Don’t Rain On My Parade Series

The first question we may ask is “Why Problems?” Now that I am a born again believer, it should be smooth sailing. I have the Word of God that says, no weapon formed against me shall prosper…I have 10,000 angels…if I have this why the bills? Why is my home life in a mess? Why are my children rebellious?

When the problems come, have the answer to them in the Word of God. You must make a decision that you will outlast the troubles in your life by applying the Word of God. The devil is a liar. You have authority over him and he will deceive you that you will drown in your problems.

Why Problems?

Turn to Phil. 3:9,10 and let’s read together:

Let’s examine the verses we just read. In verse 10, we read “conformable to his death”.

Death – separation from

You will have problems if you don’t understand death. If you are still tampering with lust, you will have problems with lust. You must separate from lust so death can occur.

In verse 10, we also read “the fellowship of his sufferings”.

Suffer – to be made to bear, uphold, endure, hold up under, or outlast

You can be made to bear the things the devil throws at you.

I am to outlast whatever the devil throws.

Many times, we use to be taught that to suffer meant that I will be put down or beat down or defeated.

Suffer means that I am able to outlast the present situations or conditions in my life without being smashed. The devil wants to smash you.

Suffer means that I will suffer to win not to lose.

I will outlast to win! I am more than a conqueror.

The scripture in Phil. 4:13 says, “I can do all things through Chris which strengtheneth me”.

What do you think Christ strengthens you for? So you can outlast, be made to bear. If you are an overcomer, you must learn to overcome.

Fellowship means to partake of

Fellowship is a two-way relationship; it is not complete until there is a two-way relationship. For example, to fellowship you must have a two-way discussion not a one way otherwise it is not fellowship.

Fellowship means I plant in you, you plant in me. I should know you and you should know me. Because you have given me a part of you and I have given you a part of me.

Now that we are born again, we will partake or fellowship in everything that Jesus went through. His part was to be mocked, spit upon, beat up, cross placed on His back, suffocated on the cross, made sin for us, and go to hell for us. On the third day, He got up and His part was over and he said in Luke 10:19 – ”Behold, I give you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”

The problems comes here: Where is the victory? Victory is in the Word of God. Well, is that so?

Jesus got victory over persecution through acting upon the Word of God which is faith. Faith is the victory!! Say it again, Faith is the victory!

Our job is to maintain the word through acting upon it – the Word of God says, “The just shall live by faith”.

Do you think the devil will sit back and let you live the Word? Satan comes with problems to get you to move off acting on the Word which is acting on faith…which is our victory.

We are to fight the good fight of faith (I Tim. 6:12).

The only thing that can defeat faith is you not exercising or acting upon your faith. Until faith is pressed into service, or put a demand on, faith is only potential. In other words, use it or lose it! Faith activated helps you to outlast the problems.

We have to have faith in the God of the impossible – the unobtainable. We are to expect the unexpected. The situations in your life may have pushed you in a corner. But don’t stop – act on the word – exercise your faith.

Turn to Mark 4 and we will read verses 14 and 15 together:

As soon as you hear the word, satan tries to come to stop you from sowing it in your heart. Satan wants to stop you from hearing the Word because faith comes by hearing. But so does fear.

If you don’t have any word, the devil can smash you. No word, then everything is smooth. That’s what happen when you were in the world – it seemed like everything was better. But when you received the Word, then you have a harvest and then victory.