Devotions

We simply cannot explain why many righteous people face insurmountable sufferings. Why do the difficulties increase for those who love God deeply?

“It’s all meant to teach patience.”

“It teaches God’s people to trust Him more.”

Really? Are those actual reasons or nothing more than clichés? Certainly such statements are empty of meaning to those who are enduring critical crises.

During a recent time of great personal testing, I asked the Lord, “If there are lessons I need to know from this present trial, please teach me.”

IT’S ALL ABOUT ETERNITY

The Spirit spoke clearly to my heart: “Your present affliction has nothing to do with chastening. In fact, it has nothing at all to do with this world. Your intense, long-lasting trial has to do with eternity. I am preparing you for your service and ministry in My Kingdom.”

Dear saint, I believe we are being weaned from everything that is of this world. The pains we are experiencing right now are awful birth pangs. God has allowed us to be so weakened of human strength that we will stop all our striving and let Him take us the rest of the way.

There is an old gospel song:

By and by, when the morning comes, 
When all the saints of God are gathered home, 
We will tell the story of how we've overcome, 
And we'll understand it better by and by. 

I have testified of God’s goodness throughout my lifetime. And in the new world to come, I’m going to tell my story all over heaven—the story of how real, near and merciful Jesus was to me in my worst times. Glory to God!

Is there a point in our walk with God when we become so trusting, so proven faithful through years of testing, that we can expect a respite from spiritual warfare?

Is there ever a vacation from troubles, a time when we can relax free of trials? Does a lifetime of meeting faith’s demands earn us a furlough from the battle? Is it possible to reach a point in faith where a test is no longer necessary?

According to Scripture, the answer to all these questions is no.

The first reason for such continual testings is well known to most Christians. That is, the life of faith continually demonstrates humankind’s need for the Lord in all things. Simply put, we never reach a point of not needing God. The idea of a “furlough from trials” presumes a “furlough from need.” And there will never be a time when our needs are met by our circumstances. The Lord is our source, our all in all.

ARE YOU RELYING ON YOURSELF?

The Bible shows us instance after instance of when Israel’s needs were met and then the people stopped relying on God. They became preoccupied with being provided for, when God had already promised to supply all their needs. As Jesus tells us, our purpose is not to seek having our needs met, but to feed on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

“It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

“Desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Peter 2:2).

Early in His ministry, Jesus announced this about Himself:

“On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds” (John 7:37, NLT, emphasis mine).

Jesus didn’t just issue a statement—He shouted. And He waited until the biggest day of the festival to stand up and make His announcement:

“[He] shouted to the crowds, ‘Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, “Rivers of living water will flow from his heart”’” (7:37-38).

BEATEN DOWN BY DEAD RELIGION

This was an act of compassion more than a theological statement. Dead religion had beaten down God’s people. That which should have refreshed them left them with no life whatsoever. Now Jesus announced, “I am your cup of cold water, the refreshing spring that never stops flowing. You can drink from Me to find your life renewed continually.” There are no qualifications needed to drink from this amazing wellspring. Christ assures us, “Anyone who believes in Me may come and drink!” (7:38).

THE REFRESH BUTTON

Friend, life in Christ is a refresh button like no other. When it gets pushed, the most stunted, despairing, dreary soul is renewed with the power of heaven. When Jesus says, “Rivers of living water will flow from My heart,” He is showing us what our lives will look like with a simple touch from Him. His Spirit so fills us that we overflow with abundant life, grace, mercy and love. His flow of life transforms everything.

As I have said many times, God never gives us a message without backing it up with His power. If He has called us to a life of abundant refreshment, then He will supply everything needed to make that happen. 

In the last book of the Old Testament, the prophet Malachi spoke about something that had occurred and will happen again among God’s people in a season of spiritual decline. “Then those who feared the Lord spoke to one another” (Malachi 3:16, NKJV). What were they speaking? Were they not speaking to each other before this moment in history? What was it about their speech that changed?

The Scriptures tell us that “anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad” (Proverbs 12:25). It also says, “A word spoken in due season, how good it is” (Proverbs 15:23) and instructs us to let our speech “always be with grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6).

There is incredible power in confident, calm speech. You and I must encourage one another now! We do not need the fire or the earthquake or the wind. Those things are wonderful, and if God should choose to do that, then so be it. But there is something more powerful than all those put together, particularly in this hour. It is that still, small voice of confidence in God. It is the voice that says, “All is well. God is in control of your situation, my sister, my brother. God is still on the throne. Jesus is still the victor, and we are still more than conquerors.”

You have no idea how much power God is willing to pour through your life as you walk through your day — in your neighborhood, your workplace, or your home — simply speaking words of confidence in the goodness and faithfulness of God. Let us open our hearts to the Lord and begin to speak to one another in those still, small voices. We will discover the incredible privilege of being an ambassador of the power of God to this generation.

Carter Conlon joined the pastoral staff of Times Square Church in 1994 at the invitation of the founding pastor, David Wilkerson, and was appointed Senior Pastor in 2001. 

King David was known as a man who fully trusted God. He declared the theme of his own life when he wrote:

“The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him” (Psalm 28:7).

These weren’t just words for David. Scripture records event after event in David’s life when he showed great faith in impossible situations.

GREAT EXPLOITS

David did great things through faith in God:

• He killed a lion and a bear with his bare hands
• He killed the Philistine giant Goliath
• He escaped from Saul’s attempts to kill him
• He won great victories over all his enemies

Later, by faith and repentance, David was restored to the throne after his son Absalom attempted to kill him.

Through all these things, David boasted of the Lord:

“Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!” (Psalm 31:19).

It is no wonder Scripture calls David a man after God’s heart!

We also know from Scripture that this blessed man was overcome by temptation and he spent days, weeks, months in anguished pain over his failings and trials. David also suffered severe bouts of depression; in fact, he writes of his intense loneliness and of crying himself to sleep many nights. At times in his life he was so tormented and afflicted that he pleaded for death.

Yet, through those years of intensified afflictions, David never lost faith. Few people in Scripture were tested, tried and proven as David was. But he came out of it all with an ever-increasing faith.