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Title: When Trouble Comes What Will You Do
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Blog Entry:       When Trouble Comes What Will You Do The truth is, no matter how strong of a Christian you are, no matter how solid your prayer life, how deep your love runs for Christ, you will indeed face troubles. Psalm 34:19 says "many are the afflictions of the righteous... " The strength of your Christian walk doesn't come in your living life problem-free, it comes in you perfecting your response to those problems when they come. When trouble comes a-knocking, there are three ways for you to respond: *fight, flee* or *fence-straddle* . 1. *Fight*- This is by far the best and most effective response. In fighting, you choose to face that problem head-on. You instinctively pull out your spiritual weapons: *prayer, fasting, praise* and *worship*. You respond by faith, knowing that Christ has already given you the victory over every problem you will ever face. When you fight, you know that the battle is already won, but there's much for you to gain by going through the process - your faith will become stronger, your trust deeper, your relationship with Him will be closer, your ability to overcome by His blood will become more evident. When you choose to fight, you show the One who *Died* for you that you *believe* in Him and trust Him to care for you, to protect you. This response allows the Holy Spirit to lead, guide and direct you through the trouble because your spiritual weapons put you in direct contact with God. Yes, "many are the afflictions of the righteous," but the good news is that "the Lord delivers him out of them all." Ps 34:19. When you fight, you stand firm on the promises of God. This is the response that leads to your victory - guaranteed. 2. *Flee* - This is the response the enemy prefers. When you flee, you cower and denounce the power of God that lives on the inside of you. This response allows the enemy to succeed in his mission to steal, kill and destroy your life. (John 10:10). In this instance, your life will become full of "issues" that eventually overwhelm you-consume your thoughts, your conversations, your life. Your troubles will overcome you because you have given them all the power. In fleeing, you never address trouble full-on. Instead of exercising the power of God, consulting with the Holy Spirit for direction, putting on the whole armor of God, you shrink and allow the enemy, the world, or even your self to reign in your life. You become the victim and flee from the truth of who you really are in Christ. This response is the most detrimental to your survival. 3. *Fence-straddle* - This response is most common. When you choose this response you operate in a combination of the other two. You may initially pray and stand on the Word of God, but when you don't see an immediate solution to the problem, you flee. When God doesn't "show up" in time, or when the results aren't what you expect them to be, you surrender to the enemy and shrink. So in other words, you have one foot on the Solid Rock and the other foot in the enemy's camp. You pray, but in your heart you doubt. You may praise and worship, but in the back of your mind, you're trying to figure out what *you* need to do to rectify the situation. The Lord spoke harshly against those who were lukewarm in Revelations 3:16 saying, "...because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my Mouth." Fence-straddling connotes distrust. You're afraid to trust that God's got you covered, but you know better than to trust anything that comes out of enemy camp, so then you straddle. This is a very futile situation in which to put yourself; it leaves you on very shaky ground. God has commanded on numerous occasion "fear not." He has consistently affirmed His dedication and commitment to providing for and protecting you. When trouble comes your way, trust Him. He's proven Himself time and time again! You already have the victory through Christ Jesus - no matter what the circumstances look like. When your next "situation&quo t; arises, what will you do? Will you *fight, flee* or *fence-straddle* ? Have a wonderful day and remember when trouble comes He's there right beside you to help see you through it all. Have a blessed day.