Introduction:
Being a Christian in this life, we are often up against insurmountable odds. Bills are out of control, the children are acting worse that Bay Bay’s kids, and our job situation is on shaky ground from day to day.
Gas prices are steadily going up, gas and electric has climbed to a high of 75%. Senior citizens are having to decide whether to buy the medications that they need to stay alive or keep their lights and heat on. How in the world can an honest working man or woman survive these insurmountable odds? Well preacher I thought that since I joined the church and became a Christian now things would be somewhat easier. I was taught that Jesus will take care of me and supply all of my needs. Why am I going through such difficulties? I come to church every Sunday, I come to bible study and Sunday school, and I pay my tithes and offerings and I’m still struggling. Preacher…What’s Up??????????????????
My brothers and my sisters I’m glad you asked because that brings me to first point.
Development:
Point One: Stand Your Ground
In living a Christian life we deal with obstacles day in and day out. Some obstacles are greater than others, but when it comes down to skin for skin, and when the rubber meets the road, you must take a stand and stand your ground.
Even when it comes to biblical principles you must take a stand. Satan loves to confront us when we are too timid to take a stand for what is right. Those that are not grounded in the Word are nothing but puppets on string for Satan to manipulate any way he chooses. But God’s desire is for us to take a stand and don’t compromise. I know you don’t believe me but if we go back and look at Asa, he was facing an enormous army. This army was that of the Ethiopians, Black people. They had an army of 1,000,000 soldiers and 300 chariots. Asa only had 500,000 soldiers and no chariots. Asa was not punking out, he was not backing up, he was not compromising the situation, he was determined to stand his ground.
But one thing was setting into Asa. Fear. He had fear but he was determined to still stand his ground. One thing about God, when our memories begin to fail us about His goodness, he has a way of bring back those memories of how we got over when it seemed impossible.
When we look back at those times, we begin to lean on our faith. Because Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Faith causes us to put God on the Line.
Look at 2 Chronicles 14:11. It says, And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. Asa is holding God at His Word. God does not and cannot lie. He will guarantee His word. God is testing the faith of Asa. God will test our faith in Him. He wants our faith to grow in Him. The only way it will grow is to have it exercised. It is exercised through trials and tribulations.
Point Two: “God Will Give You Double For Your Trouble”
When you depend on God in your time of need, He will give you double for your trouble. Asa standing there in battle with his 500,000 soldiers, God caused a mass of confusion among all of the 1,000,000 soldiers of the Ethiopians. They did not know what to do. I’m so glad that God is not a quantitative God (He’s not concerned with numbers), but a qualitative God (He’s concerned with quality). While the Ethiopian soldiers were in an array on mass confusion amongst themselves, Asa with his 500,000 soldiers slew all of the Ethiopians soldiers. Not one of the 1,000,000 survived. Not only did God allow Asa to be victorieus in battle, God made available for him to all the cattle and wealth out of the enemies country. Provers 13:22 says, “the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.” God will give you double for your trouble.
Psalm 27:2 When the wicked, even mine enemies and my foes, came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stumbled and fell.
Exodus 14:13-14 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will show to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen today, ye shall see them again no more for ever. 14 The LORD shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace.
Conclusion:
I know the battle is not yours but the Lord’s because Jesus won that battle for us on Calvary’s cross.
