The Secret Weapon - Genesis 16 Series

Today I’m going to share with you a truth that you need in your life. Some of you are going to need this tool that I’m going to share right now in your hearts. The challenges you’re facing right now require this tool to be ready and available for you so you can put it into practice now. It’s a word from the Lord for you today that you can take advantage of. For others of you, you might not need it right at this moment. You’re going to need it through. This is one of those things you’ve got to have in your tool box. I call it a secret weapon. It’s really the ability to deal with mistreatment.

When someone mistreats you at work, someone mistreats you at home, someone mistreats you at school or in any situation, this is the secret weapon. In fact often when I’m talking to young people about bullying, I say to them there are three tools you have and one secret weapon. Let me just go over them real quick so you know about them. These are biblical principles you can apply in your situation whether you’re young or old. But often when young people or children are feeling bullied, they need these tools.

Number one is to confront. It's a skill. You confront without being mean. Skill number two is to ignore, but you ignore without becoming angry and bitter inside. It’s a skill. Skill number three is to get help, but you want to get help without whining and complaining. Three very important skills that we all need. And that’s what I tell… If a young person is being bullied, I say practice those things.

But those of us who have been around for a while know that even sometimes when you do all those things, still the problem continues. And that’s when you need the secret weapon. The secret weapon is a very important tool that God has given to us and it applies in any situation. If you’re experiencing some form of mistreatment at school, or work, or home, or in the neighborhood, or driving, or whatever it is, you need this tool. Let me show it to you in God’s word in 1 Peter 2 and then we’re going to see how it’s implemented as we get into Genesis 16. This is the tool.

Notice it says in 1 Peter 2:19 – For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God. Basically what this means is their conscience is facing toward God. Literally when it says conscious of God it’s their conscience is facing toward God. They’re doing the right thing and they’re still getting mistreated. Notice it says it is commendable. You get commendation points. In other words, you can feel good in your relationship with God because He is demonstrating commendation to you even when you suffer because someone is mistreating you. If you’re doing the right thing your conscience is facing toward God.

Then he says down in the latter part of the verses – To this you were called. This is not something that’s optional. You were called to this, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. Obviously an example because He was the one who was ultimately mistreated, more than anyone.

“He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” So He didn’t even do anything wrong. When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead (and here’s the rest of the secret weapon), he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He gave the justice, the personal justice to God and said, “God, I’m going to give it to you. I can’t carry this myself.” God has not designed our heart big enough to do that, so we turn it over to the Lord. That is the secret weapon.

When you understand that secret weapon, sometimes it really helps you in really difficult situations when you’re being mistreated to be able to endure them. Because you know that you’re right close to God’s heart and you don’t have to carry around that personal injustice. It is the secret weapon that we all need. You’ll need it now, some of you. Some of you will need it in the future. You’ll need to know that it is there and it is available to you.

Well now we’re going to go into Genesis 16. Let’s look at this story unfold. Everything I’ve said about the secret weapon I want you to put on the side just for a moment. Because we’re going to take this story verse by verse, and this part of the secret weapon comes in at the end. In fact there's another very important principle that we’re going to learn first in Genesis 16.