Resistance in the Midst of Trials

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.”—2 Timothy 4:3-4

Last night’s sermon was a tough one to hear. Sometimes we can get so caught up in something that is contrary to what we know to be God’s plan. If instead of leading us closer to God and encouraging us to be faithful to His call, it distracts us and causes us to forget His tasks then we know it is not of the Lord. It can be hard to determine when something IS His will, but it can be simpler to determine when something is NOT. But, we don’t want to hear “no.” Do we?

Maybe you know something isn’t His plan. Maybe you’re watching someone walk down a path and you hardly recognize the person they’ve become. “Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.”—2 Timothy 2:25-26. Last night I was reminded that when we allow ourselves to fall to temptation, we become imposters of the faith, “having a form of godliness but denying its power.”—2 Timothy 3:5. So convicting. I needed to hear that word of warning!

 

It’s so tempting when you’re going through a trial to let it eat at you, let it steal your joy or let it lead you to a path of rebellion and destruction. Been there. Even now, fighting. But if God has made a promise, He keeps it. Hold on to it. If Satan is whispering, enticing you to give up on the impossible, shut him up with the WORD. “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”—Ephesians 6:12.

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.”—2 Corinthians 10:4-5

Resist the devil, hold on to hope, fight for faith. Trust in the Lord, He delivers!