Seeing God’s Blessings

Romans 8:28-31 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29  For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30  Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. 31  What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?

God’s blessings are always the overcoming of difficulties (tribulation) caused by sin.  We must come to the place of being able to understand the difficulties in our lives are not the end of the road, but God has a blessing for us just around the corner.  We may not be able to see the blessings just then, but we need to believe that God will send a blessing presently.

God’s blessings always come after tribulation.  I Peter 1:6,7 - Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: 7  That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

1.      Matt. 5:1-12 - The Beatitudes.

2.      I Kings 17:17-24 - Elijah raising the widows son to life.

3.      Gen. 45:5-8 - God sent Joseph to Egypt to preserve Israel.

4.      Gen. 15:11 - Abraham receiving the blessings of God after chasing evil away.

5.      Acts 9:15 - Paul being let down in a basket.

Matt. 11:28-30 - The burden of God is light. Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

If the burden we’re carrying is very heavy, then we must be carrying the wrong burden.  Maybe we’re carrying our burden and not the Lord’s burden.  But how do we change burdens?

Phil. 4:4-9 - Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 8  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9  Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

1.      Recognize that God is in complete control.

2.      Know that God is allowing the thing to happen for our good and his glory - Romans 8:28.

3.      Know that if you must endure hardship in this life as a good soldier of Christ that it will not go un-rewarded in the life to come.  I Peter 2:19-25.

4.      Know that enduring hardships in this life is the will of God for you.

5.      Know that you are not the only person to undergo these problems.  I Cor. 10:12,13 - Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

6.      Other people have had the exact same problem you have and have lived over it, even becoming victorious in Christ because of it.

7.      Now: we are ready to follow Phil 4:4-9.

a.      Rejoice in the Lord.

b.      Let all see your moderation (gentleness or patience).

c.      Know where the Lord is: at hand.  (Nearby, not the rapture)

d.      Don’t worry about the situation.

e.      Pray.

f.       Thank God for your troubles (if you can’t see any good coming from the problem, pray that God will help you see if he intends you to know, and if he doesn’t intend you to understand, to help you to yield to His will.)

g.      Ask God for what you need, or for what you think you need.

h.      You will now have the peace of God  (if you’ve really prayed), this peace shall keep your heart and mind at ease.

i.        Quit thinking about your problem (if there’s nothing you can do about it.  If there is something you can do about it, then do it, and quit thinking about it.  At any rate, only think about what you can do, not about the supposed solution, or any catastrophes because of the problem.  These don’t come to pass most of the time anyway.

j.        Think about good things.  There is a pretty good list in verse 8.  This will certainly keep us busy for a while.

k.      When we are active in “doing” this, then the God of Peace will be with us.  Note: there is a difference in the Peace of God and the God of Peace.

8.      When you do all these things, the problem will not go away.  It will still be there, just as big as ever.  But if you’ve followed these things in the spirit, with God doing it for you, there will be times wen the problem will no longer bother you.  Of course, there will be times when Satan will cause the problem to be before us.  But remember that it is Satan bringing it up, and not God.  Take the things back before God.  (If you’ve not been praying enough, this will also put you in more contact with God - which is where we ought to be in the first place.

9.      The above things are not a quick remedy.  But they are God’s words.  The application of the things are not done in the flesh, but in the spirit.  They are not accomplished by the strength of the flesh, but by the power of God in us.  If you are able to do the above things and get relief, it is not you that did it, but the Lord.  There is no glory for men in being right with God.

May God help us all ! ! !