It’s There You Just May Not Be Able To Identify It
Hebrews 13:20-21 Amplified Bible (AMP)
20 Now may the God of peace [Who is the Author and the Giver of peace], Who brought again from among the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, by the blood [that sealed, ratified] the everlasting agreement (covenant, testament), 21 Strengthen (complete, perfect) and make you what you ought to be and equip you with everything good that you may carry out His will; [while He Himself] works in you and accomplishes that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ (the Messiah); to Whom be the glory forever and ever (to the ages of the ages). Amen (so be it).
When I entered Basic Training for the United States Air Force some years ago I thought I was ready for anything, because before going to Basic Training I trained by running and exercising. My thought was this would prepare me for the experience that I would encounter during my training process. But how many of us know that there are always variables in every situation that we are unaware of and can cause us to stumble, be set back, or derail our progress. Well this is what I experienced. I came down with a very severe case of bronchitis and could not do Physical training for three of my six weeks in training. My squadron mates were concerned for me and I have to admit I was concerned for myself. Passing my physical training was part of my requirements to graduate and progress to technical school. I prayed through my PT examine and my run and God was faithful and pulled me through. At the end my squad and my Training Instructor all utter the same sentiment which was I didn’t know what was in you; you had it in you all the time.
Often times we are looking at our circumstance or we are facing something that is monumental and we don’t think we have what it takes to make it through, but if we settle our emotions and remember we have God in us and on our side, we have the Holy Spirit working in us, and through us, and we have the blood that Jesus shed for us and the name of Jesus with us that is above every name that when uttered from our lips has power to defeat or overcome; power to give life to or to bring end to a thing we would know that what we have to be victorious, to make it through is in us and God has equipped us and is still equipping us if we would only look to Him and rely upon His word to see us through. Do we think that God takes pleasure in seeing us suffer? Why would that be if He created us unto good works, to worship Him and to advance His kingdom? It would be counterproductive if God placed suffering upon us or even allowed it to come without any method to correct it or to bring us to a place of resolution and victory. The Bible reminds us in Romans 8:30-32, “30 And those whom He thus foreordained, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified (acquitted, made righteous, putting them into right standing with Himself). And those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity and condition or state of being].31 What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?] 32 He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?” If God is telling us that He already gave His own Son to save us, and He is with us, and He will withhold no good thing from us, is that not all we need to get through whatever it is that we are going through to gain the promises of God and bring Him the Glory that He deserves.
I learned something recently at our leadership conference, pain is a means of getting our attention, God will allow it only when we need a little motivation to get back on track and back to Him, but even in these times God has equipped us with the ability to come through it and be better than we started, because what He is to us is enough. He is all sufficiency and He has fortified us with the right tools to come out on top, as a winner, to obtain the blessing that He ordained for us upon our creation, and to become the advocate for His Kingdom that we are called to be.
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