Your Set-Back Can

Be Your Set-Up

for

VICTORY

"In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."

(1 Peter 1; 6 - 7)

 

The Bible says there will be times in our life when we will experience troubles and trials. Those are the times we have to stand on what we believe, and "walk" out our faith. The proof of our faith always results in praise and glory and honor to Jesus Christ!

Pastor Joel Osteen of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas is fond of saying that our set-backs can be a set-up for God to do something wonderful, and perhaps even miraculous in our life. He is absolutely right! We see this biblical truth revealed in the story of Joseph. Joseph experienced cruel betrayal at the hands of his jealous brothers who threw him into a well and left him for dead (Genesis 37: 24). And Joseph's problems did not end there. He was later sold into slavery, and eventually imprisoned. This begs the question - what did Joseph do to deserve all these troubles and trials? Interestingly, Joseph did nothing wrong. 

In reading the story of Joseph, you and I have the wonderful benefit of hind-sight. We know that the bad things that happened to Joseph was not the end of his life-story. The story of Joseph gives us a fascinating look at the providential hand of God in the lives of His children. This story is also proof that what the enemy means for our destruction is the very thing that God can and will use for our good. Not only did Joseph survive his troubles and trials, but the Bible says that he went on to prosper in every way. Overcoming all odds, Joseph eventually became the 2'nd most powerful man in the world. Perhaps even more miraculous, he held complete control over the vast sums of food reserves. During the years of famine, those reserves would eventually end up feeding and saving not only the people of his adopted land, but those from his homeland as well, including the same brothers who had betrayed him in his youth. No doubt, what the enemy had meant for his destruction, God used for good. Joseph's words are insightful and prolific...

Your faith and what you believe determines how you respond and react to troubles and trials. Before I saddle up and take a look at the subject of set-backs and set-ups from a horse perspective, I have a few questions for you to consider. How you answer these questions are a pretty good indicator of where you are on the faith guage. Here goes...

Have you ever wondered or questioned why we experience troubles and trials in this life? Have you ever wondered or questioned why bad things happen to good people? Sure, we think we know why bad stuff happens to bad people. They probably just got what they deserved, right? But what about us good guys? Why does bad stuff happen to us, and what's up with that? Before we can understand the real truth about troubles and trials, we first have to rid ourselves of false doctrine, and wrong thinking! Let's cut straight to the chase...

 Whenever my horse is guilty of wrong thinking or actions, I don't punish him by making his life miserable. Instead, I take away his power by disengaging his hind-quarters, and then I point him back in the direction I want him to go. 

God isn't sitting in heaven making sure that we all get exactly what we deserve - be it good or bad. If He were, then there would be no hope for any of us. The belief that people get what they deserve is actually a false doctrine of Buddhism, and not a doctrinal truth of Christianity. This false doctrine is known as karma, and it is the belief that the sum of a person's actions determines that person's fate. In essence, it is the ultimate hedonistic belief in one's own power to control their destiny. This false doctrine culminates in the belief that only good things happen to good people, and only bad things happen to bad people. Wrong!

The Bible doesn't teach that only good things happen to good people, and only bad things happen to bad people. According to Matthew 5: 45 (see above scripture), the Bible teaches that God causes the sun to rise on the evil and on the good. Likewise, it says that He also sends "rain" (symbolic in scripture for troubles and trials) on the just and on the unjust. One of the questions that arises at this point is, "Does this mean that God does not reward His children when they do good?" No, it simply means that we cannot bargain with God based on our good deeds. If we want to receive our reward, then we must walk in faith and diligently seek Him. 

"But without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."

(Hebrews 11: 6)  

 BUT WHY, LORD? 

The never-ending question that stems from wrong thinking!

 When I set my horse up for a correct lead departure, I am actually teaching him how to "think" correctly and stay in balance. 

If we could draw a graph of the questions that God has been asked since the beginning of time, no doubt, "But Why, Lord?" would top the chart! Most of the "whys" in our life stem from false doctrine that we've picked up along the way in exchange for the truth. Although it can be an innocent mistake on our part, the result of wrong thinking is always an unbalance in our life. With that in mind, let's look at how Jesus answered a particular question about a man that was blind. By the way, note that it was Jesus' own disciples that were asking this question. 

"Rabbi," his disciples asked him, "why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents' sins?"  

Listen closely to Jesus' answer, and how  He was quick to dispel and shatter the false doctrine of karmic dues in His followers.

Jesus answered, "It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was so that the works of God might be displayed in him."

(John 9: 3)

I'm sure those listening to Jesus' words that day felt somewhat off-balance and confused. After all, His words pulled the religious rug right out from under them, and dispelled the myth that the enemy has any power over God's children. Just like with Joseph, this blind man's set-back in life had merely served as a set-up for God to display His mighty power. With that knowledge, Jesus then restored sight to the blind man's eyes, and suddenly the man found himself catapulted straight into an amazing destiny.

 Your Set-Back can Catapult You Into Your

AMAZING DESTINY

 "Consider it all joy, my brethren when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."

(James 1: 2 - 3)

When I want my horse to move forward with a collected frame, I use the back-up to engage his hind-quarters, and set him up for success!

  To the unexperienced on-looker, the way we train western pleasure horses to attain that smooth and collected frame when moving forward might seem rather strange. To encourage the correct kind of forward motion, we use a lot of back-ups. Wow, that sounds absolutely crazy. Why would we back the horse up if we actually want him to move forward? The answer is simple. Horses move forward naturally. No one has to teach them to move forward. The problem is, we're not interested in a performance horse simply moving forward. We have bigger plans for him. We want him to move forward with collection. So, how do we get that collection? Ahhh, I'm glad you asked. That's where the back-up comes in! 

 In order to achieve a collected frame, a horse must engage his hind-quarters. Just moving forward does not cause a horse to engage his hind-quarters. It takes a good back-up! And what does the back-up do? The back-up not only triggers the thinking part of a horse's brain, but it helps him to engage his hind-quarters, and as a consequence move forward correctly. In the long run, the back-up also pays other dividends. It helps to develop a horse's strength and endurance for the long haul. 

 Of course, it's not much of a stretch for me to compare a horse's back-up to the set-backs you and I sometimes experience in life. For sure, it's no fun for anyone, but whether it's horses or people, sometimes back-ups and set-backs help to get us where we need to be. Are you experiencing a set-back in your life today? I encourage you to engage your faith, and then move forward with the confidence that all things work together for good to those who love God!  

 Do You Love God? 

If You Do, Then All Things Work Together For Your

GOOD 

 "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."

(Romans 8: 28)

  Every set-back my horse experiences is another opportunity for me to set him up for victory. Why? His life and his future belong to me! 

The books that attempt to explain the reasons for troubles and trials in our life are endless, but there is only one book that holds the answers. While it's true that we live in a sinful, post-Adamite world, it is not true that the enemy holds any power over God's children.

We have been purchased with a price - the blood of the Lamb (Jesus Christ). Your life and your future belong to Him!

In closing, I want to share one last thing with you. The Bible says that if you love God, then you have been "called". To be called means to "summon one by name". Take a moment and wrap your mind around that truth. God has not only summoned you and called you by name, but He has a divine purpose for your life. Nothing can void or nullify that purpose, not even the troubles and trials that you experience. Next time you experience a set-back in life, I want you to forget about what everyone else says, and remember what God says. God says that what the enemy has meant for your destruction, He will use for your good. Wow - it sounds like a perfect set-up to me. Keep the faith, friend - Victory is yours!

ARE YOU READY FOR THE

FAITH RIDE OF YOUR LIFE?

*Susan Klaudt Horse Ministry and Natural Horse Faith-Man-Ship are protected by exclusive copyright, and are outreaches of Kim and Susan Klaudt World Ministries, Inc., a 501 (C) (3) not for profit ministry.