God is Testing You Because He Is Preparing You For Something Better. Hold On In Faith And Trust God

For you the child of God giving up is not an option the fight is tougher when you are on the right track and it gets harder when you're getting close Psalms 34 19 says the righteous person may have many troubles but the Lord delivers him from them all here is what the Bible is saying to you right now even with this and every other challenge in your life God is saying That there is victory for you in every fight one Victory may take longer than another to take place however you are destined to emerge the

winner in the end for every single one of them you see no two battles in your life are the same they may look identical but they are never the same the time it took to overcome one may differ from the time it takes to Overcome another sometimes you may even fall victim to the lies of the devil telling you that this particular fight ends in your defeat but don't ever forget this the devil is a liar in every challenge that comes your way you have one destiny which is the triumph over it no matter what

comes your way you are destined to Win It Romans chapter 8 verse 37 says no in all these things we are more than conquerors Through him Who Loved Us in everything not in some things in everything in all seasons the child of God is not a quitter you are a winner this is your destiny you need to know this deep within your spirit I don't know what you are dealing with in your life right now maybe no one else does too maybe this has been your predicament for too long now whatever it is God knows

he is aware of what is Happening in your life and he cares about you much more than you know God does not only care about you he is also interested in your emergence and victory he is right there with you and he wants you to go through it triumphantly until you come out on top coming out on top for one may be different from coming out on top for another this is another ideal to note about life that things turned out one way for another does not mean that is The only way things turn God

has a variety of ways for taking his children through the storm as long as they are holding on to him you see just like in the sports match not every game ends the same way between the losers and winners one team may win by one goal another by two or another by even more but whether by one goal or by two goals or even by more goals at the end of the game the team with a higher number of goals between both teams will Be declared winner God also works like that most times his plan

for you are good plans but your destiny is not the same with another person that it went one way for one person may not be God's plan for you to win your own battle don't forget I told you earlier that no two battles are the same they may seem identical but they are very different let me give you another example the Bible tells us the story of a father and son Abraham and Isaac they both experience famine in their days respectively in Abraham's days when famine arose he traveled down to Egypt the Egyptians did not

suffer the effect of the famine at that time and so even though God had not guided Abraham there he preserved him made him Prosper there and took him out wealthier than he was when he got in foreign verses 1 through 2 says so Abraham went up from Egypt to the Negev with his wife And everything he had and lot went with him Abraham had become very wealthy in livestock and in silver and gold don't forget that Abraham would have been in a lot of trouble if God had not helped him in Egypt he had lied

about Sarah being his sister and not his wife so that they Egyptians wouldn't kill him for her because she was beautiful Pharaoh had taken her to be his wife but God showed up and dealt with him and his entire family so he returned her to Abraham What helped Abraham and he survived both the famine and the Egyptians then a couple of years later Isaac his son experienced the same famine as well the Bible tells us that he was on his way to escape this famine and go to Egypt like his father Abraham maybe he was

hoping that he would both escape the famine and at the same time profit there like his father did too however God had other plans for him God stopped him from doing exactly what his Father had done Genesis chapter 26 verses 2 through 6. the Lord appeared to Isaac and said do not go down to Egypt live in the land where I tell you to live stay in this land for a while and I will be with you and will bless you for to you and your descendants I will give all these lands and will confirm

the oath I swore to your father Abraham I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and will give them all these Lands and through your Offspring All Nations on Earth will be blessed because Abraham obeyed me and did everything I required of him keeping my Commandments my decrees and my instructions so Isaac stayed in garage for each fight God has a plan but in order for that plan to come to pass like a coach in his team you have to play according to that plan or else you will lose the

game not only so you forfeit your Victory when you give up and quit as well you See this is what God was telling Isaac I have my plans for you I already told your father that this is where I am going to bless it may not look like it but stay here it may look hard but trust me and don't go anywhere the Bible tells us that Isaac obeyed and stayed there here is what happened next because of Isaac's compliance Genesis chapter 26 verses 12-14 Isaac planted crops in that land in the same year reaped

a hundredfold because The Lord blessed him the man became rich and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy he had so many flocks and herds and servants that the Philistines envied him this my friend is the secret that makes the difference between those who give up and those who dare to trust God and keep standing those who give up never gain anything but those who stayed through the fight come out with something many times we are so concerned about the Defeat that we failed to see that even when it seems you were

defeated you gained experience for instance it was never recorded that Abraham visited Egypt again after that he was in his learning process and from that experience he had learned to trust God completely what you may be going through may be like this famine you just can't say when the rains will come you know famine and drought aren't like a change in season When you say okay Springtime is over and so let's wait for the next spring during famine and drought there is no rain falling from the sky and even if it rains somehow the ground

wasn't yielding any crop no matter how hard you tried hence to watch Isaac planting crops during famine must have appeared very foolish maybe they would have mocked him for doing so nevertheless he went ahead with it he didn't mind he didn't quit he was acting not because he was confident In his own ability but because he was confident in God who promised to help him the outcome proved that it was worth everything to trust God the Bible tells us that in the same year not the next one same year when Isaac planted he harvested bountifully

without losing any crop that is a hundredfold harvest most people would struggle with a hundred-fold harvest even when there was No famine but here was Isaac experiencing a hundred-fold during famine no wonder the natives envied him and tried to frustrate him but God still stood for him you must always remember that God is with you not only with you God is also for you he is on your side Desiring that you may win in this fight nevertheless if you give up before the time of your Victory there will be no Victory to take whatever you

are going through whatever fight you are in Keep fighting do not give up don't stop praying don't stop fasting Don't Stop Believing don't stop speaking the truth don't stop studying the devil always never fights what is helping him if you are sure that this is the devil fighting you then let that be your signal that you are on the right track remember Satan never fights what is helping him therefore if you are on the right track keep going you are not alone God is for you and he is with you don't be afraid your confidence

is not in your ability this is not your fight but God's fight Second Chronicles chapter 20 verse 15 says he said listen King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem this is what the Lord says to you do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast Army for the battle is not yours but God's so what exactly are you fighting now is it called the fight of Faith the fight To keep standing in the faith this is what it is what does this mean the enemy wants you to stop believing he wants

you to throw in the towel he wants you to believe that this is the end of the line for you but he is lying you must keep reminding yourself of God's promises in his word like the one in Isaiah chapter 41 verse 10 do not fear for I am with you do not be dismayed for I am your God I will strengthen you and help you I will uphold you with my righteous right Hand don't give up their child of God your Victory is just around the corner if you quit you will never see it

let me leave you with something God taught me and which keeps me each time I want to give up hope over any issue keep going and don't give up if you have strength for one more step put it in front of you if you can keep walking then you will eventually reach your destination let this also encourage you write it down somewhere and never forget It a lot of us are unaware of God's love for us and continually we're filled with guilt shame and self-pity about how we don't deserve God's love and forgiveness because we've

made mistakes in life yes indeed we don't deserve it but God so deeply loves us that he made Provisions for us provisions of his grace his Everlasting Love and his forgiveness yes you read that right God loves you so Much that he invested so much of his resources on you and God isn't tired of you neither is he giving up on you Lamentations 3 20-23 [Music] I well remember them and my soul is downcast within me yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope because of the Lord's great love we are not

consumed For his compassions never fail they're new every morning great is your faithfulness there are a lot of people who still feel trapped in their own sin and shame but let this message bring hope to you this message is for those who enter the church on Sundays with a heavy heart during the worship session feeling unworthy to approach God because of their failures making promises to God to do better this Time promises that they know they can't keep this message is for those who are struggling to understand how God could still love them even when

they keep asking for forgiveness repeatedly the enemy Satan is called the accuser and he would like to deceive you to let that one mistake cause you to feel badly about yourself and how God sees you Falling Down is an accident staying down is a choice If you go around wearing negative labels like addicted failed compromised or divorced it'll keep you away from running towards God and ultimately missing what God has in store for you second Peter 1 3 says his divine power has given us everything we need for a Godly life through our knowledge of

him who called us by his own glory and goodness so your identification with God is a Call and not just any call but a glorious call not a call to shame or sin it's not just being a child of Destiny you have a glorious destiny God created a beautiful destiny for each of us and nothing can stop God's plan for our lives not that single mistake or five for some people or even ten thousand mistakes for others you may have failed but you're not a Failure don't allow that sin to Define Who You Are when

God looks at you he doesn't see a sinner what God sees is his child who needs to realize his or her mistakes accept the provisions the father has put in place and come back to him trust me it's waiting to receive you anytime with open arms even right now The story of the prodigal son and his father confirms this what do you do when you found yourself confronted with reality of sin in your life more specifically what is a healthy way to repent and move forward before I approach any kind of steps to take I

want to address what the Bible says sin is and why sin in our lives is bad it's helped me in my life to understand Why something is a sin rather than just hearing that's a sin don't do it sin as defined in the original translations of the Bible means to miss the mark the mark in this context refers to the standard of perfection according to God's word and this is exemplified in the nature and character of Jesus it's clear that we have at one point in our lives sinned against God The Bible says in Romans

3 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God when thinking about Sin it's important to remember that first and foremost sin is an offense against God because it goes against his very nature of perfection and holiness for example lying is a sin because God cannot lie secondly sin violates yourself because sin is morally wrong and brings Destruction ultimately sin separates us from God in sin we lose our god-ordained glorious destiny sin brings death to our inward life and eventually brings Eternal death to our souls that means that the only thing

that sin brings into our lives is death whether that be emotional mental or physical Romans 6 23 for the wages of sin is death but the Gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our lord it also harms others all sin even so-called private sin harms others indirectly maybe not at that exact moment but in the future you see sin wasn't in our world from the beginning it wasn't part of God's blueprint when he formed our world in the beginning in Genesis God in his perfect wisdom created everything including the first Couple Adam and

Eve the Bible would further tell us that everything God created was beautiful and perfect be wondering if God's wisdom is so perfect during the creation process then how did Sin come into the world and why am I being punished and tagged a sinner God so loved Adam and Eve that he gave them to rule over everything in the garden and on Earth But he specifically instructed them not to eat of a particular tree Genesis 2 17. but you must not eat from the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil for when you eat from

it you will certainly die you see our God is a loving God that He gave Adam and Eve free will The Power of Choice he didn't create slaves or robots he made people and he wanted them to see and love him by themselves without being Made or forced to do so when the evil one came he tested Eve and deceived her with lies turning her heart away from what God commanded her not to do disobeying God Eve ate from the tree and so did Adam at that exact moment sin was born life itself lost its

meaning Adam and Eve lost their rightful position with God they lost their glory and they Ultimately lost their way this was the death God had meant earlier even so God's love still prevailed had another plan to make things perfect again therefore he sent his only son Jesus Christ into the world to redeem us and reconcile us with himself one more time what a wonderful love what a brilliant plan what a sacrifice he made This was and Still Remains the ultimate Divine investment on mankind that whosoever would believe in and turn to Jesus will be saved

and become a member of God's family give an eternal life with the hope of Eternity in Heaven someday now having seen what sin is and how it affected God's creation I hope you can see that sin has been doing great damage and will continue to do damage anywhere it's allowed to have its way However with that there is hope for those who will sincerely turn to God and seek his love Temptations will come to all people and sometimes some of us might fall into it however let me share with you what makes the difference between

those who are walking in God's mercy and power from those who aren't how to Rise Up from your sins and draw closer to God one of the hardest mindsets to break is The one you bear when you know you're living in sin the Bible says that when that happens the deceiver that is the accuser Satan brings words of condemnation like oh man you did it again you're no good you'll never measure up to any good this thought process is called condemnation and it's not okay condemnation makes you think that you can earn forgiveness by beating

yourself up and putting yourself on probation for A few days we often feel that our sin is too great for God to forgive please understand that condemnation is not from God however conviction is conviction sheds light on our sin helps us feel truly sorry and points us to our Savior second Corinthians 7 10. Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to Salvation and leaves no regret but worldly sorrow brings death So first you need to repent except God's forgiveness and believe you're truly forgiven please understand that when God forgives you he forgives your sins entirely and

forgets all your sins most times it's easier to forgive others than forgiving yourselves but you must understand this is the only way you can move forward into your better season and into a new chapter true repentance is more than Acknowledging sin it's turning away from sin and running back to God it's not simply saying Lord I Repent while you're still seeking sin out to desire to continue in sin shows a misunderstanding of this abundant grace God's provisions and investment for us and contempt for Jesus's sacrifice Paul wrote in Romans 6 1-2 what shall we say

there shall we go on sinning so that Grace may increase by no means we are those who have died to sin how Can we live in it any longer if you find that your desires are sinful pray Lord create clean and pure Desires in me take out these sinful Desires in my heart be honest with yourself you won't get past sinful desires if you don't admit they're there God wants you to be free from all your obsessions and uncontrollable wrong desires he wants to free you from a guilty Conscience what are the steps to repentance

acknowledge your sin to God and ask him to forgive you make a commitment in your heart to turn away from that sin find a trustworthy mature Christian friend or Pastor that you can talk to accept God's forgiveness and realize you're forgiven in God's eyes When sin is in the darkness or secret it thrives but when you confess your sins Or shed light on them by talking with someone mature about it it helps nullify the power of Shame I believe the final step of accepting Christ's forgiveness is crucial to your commitment to turn from sin this

is the act of accepting that we are a new creation because of Jesus's sacrifice on the cross stop allowing anyone to label you with negativity not even yourself the moment you turn away from sin and Choose to repent in that instant you become a new man if you believe the lies of the accuser it'll keep you away from your destiny the only one who can stop you is you if you have fallen into sin this also applies to you steer yourself off and remind yourself that you're a Christian a child of God a holy individual

you are better than this and you don't belong here And then you walk away from it without looking back when I'm accepting God's forgiveness I speak it out loud in a prayer an example might be Lord I accept your forgiveness and believe that I am made righteous in your sight thank you Jesus for forgiving me amen the Christian life is all about glorifying and loving God thereby enjoying being with him it's not supposed to be about trying not To sin I'm not trying to lessen the seriousness of sin but I am trying to magnify the

importance of the pursuit of enjoying a relationship with God when you enjoy being with God you obey him consistently because it's based on love and love spontaneously produces a powerful form of obedience friend God's resources are a privilege for those who come to God our God-ordained glorious Destiny is only available to those who confess their sins and return to God do that right now he is waiting for you don't die in your sins foreign [Music] the harshest conditions of Life produced the toughest men who have walked the Earth the most ridiculously difficult seasons Of Life

have bred the most hardened lover of God despite the difficulties the cruelest places of the Earth are the making ground of some of the most love-filled men on the face of the Earth the same conditions that exist in some of the darkest places of the world that given rise to some of the most callous and difficult men on Earth today have given birth to some of the most selfless people that can exist this is real This is true sadly in most cases wickedness seems to outweigh good and we see the most outrageous scenes of Darkness

on display than the dim Glory of one good deed God has always favored making his hard Generals in the most difficult conditions possible he has always crafted some of the most hardened die-hard lovers of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God through these means He knows that the only way to get the true nature of man many times is by passing him through the most difficult seasons of his life this he is very much aware of he knows he knows that you don't know yourself as you are you may think you know yourself right now

but the real truth is you don't he knows the deepest intents of man's Heart his word clearly shows this in Hebrews 4 12-13 and 16. for the word of God is quick and Powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit and of the joints in Marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight But all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do let

us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find Grace to help in the time of need he knows you more than your parents your spouse and your loved ones know you think of that best friend you have that close relationship you have that person who seems to be able to tell your every thought and motive at a glance You see all those people they have no clue whatsoever who you really are they may have a very broad perspective of you but they are clueless no one can genuinely predict

where you will be in the future who you will become and the kind of man you will become no one absolutely none now if your biological siblings don't even know you your beloved ones don't know you even you don't know you who can claim to know you or the Potential that exists in you only the manufacturer can know every single thing about the product only the manufacturer can know to what extent the dormant abilities and Potentials in a product have been exploited he made you he knows the hidden tendencies in the deepest crevices of your

heart he is aware of your flaws and faults he knows your frailties he knows your weaknesses he knows Clearly your strengths also he is aware so he knows that smooth sailing all through is not what you need yes I know you are praying for all things to go your way you are praying for Success you're praying for constant winning never to lose never to be at a disadvantage never to be at a loss you don't want to lose any beloved one you don't want to ever taste the bitter Pill of failure let down in heartbreak

sadly that is not a path to growth it is a sure path to destruction for that path is an inclined slope that ends in Peril and heartache the sad truth that most humans deeply resolve to never come to accept in the deepest recess of their hearts is that we as humans never truly learn anything from a success in winning in terms of ratio we probably only gain more in conceit and Bloated sense of Worth in ourselves when we have serial success we begin to see our winds as following an upward curve that does not come

down if we keep implementing strategies sadly we are only set up for a great fall if we just continue on this path there comes no learning experience no hope for growth no shape of increase no space to readjust no space to become better no allowance to adapt to the changes to the Strategy of the enemy and very little change if any at all to the systems we employ to grow in the end all it does is serve to keep feeding our egos so the sure Doom that awaits the proud and conceited Soul catches up to

us in Failure there is definitely pain and hurt yes in Failure there is definitely mishap in heartbreak Yes in disaster there could be seemingly unrecoverable loss yes but there is more than all these in failure in a crash there are well-engraved lessons boldly inscribed on our hearts when we fail we do not forget we hold on to the lessons we have encountered through bitter experiences experience has a very Vivid way of founding deeply in our hearts lessons that we cannot forget even if we tried a failure has no reason to be conceited Hence the problem

with pride is handled when such a Son of God finally finds Grace and Rose Beyond failure and hurt he is aware that it was not due to his abilities and Grace but by the grace and favor of God his father this knowledge sponsors deep humility that is not faked this humility protects such a child of God from the destructive influence of pride Those challenges are very deliberate they are specially crafted for your making and the glory of God you cannot remain the same man when God desires to change you when he decides to challenge your

limits and promote you his plan is to change you because the you of today is in no way sufficient capable experienced trained or equipped to handle the future ahead of you my friend your future your abilities Your grace and your blessings are not made for you of today it may not seem like it now but this is a deep truth you must come to accept so as to attempt the painful place of growth until you decide to brace up and embrace this process you will never be ready for the next phase never the current you

of today is destructive To the Future you expect you are lethal to the Glorious future God has envisioned for you in his word the you of today is a time bomb to ruin the blessings ahead of you if you refuse to subject yourself to this series of challenges God has prepared for you you cannot afford to remain the same man and woman you are right now it is way too costly to manage Saul became another man after he encountered his own test First Samuel chapter 10 6-9 and the spirit of the Lord came upon thee

and thou shalt Prophecy with them and shall be turned into another man and let it be when these signs are come unto thee that thou do as occasions serve thee for God is with thee and thou shalt go down before me to gilgal and behold I will come down unto thee to offer Burnt offerings and to sacrifice sacrifices of Peace offerings seven days shout thou tarry till I come to thee and shoe thee what Thou shalt do and it was so that when he had turned his back to go from Samuel God gave him another

heart and all those signs came to pass that day you cannot remain the same man once you encounter God Saul was unknown in the vast lands of Israel but he was fated to never be anything great until he was selected by God when he was chosen he wasn't sent like that no he was changed by the Blessed anointing of the Lord upon him making him fit for the future that was to be his reality henceforth Saul of today could not be king of Israel no he had to become another man by the shorthand of God

until he changed into that form until his heart was warped into such that it could host the Realities of the throne as king he was unfit to ascend the Throne of Israel he could in no way lead any man he was unfit to stand ahead of any man to show the way much more the nation [Music] Jacob was forced with a similar dilemma he was a Serial failure he could not even marry the woman he wanted as a wife even in that he was cheated he had to labor harshly for many years to amass whatever

he got out of life He lived a difficult life but God had planned such a glorious future for him a future the current Jacob could never see if he remained the same man without facing the challenge of God he knew this too and desperately desired and sought after God for a change in his status in life the Bible paints a very Vivid picture of this Genesis 32 24-30 And Jacob was left alone and there Wrestled a man with him until the breaking of the day and when he saw that he prevailed not against him he

touched the hollow of his thigh in the hollow of Jacob's thigh was out of joint as he wrestled with him and he said let me go for the day breakth and he said I will not let thee go except thou bless me and he said unto him what is thy name And he said Jacob and he said thy name shall be called No More Jacob but Israel for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men and has prevailed and Jacob asked him and said tell me I pray thee thy name and he

said wherefore is it that thou Dost ask after my name and he blessed him there and Jacob called the name of the place peniel for I have seen God face to face and my Life is preserved Jacob refused to proceed any more in this sad tale of struggle when will you get tired to continue as you dear child of God and storm ahead into the challenge God has for you that you may come out of this experience another man properly prepared for the great tomorrow he has for you choose to embrace God's challenge to change

you today [Music] what will happen during the final day on Earth it's a question that lingers in every Christian's mind one thing is certain we will be held responsible for our Deeds on this Earth second Corinthians 5 10. for we must all appear before Christ's judgment seat that each one may get what is due him for his actions while in the Body whether good or bad Paul exhorts us to make pleasing God our ultimate objective because we will all stand before Christ's judgment seat it is the assurance that we will not face the Judgment we

deserve that motivates us to please him and it is the anticipation of solid Joys and Lasting Pleasures that motivates us to serve him in the face of adversity looking forward to Eternal benefits in heaven our effort will be exposed for what it Is either burned away as chaff while we are saved or purified to shine forever and ever like the stars in the sky to the glory of God and to our own Eternal Delight as Paul says in First Corinthians this is also the day when every wrong will be rectified consider that for a moment

from the perspective of The Sinner God's judgment for sin is terrifying yet every sin has a human victim and for those who have been wronged this day Will have been long awaited finally the culprits of all wrongdoings and criminal offenses will be brought to Justice God was watching God was listening and God would put it right every moment a helpless victim pleaded out to God for justice every time disposed people raged against their oppressors to no avail every time a young child's appeals for Mercy fell on deaf ears The Lord advises the persecuted not to

seek revenge on their own but to leave it to him the Lord declares it is mine to Revenge I will repay God will fulfill this promise on the day of judgment the most exciting part is yet to come you are not required to attend this hearing if you let him Jesus appear for you as Daniel informs us the books of record Will be unsealed when the Great and terrible judgment begins however Revelation 2012 mentions another book that will be opened at the same time if your name is found in the Book of Life the outcome

of your lawsuit is guaranteed your case will not even be heard according to John 5 24 very truly I tell you whoever hears my word and believes him who send me has Eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from Death To Life why would God use our Deeds to judge our hearts what I do will reflect what I believe in my heart this is the crucial principle that explains why God's judgment is justly based on our works what makes your work so significant simply because your work reflects your innermost feelings Whatever's

inside has to come out at some point this is a fantastic principle that manifests itself in a variety of ways if you're angry on the inside it'll eventually come out bitterness will rise to the surface if you are bitter greed will manifest itself in your behavior if you are a greedy person if you are merciful Mercy will come back to you if you are gentle the rest of the World will notice whatever you are on the inside will show out in the way you live whether you are thrifty wise trustworthy kind or a peacemaker that

is why God is a work-based judge not to build a path to salvation but to establish a foundation for judgment you are saved by faith and judged on the basis of your actions First Peter 1 17 if you address as father the one who impartially judges According to each one's work conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay on Earth according to Paul God's indignation and wrath falls on the wicked resulting in Tribulation and suffering for them the trauma experienced by people who are the targets of God's Wrath and indignation are referred to

as tribulation and pain Paul employs these phrases to express the Eternal punishment that awaits Every Soul who does evil you wouldn't want to go there the Bible repeatedly warns using terrifying descriptions of Hell's agonis as a result Paul makes it plain that everyone will face God in judgment culminating in either eternal life or Eternal Wrath the self-seeking person according to Romans 2 8-9 eventually rejects truth and follows wickedness the person who lives solely for himself Or herself and indignation resulting in enormous anguish and deep suffering the final and complete defeat of all sin and wickedness

is described in the Book of Revelation this scripture depicts what happens when God has carried out his judgment all wrongs have been righted all sin has been separated and all suffering has ended tears death sadness crying and pain are conspicuously missing from the New Jerusalem pain Sadness the loss of friends and loved ones and death are all terrible truths of life but they will be put to rest once and for all when we move to New Jerusalem it's no surprise that the Apostle Paul saw his death as a blessing Revelation 21 4 he will wipe

away every tear from their eyes and Death Shall be no more neither shall there be any mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former Things have passed away the New Jerusalem is the focus of this chapter this is not the tribulation's Earthly historic Jerusalem it is also not the millenniums surviving Jerusalem that serves as Jesus capital it is God's Celestial city which he designed and built God will establish an eternal home for the redeemed and a Flawless environment for everlasting life love joy and learning in his presence on the new Earth where Righteousness resides

because here God will dwell with his people and sorrow and death will no longer exist the big debate will be concluded and sin will be abolished God's love will be declared by all things alive and inanimate and he will rule eternally just a little while longer and the wicked will be no more You will look where they were and they will not be there but the meek will possess the Earth and they will find Exquisite Delight in the abundance of peace Psalm 37 10 and 11. John witnessed the ultimate end and what he discovered was

a person Jesus Christ rather than an apocalyptic event with his next remarks Jesus guaranteed that those who thirst will receive a free drink from the spring of life's water These statements from Jesus were also heard by the woman at the well in John 4. all Christians will experience what was promised to her in Paradise those that Triumph will have the opportunity to taste heaven John writes to Christians who are being persecuted and encourages them to keep going what could possibly go wrong after such a great description of Heaven Several Christians believed that the 70th week

seven year period mentioned in Daniel 9 24-27 is still ahead of us and that wickedness will reign and God's Vengeance will be poured out on the earth during this time before Jesus return at the end of the seven years those who hold this Viewpoint believe that the Book of Revelation covers the seven year period and that the events described in the book occurred during that time In Revelation 6 for example there are seven seals that involve Conquest War starvation and death seven trumpets played by Angels bring hail and fire to fall on the Earth the

annihilation of ocean life and water changed to Blood by a large mountain thrown down from the sky according to Revelation 8 through 11. with the Antichrist the Beast of Revelation in control God's people would face severe persecution They would be forced to follow him or face catastrophic repercussions including death the Bible declares that God has set a day in which he purposes to judge the inhabited Earth Jesus the son of God will judge the living and the dead on the day of judgment before destroying the old sin corrupted Heaven and Earth God must remove everything

that can Cause sin or bear sin from his new creation before he can create his new Heaven and Earth Romans 2 5-6 but because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's Wrath when his righteous judgment will be revealed God will repay each person according to what they have done the fate of the wicked and non-believers will be decided by the almighty God who Will judge every person according to their soul status at the final judgment however non-believers will be disappointed by Jesus return as

judge and if I'm not in Christ my sins will not be forgiven and I will be held accountable for them this indicates that I'm in serious trouble isolation from God is the consequence for sin and because God is eternal that Isolation is eternal as well if I have not been forgiven of my sins through Jesus Christ's cross then his return has to be the worst thing conceivable for my sins will condemn me to be eternally driven out of God's presence however God has offered the answer to our sin predicament which is found in the first

section of the same part of the Apostles Creed where it declares that Jesus Christ was crucified before Rising on the third day our misdeeds deserved a punishment and Jesus bore it those few who repent of their misdeeds and Trust Jesus Christ as their repentance are absolved of all sins and are able to live within God's presence they will be welcomed into Jesus Everlasting Kingdom when he reappears true mankind will be restored to its original Perfection on the day of judgment Let us approach it with confidence maintain our faith remain strong in prayer and continue to

do what is right in God's eyes the Lord offers abundance if we remain steadfast in our actions The Virtuous shall inherit the land and dwell in it forever he promises in Psalms yes the day of judgment will be a blessing for all faithful humans I remember standing at the gate as a Teacher greeting parents and welcoming the kids in the morning at the school where I once worked as a teacher for some years it was beautiful to watch these little kids hold the hands of their parents as they walked them to the entrance of the

school before turning back as their kids walked in I noticed something significant in these kids every morning which God used to speak to me about the Confidence of a relationship with him you see when the kids walk beside their parents or were carried by the father or mother I noticed that they were comfortable and walked with such an air of confidence the children were walking like there wasn't a care in the world they didn't fear the dog by the roadside or any danger whatsoever why their parents were with them when was the last time you

confronted a Struggle in your life with the Consciousness that God your heavenly father is walking with you have you been fighting or struggling with your life's battles like a person who has no God one of the greatest prayers of the people of old in the Bible was for God to prove himself in their lives so that their enemies would not ask where their God was Psalms 79 9-10 Help us God our savior for the glory of your name Deliver Us and forgive our sins for your name's sake why should the nation say where is their

God before our eyes make known among the Nations that you avenge the outpoured blood of your servants maybe you're asking why did they have to pray like that I'll tell you You see in God's covenant with his people and in the kind of relationship they shared they had no reason to fear anyone or anything because he would always see them through to them God was more than a deity being worshiped he was their father protector helper strength and confidence when they confronted anything they had a reputation for making sure everyone around them knew how much

confidence they had on God That's why the Philistine enemies were afraid when they heard that the Israelites had brought the Ark of the Covenant to the battle camp during one of their battles together first Samuel 4 5-8 when the Ark of the Lord's Covenant came into the camp all Israel raised such a great Shout at the ground shook hearing the Uproar the Philistines asked what's all the shouting in the Hebrew camp When they learned that the Ark of the Lord had come into the camp the Philistines were afraid a God has come into the camp

they said oh no nothing like this has happened before we are doomed who will Deliver Us from the hand of these Mighty gods they are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness this was the first time they were Witnessing this in a battle with Israel yet look at the effect it had on them all they had was the news of how God had showed up for his people against their enemies in the past so they believed that the same fate awaited them here too although the Israelites lost the

battle that day and the Ark was taken by the enemies I want you to see how their reputation for having so much confidence in the power of their Covenant with God And now God always showed up to confirm it affected their enemies to me the Covenant God made with the Israelites was their advantage over every nation they confronted this is why they would go up against Nations twice their size and still win they were ready to cut down their number put singers in the front line instead of Warriors attack by Night March round the enemy

cities and so on if God wanted that They knew that as long as they'd followed God's instructions then there was no reason to fear because the battle was already won First Chronicles 20 15. he said listen King Jehoshaphat and all who have lived in Judah and Jerusalem this is what the Lord says to you do not be afraid or discouraged because of the vast Army for the battle is not yours but God's so every time they lost a war they knew Something was wrong and would go back to God with heavy hearts waiting on him

until they told him where they'd gone wrong they knew that God couldn't lose a battle and so with him victory was sure defeat in battle was a sign that something was amiss and needed to be dealt with failure and loss in battle was never seen as a normal event Now let me draw your attention to something do you realize how the world today wants you to get accustomed to unanswered prayers failure living in debt and struggling on every side but acting like everything's fine they tell you all sorts of things to get you comfortable in

your struggles and in living as if you have no help but the child of God is Not helpless is he no he isn't the child of God is God's Precious possession the child of God has gone the child of God is God's error failures crises and struggles may arise but they're not the norm for the same do not accept Satan's lies do not struggle all by yourself your battles are not yours to fight they are gods you can only truly win over the enemy's attacks in your life when you let God fight those battles in

your life Don't let your crises scare you they're not bigger than God don't let the numbers being reported or the statistics of those who lost to any battle discourage you whatever fight you may be in right now marital Financial terminal infirmity family and otherwise your Victory is in letting the Mighty Man of War take it over why because he always wins he never loses he always wins The prophet of God Jeremiah was once in a difficult situation like you may be experiencing in your life right now he had made a decision to serve God and

be his mouthpiece to the people of Israel at a time of heavy persecution against righteousness in Israel the people had turned from God and followed other things with no regard or repentance God was angry at them for doing so and sent Jeremiah to speak about it because Of his passion for the well-being of his people Jeremiah had gladly taken up that assignment however he was met with serious ridicule for still following the old ways one time after speaking a prophecy Jeremiah was beaten and put into stocks and the Very House of God where truth was

once upheld now the people including the priests had started walking in lies at this instance the prophet was Shattered and very much discouraged he even considered not speaking anymore because no one listened and no change was happening however as he complained he remembered his relationship with God and the Integrity of God's ability hear what he said next Jeremiah 20 11. but the Lord is with me like a mighty warrior so my persecutors will stumble and not Prevail they will fail and be thoroughly disgraced their Dishonor will never be forgotten despite the current battle in his

life you're the confession of a man who had one thing he couldn't lose his confidence in the one with him and yes God showed up for him Jeremiah's prophecies came to pass concerning the people just like he said maybe you've tried to believe for a long time now but it seems it's no use maybe everyone around you mocks you still for holding on to God when you Could go the other way get the results once and for all whatever the case might be please listen do not consider or try to struggle alone that's what the

enemy wants the fact that everyone else is still doing it does not mean it's the best way to do it just because everyone else is doing it doesn't mean it's not taking something from them can you raise those children by that house pay off your mortgage finish your studies or survive that Disease yes you can but don't do so without God you want to get to where God wants you to be then you have to take the path he wants you to take there were Nations who fought battles in the name of other gods or

in their own strength in the days of old however what set the Israelites apart was that they had a source of strength and support that was beyond themselves guaranteed to work even when they were At their weakest did you know that at one time God rained down hailstones on the enemies of the Israelites in battle so that they wouldn't get away another time he answered the prayer of Joshua when he prayed for the sun and moon to stand still so they could finish their battle because it was getting darker at another time he set confusion

in the camp of the enemy so much that they Turned on each other and fought to the death the Israelites only came to that fight to gather the spoils they didn't have to lift up their hands against the enemy these are things that only the Lord can do but much more than that for those who let him fight their battles he'll never let you down he's the Lord and the reliable rock that can never be broken if you're God's child then your options To let him take over the struggle submit your battle to him and

see how he destroys it the Bible says in first Samuel 2 9 he will guard the feet of his Faithful Servants but the wicked will be silenced in the place of Darkness it is not by strength that one prevails there are dangerous consequences for those who give in to ungodly means to fight their battles or turn away from God What makes these consequences quite scary is that they're beyond here they spread into eternity however when you trust God and stay in his path surrendering your battles to him and Trust he will not only handle your

fight he will also reward your trust that's the kind of God he is when Jonah was stuck in the fish's belly even though he was there because of Disobedience he still turned that Situation over to God the more you run to the devil for Solutions the more he takes from your life sometimes without you even knowing in the bid to make more money you may lose your children in the bid to get a new job by having an affair you may lose your family wrecking your home the enemy never gives anything free if it doesn't

cost you anything now it will in eternity Jonah 2 8 rightly puts it this way those who worship false gods have turned their backs on all the mercies waiting for them from the Lord each time you take on your crises by yourself you deny yourself of God's mercy and reject his help you may seem to succeed but it will cost you something that'll become regrettable tomorrow but there is no regret in trusting God he adds no sorrow when he blesses and a Person is truly helped when God helps them ask yourself today who is helping

me myself or the Lord it takes Faith to let God take over your battle I wish I had the opportunity to say more and I hope I will have it again but until that time know this you can let God fight for you and be rest assured to win how By committing it into his hands in prayer and faith and standing within the peace that comes from knowing God is in control don't worry yourself anymore your heavenly father has this covered trust him stand in the truth and don't give in to compromise be ready to

do whatever he says to do at the right time and know this You will win Hallelujah foreign [Music]