I was just thinking. Does it matter whether we say God allows for certain trials to come our way or whether the devil brought us the trials eg sickness? After all, either way we are in sickness and suffering. I believe the difference is firstly, understanding the character of God that God is good and there is no evil in Him. Secondly, we know we are not alone in the world. There exists a heavenly realm where angels battle with the devil. Thirdly, once we understand how the devil operates, we can clearly see how we are deceived. Fourthly, we begin to better appreciate who we are in Christ and actually apply it to our daily lives and live victorious lives! This brings us peace, not peace of the world but the peace that God gives. It is shalom, wholeness including healing, deliverance, salvation. Christ has given us everything and His plan for mankind is still being rolled out but meanwhile He has equipped us well to live in the world that we may experience Him firsthand and then go tell others what Jesus has done in our lives!
Cousin Tracy shared with me today what she heard from her pastor yesterday:
"...Our sermon at church yesterday was on walking with God, James 1: 2-4 came up. The pastor was referring to the times when sometimes we are confused by certain passages in the bible for eg. Vs 2 which says - consider it pure joy...whenever you face trials of many kinds.. With humour the pastor was saying it is not in our nature to find for eg. When you find a big bill to pay and we respond with any kind of joy. That verse in James, The idea of pure joy is kinda like saying you will be rewarded. With what? With perseverance....perseverance..so that we may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. I am reminded that we have to ask God to help us see things differently, not through our understanding but see it through his, his purposes, his vision, praying for the renewing of our minds, our attitudes! Thank goodness God is such a patient God!"
This reminded me of a friend I know who is suffering from insomnia the past two months. She is really exhausted as she does not get enough sleep. She could hardly talk to us, really low on energy. Another friend of mine had a word for her to "rejoice in the Lord". She mentioned she would not be able to attend the graduation dinner and said "How can I rejoice being in a state like this?".
When Tracy shared the understanding of joy, I began to put two and two together. Rejoicing, being joyous is an understanding, more than an understanding, a deep persuasion, a deep sense of knowing that we know that we know how much God loves us and who we are in Christ and how He has equipped us so well to withstand trials until Jesus returns again. We know that God loves us so much He provides it all for us even when we are down, He is still holding our hand. That's the deep joy that we have, that everything will be alright soon and blessings will come pouring in, not only after the trial is over but during the trial as well. There is so much I have experienced and seen so much blessings poured out to my family way more than before this trial.
Yet, it is not God who brought sickness to my life for He is all good. In many ways, I had left the door ajar for the devil to attack me from fears, self rejection, unbelief, doubts, witchcraft, sorcery to mind control - but once I knew how the devil operates, I could shoot them down one by one with Holy Spirit's help.
Talking about the devil, my mum just told me that my neighbor on my left related how she saw a spirit come towards her bathroom window. She said since she moved in next door to us, she has had two accidents. I have seen her lay out a table for worship outside the house several times. My mum told me to follow her I.e. to switch on the bathroom lights upstairs. I told her as Christians, we need not fear for He who is in us is greater than he in the world including evil spirits, devil, demons and minions. As Christians we have to guard our minds as the devil can put thoughts into us and sometimes we believe their words over God's words. That is why we need to spend time with God to renew our minds to align back to what God says about us and to believe what He says OVER what the devil says. I am no longer afraid of evil spirits around me as they are everywhere but I know one thing that they hate and fear - Christians praising God! Our praises silences the foe, the enemy, the avenger. Our praises causes our house to be filled with the presence of God and where God is the devil scoots off.
Psalm 8:2
2 Through the praise of children and infants
you have established a stronghold against your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.
Psalm 22:3
But you are holy, O you that inhabit the praises of Israel
The adventure with God never ends, we never say we have arrived but keep persevering, keep growing, keep pressing in for more and more of Him. That was my prayer this morning that He gives me wisdom where I lack, that He opens the eyes of my understanding that I will know Him more intimately and just rejoice being a child of God.
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