MIND OF CHRIST MINISTRIES, INC.
PASTOR THOMAS E. OGLESBY
P.O. BOX 85
NUTLEY, NEW JERSEY 07110
Website Address: mindofchristministries.net
E-mail:mindofchrist@verizon.net
Phone Number 973-818-2750
September 2020
“When Trouble Comes”
Dear Believer(s):
We live in a world of trouble. Times are uncertain. People are living in fear and worried about the future. We are living in a world where there seems to be trouble on every side. What do we do when trouble comes? How do we handle trouble situations? When you are a Christian, you will encounter trouble in your life. It is how you handle trouble that matters. Let’s look at what the Bible says about dealing with the pains of life, suffering, and distress that we face. Psalm 34:19 tells us, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.” God tells us in this scripture that He delivers us out of all of our problems, troubles, and trials. Job 14:1 says, “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.”
We as God’s people will have to deal with trouble. One main reason is that the devil hates true Christians. He is afraid of a true born again Christian. Why? Because, we can destroy the works of the devil! The devil’s sole purpose is to steal, kill, and destroy a child of God. We have the divine protection of God. Look at what 1John 3:8 says, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” As a child of God with His Spirit living in us, we can destroy the works of the devil. Read carefully what Hebrews 2:14 says to us, “ Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.”
Although the devil has power, we can render that power helpless. We have more power than he does. The power of the Holy Spirit is Jesus who lives in us. The devil does not want us to realize who we are in Christ Jesus. satan does not want us to realize who we really are as children of God.
The devil is jealous of us. He hates a born again Christian. He does not want us to use the power and authority that we have been given to defeat him. We are not his victims but we are victorious in Christ Jesus.
When God cast Lucifer out of heaven, as he fell down to the earth his brightness looked like a giant streak of LIGHTNING! But God stripped him of the blazing glory that surrounded him in his first estate. He lost his position in God’s house. He lost much of his power. He lost his shinning glory. But he is still a cunning, powerful deceiver, and destroyer. He is determined to damn every soul he possibly can. He will not stop until he has exhausted every scheme to damn you. He will if you are not a born again Christian.
The only person who is safe from satan’s destruction is a saved person. He does not care how “good” or how “religious” you are, just as long as you stop short of being BORN AGAIN! Jesus tells us in John 3:3-6, “ Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
What do we do when trouble comes? We let the power of God in us handle the situation. We allow Jesus to fight our battles. The enemy wants us to fight against him using our physical strength, our minds, our wills, our emotions, our intellect, and by using religious doctrine and tradition. HOLD IT! STOP! You cannot defeat satan this way. We must use the WORD of GOD against satan. Jesus is the Word.
Instead of being overcome with fear, doubting God, and looking on the bad side, we should stand on the Word. The Word of God says in Psalm 27:1-3, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell. Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.”
Sure we are faced with all the troubling situations of the world that the devil is orchestrating. He is doing what he wants and can to defeat us. But we are not victims! We are victorious!
There is so much going on. How can a child of God cope with all of the wickedness, evilness, temptations, and unrighteousness in the world today? Many believers have been shaken in their faith and confidence. Some Christians because of the trouble they have encountered have given up. But remember the first part of this message. What I am saying now is very important. There is a lot of shaking going on. But God is behind the shaking. We can have the peace of God in these very turbulent times, when we walk and live in the Spirit.
Yes, there is a whole lot of shaking going on, shaking of God’s own doing. But you and I who know and trust Him can take heart. He has told us there are some unshakable things, and trustworthy things that will endure. The Kingdom of God cannot be shaken. According to Jesus, the Kingdom of God cannot be observed with the eyes but the Kingdom is “within you.” That means the King resides in you! He walks and talks in you! You are His Kingdom, and He owns you! No matter what is happening in our nation, in our weather patterns or in wars around the world, the Kingdom of God cannot be shaken, because the King lives in you! “The Kingdom of God is not meat and drink but righteousness, and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.”(Romans 14:17)
You and I belong to an Eternal Kingdom, a Kingdom without end. The reason ours is eternal is the One who sits on the throne of this Kingdom has no moral failure. He is the Eternal God. The most Holy God! The Never-Changing God! God has told us His Kingdom will endure, His throne will endure, and His Church will endure too. But there is one more thing I would like to encourage you with. The Saints of God are also unshakable!
The enemy has all kinds of devices he uses to shake your faith and your walk with God. But when God has hold of your life, there is no weapon formed against you that will prosper. You are no different than the saints of old.
If God sends you out against a walled city like Jericho, all it takes is an obedient heart and a shout of praise, that wall will fall and the enemy will be destroyed.
You may be a little boy but if God sends you out against a giant, you only need five stones and a slingshot, and Goliath will fall.
You may be a barren woman. But when you press into your God He knows how to resurrect a dead womb and give you a prophet that will turn the destiny of a nation and add five other children to your litter!
Someone may even try to send you to be eaten by the lions but God knows how to build a hedge of protection around His own and deliver them from the lion’s den.
You may have spent all your money for twelve years asking the doctors to cure your blood disease; but when Jesus walks by you all you have to do is touch the hem of His garment and you will be made whole.
You may be on a missionary journey in the midst of a hurricane, your entire ship may fall to pieces but when God’s angels surround you, He will get you to your destination, safe and sound!
What am I trying to get through to you? The devil cannot kill you. Your problem is not bigger than God. He loves you, and will deliver you. You cannot be shaken, because God’s Spirit is within you!
We are living in a day when people are almost overwhelmed with the stress and pressures of life. Jesus knew we would face days such as these. He predicted that we would be in need of comfort, and there would be times of great stress in our lives. This is why His Spirit has returned to live in us. The Holy Spirit comforts, defends, encourages, empowers, leads, guides and reveals to us. When we allow the Holy Spirit to operate in our lives we will be victorious in facing trouble in these perilous times.
Let us pray; “Dear Heavenly Father, with Your arm of protection around us. Why do we fear and feel defeated? No power is greater than Yours. Let us rest all of our cares in You. You are always present for us. The world is full of problems but You have all the answers. Let us stop doubting and believe. We thank You for Your love. We thank You for being the Father we need. Lord, remind us that in troubled times we can come to You. We pray this prayer in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen!
I need your continued support, and remember what it says in 2 Corinthians 9:10, “ Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness.” Thank you for all of your help.
We Are Not Defeated,
Thomas Oglesby
Pastor Thomas Oglesby
