My, Devotion to Him #187
One of the most encouraging verses in the entire Bible is found in Paul’s letter to the Christians living in extreme persecution in the city of Ancient Rome.
VERSE PASSAGE: Romans 8:28 “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” – NIV
This passage brought me great hope for the first time when I was just a teenager and was experiencing some extremely difficult hardships at the time. I can say this passage means even more to me now than it did as a teenager.
- He Provides
One of the most amazing things I have discovered over the years is that God truly provides even in the midst of difficult circumstances. He does this in ways that I never would have expected. Many times He has taken me through a path of loss only to bring me into pasture of abundance. God gives, and He takes away there is no doubt about that. But I have always found that He ends up giving me more than He has taken. And most of the time, He would not have been able to bless me if He had not first taken away those things I thought I needed at the time.
2. He Changes Hearts
God actually has the amazing ability to change hearts. At times He has changed my heart to conform with His perfect plan. At other times I have seen Him change the hearts of others in order to accomplish His will in my life.
VERSE PASSAGE: Proverbs 21:1 “In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.” – NIV
3. He Protects
Even as God protected the Children of Israel in the midst of the plagues in Egypt, I have seen God protect my family and other Christians who have been in the midst of extreme hardship. There have been times in my life in which I have felt like I was experiencing a set back. But after allowing time to sort things out, I was able to see that God was actually taking me out of the way of a greater harm that could have befallen me. He was truly protecting me. I have faced the courts and I have faced what was surely death. But both times God was there protecting me.
4. He Gives Power
Another amazing thing I’ve seen over the years is that God has the ability to give power to me through challenging events in a way that I never could have experienced otherwise. God will never leave us or forsake us.
VERSE PASSAGE: Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” – NIV
He gives us the greatest amount of divine power when life has us in some of the most darkest times.
5. He Confuses The Enemy
When you feel that someone is tormenting you, and they just seem to be “getting away with it,” you can dismiss that notion from your mind. Even when you cannot see what God is doing, you can rest assured that He is at work. Even in the hearts and minds of your enemies. Justice will always be served, and He has the ability to confound the works of the wicked.
6. He Gives Strength
A statement that many of us have heard and probably said is “Whatever doesn’t kill us will make us stronger.”
God clearly uses adversity to make us stronger. The key is to run to God and not away from Him in times of trial.
God has used trials to strengthen me over the past several years. I am thankful for His spiritual strength which He has imparted to me through those trials.
7. He Builds Character
Nothing purifies our character and motives quite like the fiery furnace of trials and tribulations. And it is important for you to know that we all need that type of refining. God uses pain to turn us into clean, pure vessels for His use. It’s truly an amazing concept. I’ve been thrown into a trial out of nowhere and was left in confusion and worry. Fear engulfed me. It wasn’t till I personally came to God and told Him that I have faith and trust in Him in this trial and that He has a plan and it’s perfect. In handing the situation over to God, I in return became calm. After the dust settled I came out refined.
8. He Heals
God allowed Lazarus to die so that He could demonstrate His power over death by raising him back to life. We live in the world and we must understand that some will have physical inflictions. But this creates an opportunity for God to heal us and His glory to be shown. He is the Great Physician and has the ability to heal when that is what is best in our own particular situation. And I have seen His healing in ways that have convinced me that He is truly in control all the time.
9. He Develops Wisdom
Unknowingly wisdom is gained primarily through study and experience. When we are in tune with God, He can use any situation, circumstance to unleash vast amounts of wisdom into our life’s.
10. He Gives Purpose & Direction
God often gives us direction and purpose by pointing us to a certain path in the midst of hardship. God can pull you through the storm and into a bright new day of ministry like you’ve never experienced thus far in your life.
God is good, and He can work all of the events of your life into a great masterpiece.
God bless you all!
Copyright © 2019 by Jacob D. Olinger
Spirit Warrior Ministry 