Greetings in the Name of Jesus and welcome to the PLN Sunday Night Bible Fellowship!

Tonight's message is about expecting VICTORY to be THE major focus of Christian life. It's about expecting VICTORY to show up at any moment when we're in the very worst parts of life's difficulties. The Bible promises that we'll all have to deal with trials and tribulations and persecutions and problems and circumstances. It's a big part of life and yes, even believers have to go through these things, maybe especially believers.

Indeed, trials are a certainty: the only question is about how we will handle them. Do we face them with fear and dread or by trusting that the Lord will ALWAYS make it possible for us to get the VICTORY? Do we face them in apathy and ignorance or by actively RESISTING the devil in FAITH (James 4:7, 1 Peter 5:9) and by SPEAKING to the mountains of tribulation the way Jesus told us to (Mark 11:22-24)? Do we wallow in depression, self pity and defeat: or aggressively pursue the joy of the Lord (Nehemiah 8:10) and His peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7)?

The TRUTH is it takes strong FAITH to successfully stand against the issues of life and get the VICTORY. FAITH comes and grows and strengthens by hearing and understanding the Word of God (Romans 10:17) coupled with the development of a genuinely GRATEFUL attitude as we've been discussing now for fourteen weeks. GRATITUDE requires that we remember and focus on all the good things that God has done for us instead of on our problems ALL of which have come against us from the Adversary, from the world system, from other people and more than anything, from our own poor decisions and choices. As FAITH strengthens, we more easily perceive the GRACE of God that He's ALREADY released precisely for the purpose of empowering our solutions.

Remembering the Apostle Paul

The Apostle Paul was a man of very strong FAITH who experienced a lot of tribulations but was always looking and believing for victories. In the fourth chapter of the Book of Philippians we can find some of his best-known statements that particularly illustrate this quality:

Verses 6-7 = "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with THANKSGIVING let your requests be made known to God. And the PEACE of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

Verses 11-12 = "...I have learned to be content (self sufficient in the sufficiency of Christ) in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in PROSPERITY (NAS); in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need."

Verse 13 ="I can do all things through Him (Christ) who strengthens me."

Verse 19 = "...my God will supply ALL your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

These are some of the most powerful, faith-filled statements in the entire New Testament, but what many Bible readers may not have fully considered is that when the Apostle Paul wrote these words back to the church he'd previously founded in Philippi, he was a prisoner in Rome waiting for an opportunity to speak to the Roman authorities about charges originally brought against him in Jerusalem for preaching the Gospel. He was in the midst of a difficult tribulation that had endured for years but his focus was on God, his focus was on VICTORY in Christ instead of on his incarceration and its related difficulties. He was in jail for preaching the Gospel, plenty of opportunity to feel sorry for himself, but instead of that he was encouraging others with words that had to have been on his own heart while he sat in prison in chains waiting through a tribulation that had no end in sight.  

That same thing had happened to him before back in Philippi when he had been thrown in jail there for the same offense and on that occasion an earthquake broke Paul and Silas out of the jail there as they were singing and praising God. They had been repeatedly and mercilessly beaten with rods, thrown into the high-security inner prison and had their feet fastened in stocks. And yet while they suffered through this most difficult tribulation, their minds and their focus were on the things of God. Praise ALWAYS comes out of THANKSGIVING and in this case the results were freedom for Paul and Silas and salvation for the chief jailer and his entire household. Together with a recent convert named Lydia and all of her household as well, they all formed the nucleus of the Philippians' church that Paul was writing back to from his incarceration in Rome (Acts 16:12-40).

The Apostle Paul had every reason on these two occasions (and a bunch of others during his ministry) to feel sorry for himself and decide to focus on his problems instead of on the things of God. His life was at risk and hung in the balance simply for doing what he had been called to do: preach the Gospel and try to help build the Kingdom of God. Yet he DECIDED to focus on the things of God. He DECIDED to be grateful to God instead of getting upset about his circumstances. He trusted God and EXPECTED VICTORY to show up at any moment. How many of us take the same route when we're faced with difficulty in our lives? And yet we have the same ability to DECIDE where we're going to put our focus, both short term and long term as the Apostle Paul did. It's clearly our choice to make.  

Remembering Past Blessings

If God has ever come to your rescue in the past, which of course He certainly has,  it's a good idea when you're faced with new and current circumstances to remember and be THANKFUL for those special past times. And if He's done it before, why won't He rescue you again? Do you think Paul might've been remembering that spectacular earthquake back in Philippi while he was writing his letter to the church there? How was he able to write such powerful faith-filled words to them unless he had made a DECISION to trust God despite the circumstances he was facing? He had to have DECIDED to live life in VICTORY no matter his surroundings; and oh by the way, while he was waiting there under house arrest many of the praetorian guards who were watching over him got saved and were themselves going out to preach the Gospel (Philippians 1:12-14). Is it reasonable to say that one of the reasons the Apostle Paul always had an EXPECTATION he would get the VICTORY over his circumstance was because he REMEMBERED that God had already shown up to rescue him on numerous occasions?

When we're faced with new problems the Flesh part of us wants to focus on them and worry about how to escape. If we allow it to happen the worry will eventually consume all our attention and keep us awake nights, and we'll "forget" about all the times God has already shown up and rescued us from something. Friend, the way of escape Is not our concern because the Bible says it's God who'll provide the way of escape out of any ADVERSITY (also translated TEMPTATION) that we encounter (1 Corinthians 10:13). Rather than worrying about developing a way out of our troubles in our own strength, the better way out is to remember what God has already done, be sincerely THANKFUL for those times and wait in FAITH for the Lord to SHOW you the way out to VICTORY from your current difficulty. If you know the Word and you're standing on its promises, as you offer up your THANKSGIVING you'll find the way out of your problems much sooner than if you're trying to worry your way out with your own solutions the way the World does.

Remembering the Word

Now FAITH requires that we have a basis for what we believe and as already mentioned, FAITH comes and grows stronger and matures by hearing (with understanding) the Word of God (Romans 10:17). You and I need to be able to pinpoint the specific promises in the Word so that we can release our FAITH by THANKING God that those specific promises will soon be showing up in our lives to deliver us from my adversity. We THANK God by FAITH for each promise and for the deliverance it will soon provide.

What most folks do when they're faced with an adversity is worry about it and then in their anguish cry out to God for deliverance as they plead and beg Him for a way out, eventually resentful when the relief doesn't show up right away. A lot of Believers blame God for their problems anyway but He's not the source and blaming Him only delays what we want to accomplish which is to be set free from the adversity. No, there's a better way which is THANKSGIVING BY FAITH.

The Bible says it's impossible to please God except by FAITH (Hebrews 11:6). The Greek word behind the English word please conveys the concept of "coming into agreement." In other words we please God by coming into agreement with Him by FAITH. How can we know what to agree with? We learn what to agree with by studying His Word and finding all the promises that we can connect our FAITH to. Then when we're faced with adversity we face it in FAITH agreeing with all the promises we've found that render us fully able and entitled to overcome what we're facing. We THANK God for each promise and for the GRACE that connects us to the EMPOWERMENT to get the VICTORY. And after a while of standing on and agreeing with the Word, we WILL come to a time when we EXPECT the VICTORY to happen any moment. We know that we know that the VICTORY is on the way.

There are several promises I might start my Word-remembering with and I want to end tonight's article by sharing them with you in the event you're facing a storm you've had trouble overcoming:

Mark 9:23 = "...All things are possible to him who believes."

Mark 11:23-24 = "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you."

1 Corinthians 15:57 = "...thanks be to God, who gives us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ."

2 Corinthians 2:14 = "...thanks be to God, who ALWAYS leads us in triumph in Christ..."

Friend, God loves you and doesn't want to withhold any good thing (Psalm 84:11). The most significant impediments for most Believers escaping their trials are: 1) they don't believe that God really loves them and really wants to see them escape as soon as possible, and 2) they don't know the Word. The TRUTH is that the Holy Spirit is working 24/7/365 to get us out of our trials and in doing so to get the most benefit from them for the Kingdom of God. But contrary to popular belief He does NOT initiate tribulations to teach us things because He already sent the Holy Spirit to teach us ALL things (John 14:26). Also contrary to popular belief God doesn't purposefully use the devil to teach us things either; no, He sent Jesus to DESTROY the works of the devil (1 John 3:8), not to use them.

In sum, if we'll just do our part by FAITH, we're SURE to escape and get the VICTORY every single time. No exceptions: we'll get the VICTORY every time. Do you believe the Word tonight? If you do, THANK God for all His past rescues and for all His promises in Christ! After that, VICTORY is yours to CHOOSE. It's your decision.

A Final Thought

In their GRATITUDE for what God had done through the Apostle Paul that night in Philippi, it turned out that those folks over the years were his most faithful financial supporters. They were GRATEFUL to God and they were GRATEFUL to Paul. History says that the chief jailer became the Pastor of that church and they never forgot what had happened that night or how it happened. The point is: people who remember what God has done for them are generous and their giving helps them REMEMBER and give honor to God's special blessings. Cheerful givers are GRATEFUL people and they are the ones to whom all GRACE abounds (2 Corinthians 9:7-8). THANKSGIVING connects to GRACE which is what you need to get your VICTORY.

Thanks for stopping by tonight. We'll be looking for you again NEXT Sunday night, Resurrection Sunday on April 20. In the meantime may the Lord bless you with every spiritual blessing, compelling you to PROSPER in every area of life!

Sinners' Prayer

If you've never invited Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you need to and you can do it today just by saying out loud the following simple prayer:

Jesus I declare today with all my heart that I believe in you and that God raised you from the dead. I acknowledge that my sins have been forgiven and I ask you to come into my life today and be my Lord and Savior. Thank you for salvation and eternal life.

If you were sincere as you prayed this prayer, God has already come into your life and you are a new creation, a totally new species recreated in His image. Now ask the Lord to lead you to a good faith-based, bible-teaching church where you can be equipped to fulfill your potential in the Kingdom of God.

And, when you get a chance have someone help you look up the following scriptures because they confirm what you've done by saying this prayer today and believing what you said:

Romans 10:9

2 Corinthians 5:17

Ephesians 2:8

Prayer Requests

If you have a Prayer Request, please connect to the Link below and follow the promptings. The PLN staff members pray over Prayer Requests every Tuesday morning at 10:00 AM eastern time. Agree with us for God to answer your petition.

http://www.creditcounseling.net/prayer-request.aspx 

Donations

If you've been edified by Prosperous Life Newsletter, you may want to consider making a SEED FAITH offering to support the Ministry (Galatians 6:6-7). God has instructed us to simply provide folks with an opportunity to sow seed into good ground so in due season you'll be eligible to reap a harvest and the rest is up to you as the Spirit leads. For your information PLN is a nonprofit gift to the Body of Christ so your financial offerings will usually be tax deductible (consult your tax advisor). Just go to the secure Shopping Cart on the Cornerstone web site by connecting through the following link. We appreciate your support and generosity.

http://www.creditcounseling.net/shop/item.aspx?itemid=1 

About Prosperous Life Newsletter

PLN is an outreach ministry of Make A Way Ministries domiciled in Miami, Florida. It is in its 17th year of distribution and has been published continuously since January 1998. It's an e-publication primarily about finances in the Kingdom of God and is sent ONLY to our email list of MINISTRY MEMBERS. If you're reading this and aren't yet on our growing email list, please let us know and we'll be so very happy to add you to the list.

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