II Timothy 3:10-17: In
verses 10 and 11 Paul faced opposition and hard times in more than one
place; Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra are mentioned. Sometimes we feel as
Paul. We face trouble and opposition from "everyone" and
everything. But Paul's faith in God was a strength and an anchor to his
soul. Back in Verse 10, he lived a holy life before, or in front of, all
that opposed him. The end of Verse 11 showed his reward for enduring and
staying true to God. "...what persecutions I endured: but out of them
all the Lord delivered me." Thank God for deliverance from evil and
victory instead of defeat. Paul had kept a good attitude and the desire to
go through no matter what. Then God brought him through. Verse 12 tells us
that every saint will suffer some hard times. God is still God; He'll
bring us through, too. Verse 13, The world is not the answer. It gets
worse daily! We are commanded by Verse 14 to continue in all we have
learned from God's word. Our heart assures us that it is right to continue
in the truth that we have learned. And we know who taught us, God. Bible
study teachers, Sunday school teachers, even pastors and evangelists are
mouth-pieces for God to talk through. Listen to them and heed the warnings
and the experience of others who have been through hard times and went
through with victory. That is a part of learning from others.
Verse 15 : When you were a spiritual
child, you sat in church services to be trained and taught from the
scriptures of the Bible. You also read and studied the scriptures
yourself. Wisdom, spiritual growth and help came from the Bible. Verses
16, 17 : Every scripture in the Bible is profitable for you to grow and
learn so you gain spiritual perfection and enable you to be
"thoroughly furnished unto all good works."
Now lets look at three areas about
going through your temptation, test, hard time, battle, or whatever area
you're struggling with to gain victory over. This first topic is how
temptations and tests are for our good. James 1:2-7, 12 : Verse 2 : Keep
the joy in your heart when tempted. Verse 3, 4 : We gain by going through.
Nobody gains a thing by quitting or giving up. Verse 5 : When you lack
something, ask God to supply the need. Our tests are there to draw us to
God. It helps increase our faith and exercise the faith we have. In Verse
12, we see that those who go through and endure are blessed by God. This
is a promise from God that it's for our good. This blessing is for those
that love Him. Quitters are not blessed. I Peter 1:3-9 We get tested to
see where our experience is at. God keeps us safe, but we must prove
ourselves occasionally. Verse 7 : Honor God by going through with victory.
Verse 8: "Rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." When
God supplies the victory, remember to thank Him for it. Verse 9 : Staying
true and keeping faith in God will bring you the blessing of a place in
Heaven. Tests and trials remind us that to make it through we need God. I
Peter 5:10 Look at the gain we're blessed with for suffering a while.
Perfection in our souls! Being established and anchored in Jesus! They
strengthen our determination to stay saved! We receive a settled
experience! Thank God for blessings like these! II Peter 1:2-8 More than
anything, God wants you to make it. He allows tests to come to shape us
and to increase our spiritual man. We will become what He wants us to be.
Hebrews 12:1-3 Run the race that is set before you. Look to Jesus for your
help. Consider or remember what Jesus went through to save you and me from
sin. Our tests and trials are not too much for us to go through. II
Timothy 4:7,8 Live to have Verse 7 as your testimony. Fight to win and go
through.
I heard some of Bro. Calvin Price's
"More than conquerors" tape. He said we must seek to be more
than conquerors in trials. We could be satisfied with just getting
victory. Or we could be more than a conqueror by getting both the victory
and gaining from it. II Corinthians 12:7-10 Again, Paul is the example
here. He prayed for deliverance, but it was God's will for Paul to endure
his trial and for Paul to seek after the Lord's grace and strength. Jesus
always has grace sufficient for us to go through. The Lord's strength is
far greater than our own. So, when we are weak, we should seek His
strength.
Deuteronomy 8:2, 3 : Defines the
need of tests again. It's a time to prove our love for God and His will
and way for us. It is time to prove to yourself that you mean to stay true
to God. Romans 8:28 All things work for our good. Romans 8:35-39 Don't let
anything separate you from Jesus. Be more than a conqueror through Christ,
Verse 37. Hebrews 2:1-3 trials remind us not to neglect our service to
God, and it draws us closer to God.
Second topic: Common Temptations. I
Corinthians 10:13 Temptations are common to all. But we serve a faithful
God. We aren't tempted above what we're able to handle with God. He'll
give an escape route to go through the test, trial or temptation. Don't go
over or around it, but go through. God helps us to make, but we must learn
the lesson or the trial is for nothing. I Peter 4:12-14 Glorify God by
going through. I Peter 5:8-10 Resist steadfast to gain the victory. Verse
9 : the world has many of the same problems, struggles and hard times we
do. But God is with us and for us. His grace and help is not for the
world. So remember, backsliding is never the answer for any problem! James
1:13,14 God doesn't tempt us but He allows us to be tempted. Everybody
will be tempted and tried. Stay saved so you're in position for God's
help.
Third topic : Promises to the
tempted. James 4:7 Submitting to God shows a humble attitude and heart.
God is there to help the humble. Resist, rebuke and fight Satan. We must
take action when being attacked by our soul's enemy. God promises that the
devil will flee. I John 5:4 Thank God for being an overcomer! What kind of
experience would you have if you can't overcome the world and sin? The
spirit of God within us is far greater than all the evil spirits. Picture
a football. The air pressure inside is greater than the pressure on the
outside. If not, the weight of the players would crush the ball. But
praise God for being in us to keep us from being crushed by the enemies of
our souls. I John 5:3,4 Keep His commandments and overcome the world.
Faith in God is our victory over the world. Revelations 3:10, 11 There
will be some temptations we are kept from. We still must hold fast. Fight
to keep your experience. It's worth fighting to keep. Luke 10:19 Another
promise to have power over the enemy. Read I Corinthians 10:13 again. We
serve God who is faithful to His own. Read II Corinthians 12:9 again.
God's grace is sufficient to gain the victory and to be able to go
through. Finally, read II Corinthians 4:7-10 "We have this
treasure!" Fight to keep your salvation. Don't quit, give up or give
in. God will bring you through when you press to the end. Stay true and be
encouraged. Put I Corinthians 15:58 in your hearts and do as it says. Be
steadfast and unmoving in the faith. Praise to God that our labor for Him
is not ever in vain!