted and grounded in love." There he is mixing metaphors.



Plants are rooted; buildings are grounded. But Paul ties them together as beautiful figures of security. A plant that is rooted is solid.



Some time ago we had in our yard a tree which you could knock over by pushing. An old farmer came by and told us it was necessary to tie it down so that it couldn't move until the roots took hold. Now you can push it and it will not move. It is rooted and solid and can withstand the storm and stress.



And a building needs to be firmly fixed upon a foundation; otherwise it will shake in the wind and storm.



“That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love.†NASB



Paul is simply saying here that we need foundations for our experiences. We can't handle life unless we have a solid foundation, unless we are rooted and grounded -- in what? In love -- in the assurance that God loves us, and has accepted us, that we are dear to him, precious to him. When we know this, then we know who we are. Then we have a sense of well-being. Love always gives us that. That is why a lonely, solitary life is so difficult -- because there is no sense of well-being. That is why it is the greatest cause of suicide in this world. What causes people to jump off bridges and blow out their brains? They don't feel loved. No one appreciates them. No one reaches out to them. But the Christian can find his ground of solidarity and security and love in Jesus Christ.



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Step #4: Comprehend The Scope & Power Of God’s Majestic Love.

And when that stage is reached, then you are ready for the next -- the fourth step: Comprehending God’s Love (in a proper context).

“17b And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ.†Ephesians 3:17b-18 NIV

...that you...may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, (Ephesians 3:18 RSV)



This sense of identity gives us power to relate to others "power to comprehend [or "realize" is literally the word] with all saints." This means that now we can begin to relate to somebody else, to reach out to someone else. And when we do, we will begin to lay hold of the breadth and length and height and depth. I want to stress that we are not to live in isolation -- that is our problem -- but to relate to one another, to "realize with all saints," and not to try to work it out all alone. During times of spiritual depression, many Christians attempt to live in solitary confinement. They resist relating, resist sharing, they resist praying together. They resist the fellowship (koinonia) that God has provided. But you see, that is falling into the trap in which the world lives. The world talks a lot about privacy, longs for privacy, struggles to have areas of life that no one sees. It insists upon having private reserves, areas no one enters. But the price of that is loneliness. You can't have privacy without having loneliness. And if loneliness is your trouble, it is because you are insisting upon being private. The church cuts right across this.



Christian teaching and doctrine undermine this whole world philosophy, because it tells us we are not to be private. We are to relate, we are to share. We are to be open.



Be open to other Christians

“As a fair exchange – I speak as to my children – open wide your hearts also.†2 Corinthians 6:13 NIV



We are to "open our hearts" as Paul puts it to the Corinthians. "Widen your hearts," (2 Corinthians 6:13 RSV)



Reach out to each other. Bear each other's burdens.

“Bear one another’s burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ.†Galatians 6:2 NIV



Confess your faults one to each other.

“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.†James 5:16 NIV



“Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another.†KJV



This cannot happen in isolation or self-inflicted solitary confinement.



The Christian is to have no private areas in his life at all. If he insists upon it, he is defying what God has called him to -- the sharing of the body of Christ in openness and freedom for all to see exactly what you are. As you begin to relate to and to share with one another, then, the apostle says, you begin to realize, to lay hold of, the height and depth and length and breadth.



FOUR DEMENSIONS OF GOD’S LOVE

What does he mean? There are many who have made beautiful suggestions about the meaning of these four dimensions. Some see in them the cross, with its height and depth and length and breadth. Some see it as a description of the love of God. But I think they are a reference to some of the things Paul has talked about in this letter already:



“And I ask him that with both feet planted firmly on love, 18you’ll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! 19Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.†Ephesians 3:17b-19 MSG



How Wide

And the "breadth," of course, is what he refers to as "the riches of his inheritance among the Gentiles" (Ephesians 1:18) -- the fact that Jews and Gentiles and all men alike are gathered up in the church, without difference or division -- black, white, rich, poor, slave, freeman, male, female -- it doesn't make any difference. All are one. All humanity is caught up in the riches of Jesus Christ, in the cross and in the church.



How Long:

The "length" is what he calls in Chapter 1 "the hope to which you are called" (Ephesians 1:18 RSV) -- that hope which began before the foundation of the world, in eternity past, and reaches on through all of recorded time and history into the ages ahead, into the unsearchable, limitless reaches of eternity yet to come. That is the whole length and scope of God's program. We are caught up in a vast cosmic endeavor to bring all things to one in Christ. We are part of that -- the hope to which we are called.



How High

The "height" is the place to which we are raised with Christ -- risen to sit together with him in heavenly places, far above all principalities, all powers, all authorities, in this age and in the age to come. It is the place of authority as a Christian, the place of power to be freed from everything that would drag you down, the place of being given adequate equipment to live above all that would disturb and twist and injure and demolish and destroy in your life.



How Deep

And finally, the "depth", of course, is what he has described in Chapter 2 as death, the living death out of which God has called us -- when we were victims instead of victors, when we were following the course of this age, living unwittingly directed by the prince of the power of the air, following the passions of the flesh, doing what we thought was right and ending up being wrong in everything we attempted, "children of wrath," as Paul described us -- "by nature children of wrath like the rest of mankind," (Ephesians 2:3 RSV). Out of that living death -- the depths of human depravity -- God called us into the heights with Christ.



And, you see, all of this comes to us as we learn to relate to others. This is why the church has been so barren and poverty stricken, so narrow, so insular, so isolated. We have loved to come to services and just sit and listen, but not relate to anyone else. This is why we have been trying to have "body life" services and trying to encourage you to meet your friends and neighbors when you come to church, get acquainted with the ones sitting next to you. Because it is in reaching out to "realize with all saints" that there comes the ability to lay hold of all these great provisions in Jesus Christ. The next step:



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Step #5: Determine To Know (Understand) The Unknowable.

That is the fifth step. Think of it -- to know the unknowable!

“And to know this love that surpasses knowledge--†Ephesians 3:19a NIV

...and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, (Ephesians 3:19a RSV)



To understand is to experience the knowledge of God. This is an experiential knowledge.



How do you do that? Well, here is where experience reaches its full peak. You begin to know the love of Christ,,, and experience His great love. This is all about personal experience! Here is where feeling comes in full throttle. You can really begin to glow with this understanding of the love of Christ. You can't understand it but you can feel it. We all know how you can feel something you can't comprehend. A baby feels his mother's love. He senses how deeply his mother loves him, and there are times when he won't go to anyone else but his own mother because he knows his mother loves him. But what does a baby understand about a mother's love? He can't comprehend it. But he feels it, knows it. So the apostle tells us that as we begin to lay hold of these great truths we begin to see the love of Christ in everything that happens to us -- in our circumstances, in the world of nature around, in relationships, in life itself. We are simply overwhelmed with the sense of love of Jesus Christ. As we sometimes sing, "Heaven above is softer blue, earth around is sweeter green; something lives in every hue, Christless eyes have never seen."



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Step #6: You Will Experience The Purpose Of Your Creation.

And then we come to the last sixth step:

“And to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.†Ephesians 3:19 NIV

...that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:19b RSV)



Now you have reached the top. And when you have, you have realized the purpose of your own creation. This is what God made humanity for. He made us to be vessels wholly filled and flooded with God himself. Now, this is not a condition you attain only once or twice in your Christian life. It is a condition to which we are to return again and again. This is what Paul refers to as being filled with the Spirit. It is the condition in which God is in possession and control of our lives, enriching us, blessing us, and strengthening us. Our faith is strong and vital, and we are reaching out, ministering. And, as Paul puts it earlier, we are God's workmanship, and we will discover the good works to which we have been foreordained. You say, "Can all this be, in the new year?" Well, we will simply close with the final verses of this chapter:



You are finally able to answer the WHY questions of life.



“20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.†Eph 3:20-21 (NIV)



Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all, generations, for ever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:20-21 RSV)



Who is going to do this? You? No, no; God in you. That is the secret, isn't it? God in you is able to do more abundantly all you can ask or think. What are you dreaming about for the new year? Well, if you insist upon manipulating it and trying to bring it to pass, the best that you can hope for is what you can ask or think. But if you put your case in the hands of this mighty God, and follow these steps, obeying him about yourself, and praying for others in this same way, you will discover that, though he might take you in ways you don't understand and at first seem to be almost tragic in their nature, nevertheless, out of them he will bring you to the place where you stand in amazement and awe and wonder at what he has brought into your experience and your life -- beyond all that you can ask or think. That is the nature of the God with whom we have to do, and that is the power at work in us right now.


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END of this Series entitled:
HOW PRAYER WORKS.

from:
Part 1:
http://www.emmanuelfreechurch.org/2005 Sermons/HowPrayerWorks1.htm
Part 2:
http://www.emmanuelfreechurch.org/2005 Sermons/How_Prayer_Works2.htm

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Our Helper in Prayer
ROMANS 8:26-27

Most Christians feel they need help in order to pray effectively. Even the apostle Paul admitted that he sometimes did not know how to petition the heavenly Father as he should. In the supernatural exchange between God and believers, the Spirit acts as a vehicle for our communication, laying our needs and desires before the Father.

We humans make our requests with a very limited knowledge of the future and an impaired sense of what is actually best for us. Consequently, circumstances arise that cause us to wonder how we should pray. All we know to ask is, "God, what is Your will?" The Holy Spirit, who knows the Father's plans for us, tells Him of our need for understanding.

God does not hide His will from us. He desires to equip believers with all the information necessary for making right decisions and for being continuously conformed to the likeness of His Son. Just as the Spirit carries our needs to God, He also clarifies the Father's will to us.

Some people find the power of prayer a bit intimidating "Be careful what you pray, because you might get it," goes the old joke. Believers sometimes quit praying before receiving an answer because they are fearful of making the wrong request. However, the Holy Spirit's divine nature prevents Him from going before God with a petition that is outside the Father's plan. Instead, He intercedes to make the right request. He also impresses upon us the need to adjust our desires. Therefore, we can pray in every situation, knowing the Holy Spirit is our Helper.


source:http://www.intouch.org/intouch/site.show_page?p_id=76096&p_devotional_date=08/16/2005

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Praying in the Name of Jesus
JOHN 14:7-27

Developing a vibrant prayer life will transform the way you live and see things. Through prayer, the Lord can change your weakness into His strength, your ignorance into His wisdom, and your emptiness into His fullness. Jesus made an awesome promise that whatever you ask in His name, He is committed to accomplishing. But what does this really mean?

Praying in His name means recognizing that Jesus has paved the way for you to have access to the Father. Anyone who believes in Christ's death as full payment for his or her sins and who has received Him as personal Savior can, amazingly, approach the throne of Almighty God. (Hebrews 4:16)

Praying in His name denotes exercising the authority He has given to each born-again child of God. Jesus, the heir of all things, has made us "fellow heirs" with Him. (Romans 8:14-17) Understanding your position should give you confidence and boldness as you humbly ask and expectantly look for God's awesome answers. We are on a mission that requires us to be people of prayerâ€â€always connected with the Holy Spirit's power, always crying out to the Father, always depending on Him as our source.

Praying in the name of Jesus signifies agreement with His will. You are asking the Father to grant your need or desire as Jesus would, were He in your position. When you pray with this attitude, God is going to reveal His will because you want nothing less than what He wants. This is the kind of prayer that changes the world.




source: http://www.intouch.org/intouch/site.show_page?p_id=76096&p_devotional_date=06/04/2005

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MR. JOHN BUNYAN'S DYING SAYINGS - OF PRAYER

MR. JOHN BUNYAN'S DYING SAYINGS.

OF PRAYER.

Before you enter into prayer, ask thy soul these questions-1. To what end, O my soul, art thou retired into this place? Art thou not come to discourse the Lord in prayer? Is he present; will he hear thee? Is he merciful; will he help thee? Is thy business slight; is it not concerning the welfare of thy soul? What words wilt thou use to move him to compassion?


To make thy preparation complete, consider that thou art but dust and ashes, and he the great God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that clothes himself with light as with a garment; that thou art a vile sinner, he a holy God; that thou art but a poor crawling worm, he the omnipotent Creator.


In all your prayers forget not to thank the Lord for his mercies.

When thou prayest, rather let thy hearts be without words, than thy words without a heart.

Prayer will make a man cease from sin, or sin will entice a man to cease from prayer.

The spirit of prayer is more precious than treasures of gold and silver.

Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge for Satan.




source:http://www.johnbunyan.org/text/bun-dying.htm

 

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Praying Till We PRAY

By A.W. Tozer


Dr. Moody Stuart, a great praying man of a past generation, once drew up a set of rules to guide him in his prayers. Among these rules is this one: "Pray till you pray." The difference between praying till you quit and praying till you pray is illustrated by the American evangelist John Wesley Lee. He often likened a eason of prayer to a church service, and insisted that many of us close the meeting before the service is over. He confessed that once he arose too soon from a prayer session and started down the street to take care of some pressing business. He had only gone a short distance when an inner voice reproached him. "Son," the voice seemed to say, "did you not pronounce the benediction before the meeting was ended?" He understood, and at once hurried back to the place of prayer where he tarried till the burden lifted and the blessing came down.

The habit of breaking off our prayers before we have truly prayed is as common as it is unfortunate. Often the last ten minutes may mean more to us than the first half hour, because we must spend a long time getting into the proper mood to pray effectively. We may need to struggle with our thoughts to draw them in from where they have been scattered through the multitude of distractions that result from the task of living in a disordered world.

Here, as elsewhere in spiritual matters, we must be sure to distinguish the ideal from the real. Ideally we should be living moment-by-moment in a state of such perfect union with God that no special preparation is necessary. But actually there are few who can honestly say that this is their experience. Candor will compel most of us to admit that we often experience a struggle before we can escape from the emotional alienation and sense of unreality that sometimes settle over us as a sort of prevailing mood.

Whatever a dreamy idealism may say, we are forced to deal with things down on the level of practical reality. If when we come to prayer our hearts feel dull and unspiritual, we should not try to argue ourselves out of it. Rather, we should admit it frankly and pray our way
through. Some Christians smile at the thought of "praying through," but something of the same idea is found in the writings of practically every great praying saint from Daniel to the present day. We cannot afford to stop praying till we have actually prayed.




source:http://articles.christiansunite.com/article3.shtml

 

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Grace in the Wilderness – Part 1
Friday, September 16, 2005
Today on Leading The Way, Dr. Michael Youssef shows you how to tap into the grace of Godâ€â€right when you need it most.
From the Series: Portrait of Grace

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The Blessings of Trials
How God uses trials in your life for your good
by: Michael Youssef

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds…." James 1:2

If you are like most people, from time to time you find yourself in difficult trials. Those unwelcome moments of life you and I wish we could escape. In fact, that may describe your life today!

When these trials come, how do you respond? How do you respond when the hurt is real? How do you respond when you feel that the walls are closing in? How do you respond when things happen totally outside of your control? How do you respond?

Allow me to offer some sound biblical direction…and some words of encouragement. I want to show you how those trials can in fact be a tremendous blessing in your life.

The Right Perspective

Seeing life's trials as a blessing starts with having the right perspective. God’s perspective.

That perspective is this: God allows trials in your life to help you grow up…to mature you in Him. In other words, you will never grow in your walk with Christ without trials. God uses them to be your teacher and to make you into the person He wants you to be.

If there was one person who knew trials it was the Apostle Paul. Can you imagine what it must have been like when he was shipwrecked for days? Here he was seeking to take the gospel of Jesus Christ to the uttermost parts of the world, and yet he was shipwrecked and in the water for days.

Why didn't God stop the shipwreck? He could have, but why didn't He?

Because, if He had, Paul would have never become the man and leader God intended! Paul became the great man of God by experiencing these trials and testing. Ultimately, God knew (and knows!) what He’s doing.

Now here's the lesson for you and me. You and I must trust God! He knows what He’s doing with your life and mine. The sovereign God knows what is necessary for us to experience in our lives and how much to permit in order to mature us.

It really is amazing that the moment we fall into a trial that is out of our own control we begin to beg God, "God get me out of this! God what's wrong? God if you'll just take this problem, Lord, I'll be fine!"

What we never stop to consider is what God might be doing…trying to change you and me, not the circumstances! He may (and He will) change the circumstances, but meanwhile He wants to teach you and me a lesson. And you'll miss out on the blessing by constantly begging Him to change the circumstance and not giving Him a chance to speak to us!

Our Responsibility

So what is our responsibility in the process of trial and testing? James tells us in James 1:4 that "Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

How do you do that? James 1:4-12 gives us a pretty clear direction.

1. Don't rebel against your circumstances. Allow the testing process to be brought to completion so that you may receive the maximum benefit of God's teaching.

2. Ask for wisdom. I want to tell you, believer, you have a secret code to a safe that is full of tremendous resources. And the resources go totally unused by so many Christians. That "safe" is God's wisdom.

God's wisdom is perhaps the greatest tool for your spiritual growth! God's wisdom is the defogger for our fuzzy lenses. And when you ask the Lord for wisdom…when you pray for wisdom…you are opening yourself up to learn about God's overall purpose and plan. You are beginning to see God's big picture!

3. Rejoice in the midst of your trials. James 1:12 tells us we can truly rejoice in the midst of trials. Why? Because the victories are already won! Our victories are in Jesus and He already won the victory. That's why you and I can claim the victory. Regardless of your circumstances, you already have the victory. The battle is won!


Friend, I don't know what trial you may be going through today, but I want to challenge you to embrace it as God's design to bring you to full maturity in Him. Thank Him today what He is doing in your life, and for the blessing of your trial!

• Leading The Way (Saturday, April 30, 2005)




http://www.oneplace.com/Articles/Print-Friendly.asp?article_id=988

 

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Have you experienced God's presence as you pray?
http://www.christianforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=207464#207464

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A prayer to meditate upon:


A Prayer of Daniel

Daniel 9:4-19
4 ¶ And I prayed unto the LORD my God, and made my confession, and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love him, and to them that keep his commandments;
5 We have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and have rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts and from thy judgments:
6 Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name to our kings, our princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the land.
7 O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, as at this day; to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and unto all Israel, that are near, and that are far off, through all the countries whither thou hast driven them, because of their trespass that they have trespassed against thee.
8 O Lord, to us belongeth confusion of face, to our kings, to our princes, and to our fathers, because we have sinned against thee.
9 To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgivenesses, though we have rebelled against him;
10 Neither have we obeyed the voice of the LORD our God, to walk in his laws, which he set before us by his servants the prophets.
11 Yea, all Israel have transgressed thy law, even by departing, that they might not obey thy voice; therefore the curse is poured upon us, and the oath that is written in the law of Moses the servant of God, because we have sinned against him.
12 And he hath confirmed his words, which he spake against us, and against our judges that judged us, by bringing upon us a great evil: for under the whole heaven hath not been done as hath been done upon Jerusalem.
13 As it is written in the law of Moses, all this evil is come upon us: yet made we not our prayer before the LORD our God, that we might turn from our iniquities, and understand thy truth.
14 Therefore hath the LORD watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the LORD our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice.
15 And now, O Lord our God, that hast brought thy people forth out of the land of Egypt with a mighty hand, and hast gotten thee renown, as at this day; we have sinned, we have done wickedly.
16 O Lord, according to all thy righteousness, I beseech thee, let thine anger and thy fury be turned away from thy city Jerusalem, thy holy mountain: because for our sins, and for the iniquities of our fathers, Jerusalem and thy people are become a reproach to all that are about us.
17 Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of thy servant, and his supplications, and cause thy face to shine upon thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake.
18 O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses, but for thy great mercies.
19 O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for thine own sake, O my God: for thy city and thy people are called by thy name.



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Excerpt taken from an article by Hendrik Hanegraaff

F-A-C-T-S

"... the foundational issue of prayer.
If you want a real experience, then develop your relationship with your Creator.

No relationship can flourish without constant, heart-felt communication, and that includes our relationship with God. We must be in constant communication with our Redeemer through prayer. As F. B. Meyer remarks, "The great tragedy of life is not unanswered prayer but unoffered prayer."

Today there is much bad teaching regarding prayer. Some leaders in the Christian community even urge followers never to pray "Thy will be done." Frederick Price asserts, "If you add, 'If it be,' on the end of a petition prayer, it will not be answered." In light of such falsehood, we need to grasp the facts. We can use the acronym F-A-C-T-S to remind ourselves of the basics of prayer.

Faith
Adoration
Confession
Thanksgiving
Supplication


Faith
For prayer to be meaningful, it must be founded on biblical faith. True faith encapsulates knowledge, agreement, and trust in God alone. Ultimately, it is the object of faith that renders faith effective – not faith in faith but faith in the triune God. The prayer of faith is rooted in God's Word. R.A. Torrey said, "To pray the prayer of faith we must, first of all, study the Word of God ... As Paul puts it in Romans 10:17, 'Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God'" (emphasis in original).

Adoration
Faith naturally leads to adoration that expresses our love and longing for God. Adoration in turn leads to praise and worship. The Scriptures overflow with descriptions of God's greatness. The Psalms, in particular, contain passionate prayers of worship, expressions of adoration to the King of Kings. "Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker" ( Psalm 95:6 ) .

Confession
The Psalms are also replete with confessions, such as that of King David:

"Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight" ( Psalm 51:4 ). Confession means acknowledging that we stand guilty before God. There is no place for self-righteousness. We develop intimacy with the Lord through prayer when we confess our need for His pardon. The apostle John writes, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins" ( 1 John 1:9 ).

Thanksgiving
Nothing is more basic to prayer than to "enter his gates with thanksgiving" ( Psalm 100:4 ). Giving thanks is a function of faith, not feelings. It flows from the assurance that our heavenly Father knows and provides exactly what we need. Paul encourages us to "be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances" ( 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ).

Supplication
God desires His children to bring their requests with praise and thanksgiving. Scripture promises "that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him" ( 1 John 5:14-15 ). Despite His provision, the purpose of prayer is not to pressure God into providing us with pleasures, but to conform us to His will.

As you internalize these F-A-C-T-S, remember that
the power of prayer becomes a reality only through the practice of prayer. "




Copyright © 1993, by Hendrik Hanegraaff
P.O. Box 80250
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688
(949) 589-1504
http://www.oneplace.com/Articles/Print- ... icle_id=72

 

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Psalm 66:18-19 KJV
18If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:

19But verily God hath heard me; he hath attended to the voice of my prayer.



A prayer to memorize:

Lord, you do not listen to my prayers when I have unconfessed sin in my life. By your Spirit give me the humility I need to take a hard look at my soul. Show me, God, any wrong attitudes and actions that I need to acknowledge. I want to be right with you. I want to be close to you. Thank you for pledging to hear those who humble themselves and acknowledge their sin. May my sins, which block me from you when I don't confess them, become a bridge to you as I admit them, forsake them, and experience your forgiveness.


http://www.christianforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=226411#226411

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Never Give Up! The Fruit of Longsuffering
Introduction
by Nancy Missler

What do you do when your dreams, your plans and your hopes blow up in your face? Who do you blame when everything in the Bible gave you hope, but then, out of the blue, all was destroyed? How do you react when difficult and trying circumstances seem to go on and on and on?

Have you ever experienced such a time as this? A time when you became so confused, so discouraged and so disheartened in your Christian walk that you wanted to let go, give in and give up?

The dictionary describes this feeling of utter disillusionment as dismay. It means we have become so perplexed, bewildered and confused at the total devastation we see in our lives that we are completely undone. The dictionary describes it this way: Dismay occurs when courage and resolution are taken away from us by the alarm and fear we find at every turn.

Synonyms of the word dismay are: appalled, horrified, disheartened, disabled, unnerved or cracked. It's the feeling of just wanting to give up and die. How aptly these words express Job's state of mind when, after all the devastation in his life, he cries out, "Now, I am nothing!" (Job 6:21)

If we are honest with ourselves, all of us at one time or another have felt dismay. However, in many Christian lives, this state of mind seems to be the "norm." Many have experienced some sort of vision, dream or hope smashed in front of their eyes and have been left in an impossible situation. (Proverbs 29:18; 13:12) They not only feel deceived by God, but abandoned by Him in their greatest need.

The desperation that results is beyond any sensory pain that one could ever bear. Psychiatrists tell us that grief of mind is often harder to bear than physical pain. Paul expresses it perfectly in 2 Corinthians 1:8 when he says that he "...despaired of life itself."

As Christians, hope in God, His Word and His promises are the anchors of our soul. (Hebrews 6:19) It's imperative that we have complete confidence that the Lord will do all that He promises in His Word.

That's the basis of our faith. Our spiritual existence is determined by our expectation of the Lord's provision for our future. Consequently, if our trust and expectations are shattered by some inexplicable experience, then overwhelming fear and confusion and the feeling of wanting to give up result.

Take, for example, the young Christian woman who has undergone three open heart surgeries in the last three years. Cindy not only was assured by her doctor each time that she was healed and could go home, but she also has had many personal promises from the Lord about her healing. How does Cindy now deal with the fact that, as of today, her heart is once again 98% blocked, and she now faces her 29th angioplasty in 36 months?

Then, there's the Christian wife, married for over 30 years, who not only has had hundreds of personal Scriptures promising the restoration of her marriage, but also the word of her wayward husband that "this time" he would remain faithful. How does she now deal with the fact that once again her husband has been caught cheating?

And, again, how does the Christian husband apply God's promise of Psalm 91 to give His angels charge over him and to keep him in all his ways, when one year ago he lost his only daughter in a tragic car accident, his only son, soon after, was committed to a long-term care unit because of drug use and today his wife lies in a hospital because of an attempted suicide. In light of these trials, tribulations and tragedies, how does one keep from becoming dismayed, discouraged and depressed? How do we avoid the feeling of wanting to let go, give in and give up?

This is the kind of scenario that seems to be happening in so many Christian homes at the present time. As one believer put it to me recently: "It's like being on a bungee cord, bounced back and forth, never able to stop."

Another expressed it this way: "It's like bringing a baby to birth (meaning God own personal promises), but not being able to deliver it (promises unfulfilled). And yet another: "I don't know how much more I can take. I'm just about ready to give up!"

The question becomes: How do we refrain from being angry, bitter and blaming God in situations like this? How do we get to the point where we never let go, never give in and never give up?

Isaiah 41:10 tells us, "Fear thou not; for I am with thee. Be not dismayed [never give up]; for I am thy God. I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." (See also Deuteronomy 31:8)

There's our promise. There's our hope. And there's our part. God is telling us that if we choose not to be dismayed, then He will be with us, He will strengthen us, help us and uphold us!

The question is: How do we do this? How do we never give up, so that He will be with us, help us and uphold us?

Longsuffering

The Biblical answer is by learning longsuffering. And, believe it or not, longsuffering is a fruit of the Spirit. Galatians 5:22 lists it as number four on a list of 10! Now, all of us yearn for the fruit of Love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance, but who on earth wants to learn "longsuffering" or patient enduring? No, thank you! And yet, God says longsuffering is a part of His character, a part of His image and a part of His nature. Therefore it's something He wants us all to learn.

Paul tells us in 1 Timothy 1:16 that he, himself, is a perfect pattern or model of Christ's longsuffering. He says that since Christ patiently endured his (Paul's) sinful ways, we must remember this example and patiently endure others' sinful ways.

Longsuffering simply means "suffering that seems to last forever." But please hear this: Longsuffering is always associated with hope and mercy. Therefore, it is the opposite of despair, discouragement and depression. 1 Thessalonians 1:3 confirms this: "...remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love and patience of hope [longsuffering] in our Lord Jesus Christ..."

Another definition of longsuffering that I really like is: believing all things, hoping all things and enduring all things. Longsuffering here describes someone who continually puts all unfulfilled hopes, dreams and visions at the foot of the Cross and never lets go, never gives in and never gives up!

Longsuffering is simply Love that endures all circumstances. Are you willing to learn this kind of Love?





source: http://www.khouse.org/articles/2005/605/print/

 

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Never Give Up! The Fruit of Longsuffering
Longsuffering: A Fruit of the Spirit
by Nancy Missler

Last month, we jump-started a new series of articles by asking the question: "Have you ever experienced a time where you became so confused, so discouraged and so disheartened in your Christian walk that you just wanted to let go, give in and give up?"

If we are honest with ourselves, all of us at one time or another would have to say, "Yes, we have felt this way and it's devastating." As Christians, hope in God and His promises are the anchors of our soul. Therefore, it's imperative we have complete confidence that the Lord will do all He promises to do in His Word. That's the basis of our faith.

However, how do we avoid the feeling of wanting to let go, give in and give up in light of some of the trials and tragedies God allows in our lives? How do we refrain from being angry, bitter and blaming Him?

The Biblical answer is by learning longsuffering. Longsuffering is a fruit of the Spirit and is listed as number four on Galatians' list of ten! Longsuffering is a part of God's character, a part of His image and a part of His nature. Therefore it's something He wants us all to learn experientially.

Longsuffering speaks of a person who doesn't give in to dismay, confusion and discouragement when difficult circumstances occur, but patiently endures them without complaint, "seeing Him who is invisible" in the midst of the trial. (Hebrews 11:27)

An Example: Christine

A stunning example of one who hasn't given in to dismay or confusion in her trial but has patiently endured it without complaint is my dear friend, Christine. Married to a pastor and mother of five children, Christine is desperately trying to hold on to her failing marriage. She has every Biblical right to leave, but more than anything else, she wants the Lord's will. Listen to what she writes:


"Many of us face hardships in our marriages, but we must never give up on God! Although the valleys seem dark and it does appear that `we are troubled on every side, distressed, persecuted and cast down,' but in the eyes of our faithful God, `we are not distressed, not in despair, not forsaken and not destroyed.' (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) We are loved by God and He desires that we live the abundant life. His abundant life only comes from a dying to self and a living for Christ. He is a God that loves to have His children bear fruit. It's not the same fruit that the world bears; that of financial wealth and material things, but the wealth that never rusts and never passes away - the fruit of the spirit. Through the many trials of my life and the one I am currently in, I know that all is Father-filtered. He is pruning me and I am beginning to bring forth that precious fruit. The fruit of longsuffering has been the most painful to birth and I have resisted the process many days. But, I am beginning to see the blossom and one day this fruit will be evident for all to see."

Christine's Poem

The following poem is one that Christine wrote only two weeks ago. She wrote it, as you will hear, from her heart. I know you will agree, after reading it, that God is not only in and all around this beautiful sister in the Lord, but that He has a special future planned for her. Listen:

As the sun sets each day the night brings despair, somewhere in the darkness my knight has disappeared. The road and the battle have been long and tough, only those in the darkness begin to enjoy the lack of trust.

The knight that once rode upon a valiant white horse is lost somewhere in the darkness and appears so distraught.

The one to whom he wed searches for the one that was so true, only to find the shadows of them she once knew.

Her heart is broken and her head begins to spin, as she feels the enemy approach, appearing to win.

The maiden has turned older and a bit worn. Wisdom has crept by, her loved one has gone.

She sees his shiny armor only in her dreams as she dances there with the man that used to call her queen.

The younger maiden in the land has caught her husband's eye, and the screams you hear are that of a dream that wants to live but only seems to die. The screams are silent many times as she sees him look at her, for that was her valiant knight who has drifted far from her.

The old maiden used to feel that love was worth her while and that she would sail off with him and never ever cry.

Time has passed and seasons change, the night won't last forever. One day the old maiden will awake with hope bound in her heart, looking from the past to a brand new start.

The days grow cold and the screams seem to linger, but the maiden knows that it will not always be December.

The winter will pass and the screams will go away, and the maiden will arise with the promise of a new day. As God's promise is bigger than the pain and her latter dreams become true, God's promises will erase the trials and tribulations that caused her disgrace.

The trials and tribulations will have made her strong, and her screams will turn into laughter as the pain turns into song.

Morning comes alive with the promise of a new day, weeping has turned to joy in a more excellent way. God's Love has overcome and the birds begin to fly, the wind begins to whisper a familiar lullaby; "Never Give Up" will be the words that the Holy Spirit imparts and that darkness now has turned to day as the promises embark.

Longsuffering has blossomed, a new beginning is made, God's promises are certain and this is a new day!!!




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Christine's Exhortation

In her letter, Christine went on to write a few thoughts to those experiencing similar trials. This is what she had to say:

"Stay on the vine - the pruning process may make you scream, but the fruit that results is the sweetest in the land. I pray that if you are in the season of pruning that you would allow the fruit of longsuffering to come forth. I pray that in some way this writing will give you a hope of a new tomorrow. God will wipe away all the tears and you will break forth into song. Stronger for the experience, richer in your walk with God. My prayer is that this writing will give you hope. Again, as 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 says, `We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.'"

This series of articles will be chocked-full of examples like Christine's. Men and women who, in spite of their horrific circumstances, have chosen to never let go, never give in and never give up. We'll explore their situations and learn "how" they were able to hang on. How they avoided becoming overwhelmed and dismayed in their trials. How they persevered through them rather than falling apart in them. And, how they took a negative situation and turned it around into a positive one.

Isaiah 41:10 tells us: "Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you. I will uphold you..." This is our promise and this is our hope! But, in order to take advantage of this promise and hope, we must first learn to do our part of the bargain: we must learn how not to be dismayed and how never to give up!

Hebrews 6:12 is another interesting Scripture about longsuffering. It tells us that we are to be followers of them who through faith and patience (i.e., longsuffering) inherit the promises of God. Well, let me ask you a question: Could the reverse also be true? That if we don't learn longsuffering, we won't inherit God's promises. Wow! Read that again! Could this Scripture be telling us that only as we learn to patiently endure will the Lord's promises be fulfilled in our lives? It's just a question for you to think about, but it certainly tells me that longsuffering is an essential "fruit" and that it must be learned in order to embrace all of God's promises.

Definition of Suffering

The definition for the word "suffering" is probably quite different from what you might imagine. Suffering simply means "barring ourselves from following sin and self." In other words, when we choose to bar ourselves from following what we want, what we feel and what we desire, and choose, instead, to follow what Jesus has asked, we often do suffer. It's often very difficult to say "no" to self and "yes" to God; and, difficult to put another's interests and needs before our own.

"Long" suffering is simply a means of un-selfing us. It's a means by which we unlearn all that we have learned so far by the flesh and relearn everything all over again by the Spirit. This in-between learning time is often called "longsuffering."

The root of the word "longsuffering" in the Greek is thumos, which means anger, wrath or indignation. Longsuffering means "holding back or restraining" what we really feel (anger, wrath or indignation) and what we really want to do; and instead, doing what God wants us to do. The way we hold back or restrain our natural response is by choosing to give our anger, wrath and bitterness, etc., to God, rather than acting upon them. Again, it's "barring ourselves from following what we would really like to do" and, instead, doing what God wants us to do. God, then, promises to be our champion, our defender and our vindicator.

When we learn to respond in this way, Romans 5:3-5 tells us we'll be able to "glory in [our] tribulations...knowing that tribulation worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope; and, hope maketh not ashamed, because the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us." Note, by the way, the order of spiritual growth here: hope and love are apprehended only after patient enduring and experience. Not before!

I believe the Lord is telling us here that the fruit of longsuffering is absolutely critical to experience, imperative to implement and essential to display. There seems to be eternal consequences!




source: http://www.khouse.org/articles/2005/617/print/

 

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Never Give Up! The Fruit of Longsuffering
Longsuffering in the End Times
by Nancy Missler

May the Lord bless you with His presence this Holiday Season. As the psalmist says: "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: Come before His presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord He is God: It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: Be thankful unto Him and bless His Name." (Psalm 100:1-4)

This is our third article on the subject of longsuffering, which may seem like a strange holiday message, but I am convinced this is exactly what the Lord would have us hear especially during the Holiday Season.

In Daniel 12, the Lord talks about the "end times" and conveys a personal message not only to Daniel, but to all of us: "...go thy way for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tested...but the wise shall understand." (Daniel 12:9-10)

Daniel's prediction seems to be on the horizon. Many Christians are being tried and purified and tested as never before. Something is different! Something has changed in the world as we know it. Something has been unleashed. And, I believe it's what Daniel calls the coming "time of the end."

David Wilkerson recently wrote in his Times Square Pulpit Series: "In all my years of ministry, I've never seen so many believers under such affliction. There has never been a time like this, with families facing financial crises, enduring marital struggles, despairing over children in rebellion....Wives and families are being overwhelmed. Pastors are quitting by the hundreds in every nation... Everywhere we go, we see pandemic despair....

"We're living in a time of the greatest gospel revelation in history. There are more preachers, more books, more gospel-media saturation than ever. Yet there has never been more distress, affliction and troubled minds among God's people."1

From my own walk of 47 years with the Lord, it appears that God has begun to wrap up life as we know it. He's accomplishing this by allowing more world problems, a greater magnitude of personal problems and a wave of evil that we have not experienced before.

Consequently, Christians are being forced to choose sides. The Lord is not letting us be "fence sitters" any more. Lukewarmness is no longer being tolerated. And, no one is exempt from God's purging. We're all in the "fire" together. But, rather than get burned up from ignorance, apathy and fear, let's find out how to use these difficult times to our advantage and for His glory.

The Lord tells us that in the days just before He returns, every aspect of our lives will be tested: all our secrets exposed and all our motives revealed. (1 Peter 4:17) Why? So that His will might be accomplished - that we might become more conformed to His image. (Romans 8:29) Now the method that God seems to use in order to implement His will in our lives is difficult times. It has been aptly said that we are forged in the crucible of adversity!

However, James 1:3-4 gives us a wonderful promise: it says that (if we allow it to) the testing of our faith will produce patience (or endurance). And we are to let that patience have its perfect work, that we may be complete and entire, lacking nothing. This is His will.

Clearly, this Scripture is saying that the "means" by which we are able to withstand God's testings and be conformed into His image is the fruit of longsuffering (patient endurance). Longsuffering is simply the determination never to give up, never to give in and never to let go. This is the only attitude that will get us through the coming end times.

No matter how we look at it, "longsuffering" seems to go with being a Christian. Now most of us were not aware of this "fruit" when we "signed on." But at this point in our walk with the Lord, we have no other choice but to proceed. Luke reminds us that those who look back are not fit for the kingdom. (Luke 9:62) Besides, where else would we go? Who else has the answers to life? And who else knows the end from the beginning? Only Jesus Christ.

Why Trials?

God's will, again, is that Christ may be formed in each of us. (Galatians 4:19) Trials and testings seem to be the way this is accomplished. God wants us conformed into His image so that others may see Christ in us and truly want what we have. When we genuinely reflect Christ in all that we do, others will come to the conclusion that Christianity really works. There's no hypocrisy - our words and deeds match. It's the real thing. Christ is real!

As John 13:35 tells us, "they will know we are Christians" by what? By our flowery words? I don't think so. By our good deeds? Lots of people do good things. No, they will know we are Christians by seeing Christ's genuine Love and compassion in and through us.

God wants us to be willing to set ourselves aside in every situation, no matter how difficult. In doing so, we not only prove to Him that we love Him, but we also show that we truly belong to Him. A perfect example is Genesis 22. In this chapter, Abraham is about ready to sacrifice his only son as God had asked him to, when the Lord stops him and says: "Now I know that you fear [love] God, seeing that you have not withheld thy son [your most precious possession]..." (vs. 12)

We, too, must learn how to totally give ourselves over to the Lord in circumstances, not withholding . We must be willing to lay these things down at the Cross, remembering that nothing can touch us but what God has not first ordained.
In other words, no person, no situation, no tragedy and no illness can come into our lives that is not "Father filtered" and allowed by His sovereign permission. And when He does say "yes" to certain difficult situations, He promises to be with us, to never fail or forsake us, to strengthen us, to help us and to uphold us. (Isaiah 41:10)

The most wonderful promise is tucked away in 2 Timothy 2:12 which says that, if we suffer for Him, "we shall also reign with Him." Remember the definition of suffering that we talked about last article. It means "to bar ourselves from following sin and self."

Obviously, when we do this we often do suffer, but He promises that the result will be reigning with Him! What glory, what hope and what a vision for the future!

I believe the Lord is telling us that the fruit of longsuffering is absolutely critical to learn and experience. There seems to be eternal consequences!

A Biblical Example of Longsuffering

There are many examples of longsuffering in the Bible. The primary one, of course, being Jesus. But there's another one that stands out to me:

It's the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, Daniel's three friends whom Nebuchadnezzar had thrown into the fiery furnace because they would not bow down and worship him. Rather than bemoan their fate, these three brave men declared that the "God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." (Daniel 3:17-18)

Can you imagine giving this kind of a response to the king of the known world at the time? Nebuchadnezzar was so furious at their answer that his composure completely changed. He commanded his mighty men to bind the three, make the fire seven times hotter and cast them into it.

We all know the end of the story. When Nebuchadnezzar looked into the fire to see what happened, he said, "Did we not cast three men, bound, into the midst of the fire?" His servants answered, "Yes, my Lord." Nebuchadnezzar then said, but "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt, and ...the fourth is like the Son of God." (verses 24-25)

Truly, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego exemplified the fruit of longsuffering. They never let go, never gave in and never gave up! They endured and persevered until they "saw Him who is invisible" even in the fire.

What About Us?

What about us? Most of us talk very openly about "being like Christ" and of having His characteristics of Love, joy, peace, etc., but what about the fruit of longsuffering - that determination to never give up, give in or let go? Do we manifest this fruit to others? How easy it is for us to simply preach "Christ crucified" without ever really living it.2

The question we must ask ourselves is how can we preach Christ crucified if we really don't understand what longsuffering is all about?

Recently, someone made an absolutely profound statement to me: she said, "It's crucial that the messenger becomes the message itself." Think about that for a moment. The messenger (the one relaying God's Word) must become the message itself (the one living God's Word). What she was saying is that we must not only "talk the talk," we must also "live" the message of God's Love, joy, peace and longsuffering. One of Jesus' main characteristics was longsuffering Love! Do we emulate this kind of Love to our spouses, to our families and to our friends, especially during this Holiday Season?

How can we even talk about the fruit of the Spirit if we don't manifest all of it? There's no way we can communicate God's message of Love to others, especially in trials, if we have not first experienced it for ourselves! Head knowledge can only produce head knowledge in others. Heart knowledge can only produce heart knowledge. But, "foot knowledge" (His life showing forth in our actions) births "foot knowledge" in others.

Our daily prayer should be exactly what Paul prayed in 2 Corinthians 4:12, that death would work in us (that we would learn to set ourselves aside), so that Christ's Life could be formed in others. Producing the "fruit of longsuffering" in us is one of God's ways of answering that prayer.

Remember Shadrack, Meshack and Abednego. They endured "by seeing Him who is invisible" in the fire with them. (Hebrews 11:27)




source: http://www.khouse.org/articles/2005/621/print/