Be An Overcomer in Uncertain Times
Isaiah 43:1-3
“When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. For I am the Lord, your God, The Holy One of Israel, Your Savior…” Isaiah 43:2-3
All of us have faced uncertain and turbulent times in our lives.
When flying from New York to Wichita, Kansas I experienced a time of uncertainty. I flew out on Saturday and was scheduled to arrive in Wichita that evening. I was going to speak in the McPherson FMC Sunday morning in both services.
My flight was radically interrupted when all at once I heard a loud bang and the plane slowed down with jerky motions. After a few second the pilot announced that one of the four engines had quit, but the good news was we still had three good engines. That brought on a sigh of relief for all on board the plane.
We continued to fly for a few minutes and then another big bang. Again the plane shuttered and after a few minutes the pilot came on again and announced, “We lost another engine so we’re going to make an emergency landing in Pittsburgh.” I was happy I was flying in a wide body airplane with 4 engines.
When we landed in Pittsburgh the runway was lined with emergency vehicles and all went well.
My problem was that there were no connecting flights to Wichita, KS from Pittsburgh that day. I did book on an early flight that would get me to Wichita Sunday morning. I called the pastor and told him of my predicament and he arranged to take the first service and had one of the members fly his plane to Wichita to meet me at the airport ant I made it to the church in McPherson at 11:15 just in time to walk on and preach to the congregation and on the radio.
The uncertain times we face are not nearly as critical as people in others parts of the world.
Several years ago a story came out of Africa about a 56 year-old woman who faced adversity that most of us could barely imagine. Her nation was going through a severe famine. She managed to get a coupon from World Vision for a bag of rice. She could walk from her village to the city and trade the coupon for a bag of rice that would help her stay alive for 30 days until she cold get another coupon.
The woman made it to the city and stood in life for most of the day and finally got her bag of rice. On her way back home she laid down her bag of rice at the edge of the city for just a moment and looked away for only a moment. When she turned back her bag of rice was gone, stolen. At that instant she realized that for the net thirty days she would face stomach-gnawing hunger and potential starvation. The woman was all-alone. She had lost her husband and children in a previous famine.
When going through turbulent times and adversity we need to hear the words of the Lord, “When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you.” (Isaiah 43:2) Jesus also has encouraging words: “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
Jesus wants to give us His power to be overcomers in times of uncertainty and adversity.
In times of uncertainty
I. Remember the Power and Provision of God
When we reflect on the economic condition of America we know this for certain, we don’t know anything for certain. One person’s guess about the future is about a good as the next persons. We need Godly men of wisdom like the men of Issachar mentioned in I Chronicles 12:32, “Men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do – 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command.”
The story is told about Indians on a remote reservation in the autumn time asking their chief if the winter was going to be cold or mild. He was a new Indian chief and had not been taught the old secrets of forecasting the weather. He looked at the sky, but didn’t have a clue as to what kind of winter they were going to have so to be on the safe side he gave a forecast that a cold winter was coming. They should collect wood and be prepared. But also being a practical leader, after several days he went to a phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked, “is the coming winter going to be cold?” “It looks like the winter is going to be quite cold,” the meteorologist at the weather service responded. The new chief told his people to collect even more wood.
A week later he called the National Weather Service again. “Is it going to be a very cold winter?” “Yes,” the man replied. “It’s going to be a very cold winter.” The Chief again told his people to collect every scrap of wood they could find.
The weather didn’t seem to be getting much colder so he called the Weather Service again: Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?” “Absolutely,” the man replied. “It’s going to be one of the coldest winters ever.” The Chief asked: “How can you be sure?” The weatherman replied, “Because the Indians are collecting wood like crazy!”
We may not be able to predict the future, but we know who holds the future. Whatever happens we know that Jesus will never leave us or forsake us.
Time and time again God told the children of Israel to “remember.”
When the Lord brought plagues on Egypt and the last plague of the Passover Angel killed all the firstborn in Egypt. The Angel told the children of Israel to put the blood of a lamb on their doorframes and the death angel would Passover and their family will be saved.
God instructed the Israelites, “You must remember this day forever. Each year you will celebrate it as a special festival to the Lord. Remember, these instructions are permanent and must be observed by you and your descendants forever.” Exodus 12:14, 24
God didn’t want the children of Israel to forget His deliverance from their captivity. Generation after generation was to faithfully hold the Passover Festival to remember God’s power and providence.
When Moses handed the baton of leadership to Joshua God gave Joshua the privilege of leading the children of Israel into the Promised Land.
God led Joshua and the Israelites toward the Jordan River and the city of Jericho. God told Joshua to have the Priests to carry the Ark of the Covenant and walk ½ mile ahead. They were to walk into the flooded Jordan River and when they did, God provided a dry path across the Jordan.
After they were all safely across, God told Joshua to choose twelve men one from each tribe. “Tell the men to take twelve stones from where the priests are standing in the middle of the Jordan and pile them up at the place where you c amp tonight.”
They were to use the stones to build a memorial so when their children asked, “What do these stones mean to you?” Their parents would tell them the story of how God stopped the flowing Jordan when the Ark of the Lord’s covenant went across. “These stones will stand as a permanent memorial among the people of Israel.”
Joshua 4:1-9
Crossing the Jordan River demonstrated the power of God and His blessing on the children of Israel. From there they went on to conquer Jericho by faith and marched onward into the Promised Land.
Crossing the Jordan River was a miracle of God. An old Gospel Song states this truth: “Got any rivers you think are un-crossable? Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through? God specializes in things thought impossible – He does the things others cannot do.”
During uncertain times remember how God has helped you in the past. Just as He has provided for you in the past He will provide for you in the future.
The Passover Feast, the twelve rocks were reminders of God’s power and providence.
Memory is something we need to cultivate. I read the story about a guy named John who had a really horrible memory. One day John ran into a friend who he had not seen in a long time. He greeted him and said, “Bill, do you remember what a bad memory I had?” Bill answered, “Yes, I certainly do.” “Well, it’s not bad any more. I went to a seminar that taught us how to remember things. It was a great seminar and now I have a wonderful memory.”
Bill responded, “That great! What was the name of the seminar?” “Well,” John said, “wait a minute, my wife went with me. I’ll ask her.” He turned and saw his wife nearby. Then he turned back to Bill and said, “What’s the name of that flower with a long stem and thorns and a red bloom?” “Do you mean a rose?” Bill answered, “Yeah, thanks,” John said, “Hey Rose, what’s the name of that seminar we attended?”
We need to do all we can to build memories for your family. During times of challenges and adversity past memories of God’s blessings can help you persevere and be an overcomer. One of the reasons we hold a cousins camp for our grandkids at our house every summer for a week or two is to build great memories for our grandchildren.
Jude, a half-brother of Jesus, writes in Jude 17,20-21, “But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus told you. You must continue to build your lives on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit. Live in such a way that God’s love an bless you as you wait for the eternal life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give you.”
As we continue to build our lives on the Word of God, we have a foundation of holy faith. God’s Word is your solid foundation. When storms of life’s uncertainty come you will stand steadfast and secure.
During times of uncertainty remember God’s power and God’s Providence.
During uncertain times we also need to remember that God is in control.
II. God is in Control
When we face losing a large share of our retirement funds and face an uncertain future, we realize that we are not in control of our life. God is in control.
Many Bible stories are about how God was with people during turbulent times in their lives.
Before Joseph became a great leader his life was filled with adversity and pain. His older brothers sold Joseph into slavery. He served faithfully as a slave. He was falsely accused of raping his master’s wife. He spent time as a convicted criminal and finally became a faithful servant of Pharaoh and second only to Pharaoh in leading the nation of Egypt.
Through it all God was with Joseph. Joseph held on firmly to the belief that God was and is in control.
David spent years under the attacks of King Saul. Later when David became King he had trouble with his son, Absalom. Absalom tried to take the kingdom away for his father but failed in his effort. Through all his adversity David trusted the Lord.
Mary the mother of Jesus was perplexed by the announcement of the Angel Gabriel to her that she would be mother of Jesus, the Savior of the world. She was uncertain about the future, but responded to the angel, “I am the Lord’s servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants.” Luke 1:38
Facing an uncertain future Mary trusted the Lord.
The Apostle Paul experienced all kinds of adversity and suffering because of his life transformation to become a new man in Jesus. When he wrote to the church in Philippi Paul was in prison in Rome. To get to Rome he had been ship wrecked, bitten by a poisonous snake and now in prison had time to write to the church leaders in churches he had planted.
We might ask Paul, “Do you have any regrets after all the years you gave following Jesus?” Here’s Paul’s answer writing while under Roman Guard, Philippians 4:4,6,7 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to god. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
When you remember God’s blessing and provision in the past and believe that God is in control you join a company of Christ followers that are overcomers in times of adversity and uncertainty.
In the third place you can be an Overcomer when you
III. Remember God’s Grace Is Sufficient.
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 – NLT
The Apostle Paul has a great testimony of one who was an Overcomer. He would say, “Don’t let adversity overwhelm you, be an Overcomer because God’s grace is sufficient.
In additional to all the trials and tribulations Paul went through because of his faith in Jesus he had a personal challenge he called, “A thorn in the flesh” sent from Satan.
Paul doesn’t say what his thorn in the flesh is, he just says “There was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:7-9
Paul’s thorn might have been a sickly body. He was often challenged by illnesses (Galatians 4:13-15). He may have had poor eyesight, Galatians 6:11, he wrote, “See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand.”
Whatever Paul “thorn” or “pain” was more than a mere pain in the neck. The word used for “thorn” is the same word to describe a “stake,” a sharpened wooden shaft, a splinter or sliver. Like a thorn in your foot, you feel pain with every step. The “thorn” Paul had to deal with was like a stabbing pain.
In times of testing and uncertain times we learn to lean on God’s strength and grace more than on our own. God wants us to lean on Him because when we are weak God’s uses us in spite of our weakness. We give God the glory.
Many hymns give us the assurance of God’s blessing in times of adversity.
“When darkness seems to hide His face, I rest on His unchanging grace. In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil. His oath, his covenant, his blood support me in the whelming flood. When all a round my soul gives way, He then is all my hope and stay. On Christ the Solid Rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.” Edward Mote
Jesus and Paul are our models for prayer. When we pray we can pray: “Dear Lord, of all the things that could possibly happen; make the ones happen that you want. You know what is best.”
In times of adversity and uncertainty you can be an “Overcomer” by Remembering the past power and provisions of God, by affirming that God is in control, and acknowledging that God’s Grace is sufficient.
This week you are called to be an “Overcomer.”
