“Many adversities come to the one who is righteous, but the Lord delivers him from them all.” (Psalm 34:19 CSB)
“What have I ever done to deserve this?” This is a question we sometimes hear from one who is trying to follow the Lord who suddenly experiences a trauma in life. It may be caused by the loss of a loved one, or some bad news about health, or the loss of livelihood, or some such trauma. The thinking behind this question is, “If I try to live a good life, God will protect me from really bad problems.” That is a myth. It is not real, and it is not true. In fact, based on what the Word teaches, just the opposite is true. Look at what it says, “Many adversities come to the one who is righteous.”
An adversity is what you have when something does not go as well as expected or hoped. For example, if someone takes a prescription medicine and breaks out in a rash, it is called an “adverse reaction” (or allergic reaction). The medication did not achieve what was intended.
You can take this to the bank and deposit it – if you try to live your life rightly and do what is right, you are going to experience many adversities. That is because you have an adversary named Satan who despises righteousness and who will do whatever he can to keep you from it. This is a spiritual reality.
Fortunately, however, there is the other side of this which says, “But the Lord delivers him from them all.” Satan may be our adversary, but Jesus is our Advocate. He delivers us from evil. Satan is no match for Jesus. It’s not even close. That would be like comparing an ant to an elephant. Jesus wins every time.
Jesus said, “You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.” (John 16:33 CSB) God’s word to us is to understand that adversities are going to come into the lives of His people, but we cannot allow them to conquer us. Just the opposite, with courage we are to overcome them. We have the power to do this simply through the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts. He gives us courage and stands with us through any adversity, and He leads us to victory.
Lord, Fill us with Your Spirit and enable us to face any and all adversities we may experience in this day. Help us to remain faithful throughout and trust in You for deliverance. Amen.
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1 comment:
Your blessing for today is poignant. How are we as Christians to get thru this worldly existence if we dont adopt your message? I was recently told by a spiritual counselor the same thing. I, as a Christian, will be persecuted for the rest of my life. Sometimes in small ways. Sometimes larger. Expect it. Sometimes "enough isnt going to be enough" when I declare my love for the Lord and His Holy Spirit in my life. For me, I dont think I'm beyond the tragedies and the heartbreaks. But Satan knows that I know him, I recognize his ways and his disguises, and know it for what it is. Take one day at a time.
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