There's Something In The Struggle

Let’s also read 2Co 1:3-4

3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;

4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

So many people in this life want everything without any effort.

We see that doctors home and say (I’d sure like to have a home like that) but we don’t want to go to school for 15 years so we can make that kind of money so we can buy a home like that.

We see that young man walking through the mall, it looks like his muscles are about to bust out of his shirt, and we say (man I’d like to have muscles like that) you can if you go to the gym 5 times a week and pump iron till it feels like your arms and legs are gonna fall off.

Or we see that pastor of a large church, he’s prosperous and drives a nice car and lives in a beautiful home, and we say ( I want a church like that and a car like that and a home like that) The question is, are you willing to do what he did to get it?

Are you willing to be faithful over a handful of not so perfect people, seek God, study his word, obey him when it doesn’t make sense, be persecuted and publicly criticized and humiliated?

You see:

Many believers have the attitude that just because they are saved and in the family of God, that now God is supposed to give them everything they ever dreamed of without any effort, or work or discipline on their part.

The fact is, it costs what it costs and it never goes on sale.

Yes God wants to prosper you and bless you, but sometimes you’re going to have to go through something.

Sometimes you have to struggle, Sometimes you have to fight.

There is something in the struggle that is necessary to becoming what God has ordained us to be.

God left giants in the promised land on purpose

#1 Because they needed to learn how to fight

#2 Because giants distinguish the difference between professors and possessors.

It’s one thing to confess the promises of God, it’s another thing to strap on your sword and go toe to toe with your giants and possess your promises.

#3 Giants expose the grasshoppers in the crowd (When giants show up grasshoppers speak up).

Grasshoppers usually blend into their environments but giants uncover them.

Remember that grasshoppers don’t eat grapes, You will never have promise land faith with a grasshopper mentality.

#4 You get to know yourself in the struggle ( the real you comes out under pressure).

#5 You get to know your God, you realize that God is your only help.

#6 You get stronger, you put down roots, you dig into the word and prayer.

#7 You become aware of the excesses and unnecessary things in your life.

#8 The struggle produces thankfulness (example ) someone survives a tornado, their house is gone their car is gone but they are so thankful that they are still alive, the family is together.

When you know you had to fight for what you got:

a.You appreciate it more

b.You won’t let anyone take it from you

#9 Struggles test your level of commitment

The only way to truly gauge your level of commitment is through the struggle

#10 The struggle qualifies you for rest

Mt 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Hebrews 4:11 Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

#11 The struggle qualifies you for the reward:

David heard them speak of a reward, but he knew the reward was only for the person who would fight and KILL Goliath.

1Sam 17:25 And the men of Israel said, Have ye seen this man that is come up? surely to defy Israel is he come up: and it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king will enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, and make his father’s house free in Israel.

We should understand that many times the struggle, the fight, the warfare, the praying, the waiting patiently, the enduring, is as important as the blessing or reward

While we are looking at the reward, God is looking at the development that is taking place through the struggle.

Faith is forged in the furnace of adversity.

The first generation children of Israel forfeited their inheritance because they would not fight