STANDING STRONG IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS
*************************************************
OUTLINE
1. THE TRANSFORMATION OF NAOMI
2. THE PATIENCE OF JOB
3. THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM
4. THE VICTORY OF JEHOSHAPHAT
5. THE COURAGE OF DAVID
6. THE COMMITMENT OF SHADRACH ,MESHACH AND ABEDNEGO
7. THE TRIAL OF THE BELEIVER
THE MESSAGE
STANDING STRONG IN THE MIDST OF TRIALS
*************************************************
1. THE TRANSFORMATION OF NAOMI
*********************************************
Naomi had a bitter experience in life. She went to Moab with her husband and two sons in search of a better life. Sadly she lost her husband and two sons during her stay in Moab. She decided to return to her hometown Bethlehem. One of her daughters in law Ruth decided to accompany her back. When they came back everyone was excited at the return of Naomi. But Naomi told them not to call her Naomi which means ’pleasant’ but instead to call her Mara which means ’bitter’ . Naomi was very discouraged . She thought that there was no future for her. But the Lord had a great plan for her. Her daughter in law Ruth married a wealthy man named Boaz and had a son named Obed. And Naomi had the responsibility of bringing up the child and the child was called the son of Naomi. In her old age the Lord had a great purpose for her life . The Child whom she brought up was the grandfather of David in whose lineage the Lord Jesus Christ was born. We must not get discouraged by our present circumstances. Through the eyes of faith we must see the blessings that are waiting for us .
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
RUTH 1:1-5 , 19-21
In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.
The man’s name was Elimelech, his wife’s name Naomi, and the names of his two sons were Mahlon and Kilion. They were Ephrathites from Bethlehem, Judah. And they went to Moab and lived there.
Now Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died, and she was left with her two sons.
They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth. After they had lived there about ten years,
both Mahlon and Kilion also died, and Naomi was left without her two sons and her husband.
So the two women went on until they came to Bethlehem. When they arrived in Bethlehem, the whole town was stirred because of them, and the women exclaimed, "Can this be Naomi?"
"Don’t call me Naomi, " she told them. "Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter.
I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me."
RUTH 4:13-17
So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife. Then he went to her, and the LORD enabled her to conceive, and she gave birth to a son.
The women said to Naomi: "Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a kinsman-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel!
He will renew your life and sustain you in your old age. For your daughter-in-law, who loves you and who is better to you than seven sons, has given him birth."
Then Naomi took the child, laid him in her lap and cared for him.
The women living there said, "Naomi has a son." And they named him Obed. He was the father of Jesse, the father of David.
2. THE PATIENCE OF JOB
*****************************************
Job had a bitter experience in life. He was a righteous man who pleased God and was greatly blessed . However he lost everything suddenly and his life was filled with sorrow and suffering . However he continued to trust in God and was patient in all his afflictions. Finally the Lord turned his captivity and gave him double blessing for all that he had lost. The Lord wants us to realise that through patience in tribulation we can also receive abundant blessings from God.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
JAMES 5:10-11
Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy.
JOB 13:15
Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.
JOB 23:10
But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.
JOB 1:1-3 , 13-22
In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil.
He had seven sons and three daughters,
and he owned seven thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five hundred yoke of oxen and five hundred donkeys, and had a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the East.
One day when Job’s sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house,
a messenger came to Job and said, "The oxen were plowing and the donkeys were grazing nearby,
and the Sabeans attacked and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The fire of God fell from the sky and burned up the sheep and the servants, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
While he was still speaking, another messenger came and said, "The Chaldeans formed three raiding parties and swept down on your camels and carried them off. They put the servants to the sword, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
While he was still speaking, yet another messenger came and said, "Your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother’s house,
when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck the four corners of the house. It collapsed on them and they are dead, and I am the only one who has escaped to tell you!"
At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship
and said: "Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised."
In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.
JOB 42:10-16
After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before.
All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring.
The LORD blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the first. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys.
And he also had seven sons and three daughters.
The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch.
Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.
After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.
And so he died, old and full of years.
3. THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM
********************************************
The faith of Abraham is an example for us . God had promised that a son would be born to them. But Abraham was about 100 years old and his wife Sarah was old too and her womb was dead. In the midst of such circumstances Abraham was strong in faith being fully convinced that God was able to fulfill His promise. Abraham did not focus his attention on the circumstance and become weak in faith. He focused his attention on the promise of God and was demonstrated his strong faith by giving glory to God. By faith he was praising and glorifying God fully expecting Him to fulfill His promise . This is the example of faith that we follow in our life in order to see the fulfillment of God’s promises in our life.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
ROMANS 4:17-21
(as it is written, "I have made you a father of many nations") in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;
who, contrary to hope, in hope believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, "So shall your descendants be."
And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body, already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah’s womb.
He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in faith, giving glory to God,
and being fully convinced that what He had promised He was also able to perform.
4. THE VICTORY OF JEHOSHAPHAT
*************************************************
Jehoshaphat was facing a big battle . He cried out to the Lord with all his people . The Lord promised to fight the battle for them and grant them victory. Jehoshaphat then appointed singers and worshippers to praise and worship the Lord. And as the people began to praise the Lord , the Lord caused the enemies to destroy themselves . Then Jehoshaphat and his people took great treasures as the spoils of war and they returned to the house of God with great rejoicing and celebration. The Lord granted them rest from their enemies and they lived in peace. When we worship the Lord in the time of battle , the Lord will cause the enemies to destroy themselves and grant us a great victory.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
2 CHRONICLES 20:12-30
O our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you."
All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the LORD.
Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly.
He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ’Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.
Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel.
You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’ "
Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in worship before the LORD.
Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the LORD, the God of Israel, with very loud voice.
Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful."
After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever."
As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.
The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another.
When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped.
So Jehoshaphat and his men went to carry off their plunder, and they found among them a great amount of equipment and clothing and also articles of value—more than they could take away. There was so much plunder that it took three days to collect it.
On the fourth day they assembled in the Valley of Beracah, where they praised the LORD. This is why it is called the Valley of Beracah to this day.
Then, led by Jehoshaphat, all the men of Judah and Jerusalem returned joyfully to Jerusalem, for the LORD had given them cause to rejoice over their enemies.
They entered Jerusalem and went to the temple of the LORD with harps and lutes and trumpets.
The fear of God came upon all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard how the LORD had fought against the enemies of Israel.
And the kingdom of Jehoshaphat was at peace, for his God had given him rest on every side.
5. THE COURAGE OF DAVID
***********************************************
When David faced Goliath , he showed great courage . He was not fearful or doubtful like the others around him. He was not discouraged by the words of King Saul himself who doubted his ability to fight Goliath. David had experienced the deliverance of the Lord in the past from a lion and a bear. And he used his past victories to strengthen his faith . He was sure that the Lord who helped him in the past will grant him victory even in this battle with Goliath. The Lord honoured his faith and enabled David to defeat Goliath. We must also remember our past victories in times of battles and trust in the unchanging faithfulness of God to grant us victory.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
1 SAMUEL 17:32-37
David said to Saul, "Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him."
Saul replied, "You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a boy, and he has been a fighting man from his youth."
But David said to Saul, "Your servant has been keeping his father’s sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock,
I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.
Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God.
The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."
6. THE COMMITMENT OF SHADRACH ,MESHACH AND ABEDNEGO
****************************************************************************
When Shadrach , Meschach and Abednego faced a fiery furnace , they demonstrated their commitment to God. The King commanded them to worship the golden image and threatened them that they would be thrown into the fiery furnace if they refused. But these Hebrew youths replied saying that their God was able to deliver them and even if He did not , they would not worship the golden image. Their commitment to God was total and they were willing to serve God even if they had to sacrifice their lives. The Lord honoured their commitment and was present in their fiery furnace as the fourth man and delivered them completely. When they came out , there was no trace or smell of fire on them. We must demonstrate such a commitment to God in our time of trial in order to experience His great and mighty deliverance.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
DANIEL 3:14-27
and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?
Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.
If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king.
But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."
Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual
and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.
So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.
The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,
and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.
Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, "Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?" They replied, "Certainly, O king."
He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods."
Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire,
and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
7. THE TRIAL OF THE BELEIVER
***********************************************
As a beleiver we may face trials and tribulations in life . There may be a season of grief and sorrow that we may have to pass through. In these trials our faith will be tried and tested. We should demonstrate the strength and the genuineness of our faith by being faithful to God in the midst of such trials . Our faith will be refined and purified through these fiery trials. We should not allow any trial or tribulation to seperate us from the love of God. The Lord will prove His faithfulness in our life as we remain steadfast in our faith in the midst of trials.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES
******************************
1 PETER 1:6-7
In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.
These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
1 PETER 4:12-13
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.
But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
ROMANS 8:35-39
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
HEBREWS 11:32-40
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the prophets,
who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions,
quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.
Women received back their dead, raised to life again. Others were tortured and refused to be released, so that they might gain a better resurrection.
Some faced jeers and flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison.
They were stoned; they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated—
the world was not worthy of them. They wandered in deserts and mountains, and in caves and holes in the ground.
These were all commended for their faith, yet none of them received what had been promised.
God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.
***************************************************************************
