Sermon Central
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Triumphs In Troubles
Contributed by Tony Searles on Jun 1, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: How can we find triumph in the middle of our troubles? It is done very simply; just lean on your Friend (Jesus), have Faith, and look towards your Future!
Stand & Read - Job 19:25
"And as for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last He will take His stand on the earth.?
?Triumph In Troubles?
Prayer?
Here we are again taking a look at the life of our dear friend and brother in the Lord?Job!
-He is our brother, but one that we may not understand all that well because he is known as the one who has had the most trouble in the world?
In fact, trouble that was permitted by God Himself?and imposed by satan!
Not many of us could say that as fact?
-But, then again?maybe we do know him?or at least, we can identify with him because we know troubles too!
I think that it is safe to say that we don?t know the troubles that Job knew?or at least?to the extent that he did know them.
Job?s troubles were greater than most troubles that we may know?and ever know in a lifetime?
-And thank God for that!
"Man, who is born of woman, is short-lived and full of turmoil.?
Sincere words that come from one whom does know troubles?
-Almost sounds depressing?
In fact, within this one chapter alone?chapter 14?Job asks some questions that would only be instigated by a man who has faced severely adverse situations?
-Verse 4??Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean thing??
-Verse 10??If a man gives up the ghost, where is he??
-Verse 14??If a man die, shall he live again??
Do you hear the hurt?rather, do you hear the deep thinking and longing within this man? A man who is looking to someone who is much stronger than he?
Job was faced with some terribly adverse situations, but yet?he was able to triumph!
Friends?God wants all us believers who are suffering and are oppressed (and that involves most of us, at one time or another). He wants us to know that there is coming a day?a day of RESURRECTION and a day of VICTORY?a day when we will be with the Lord forever!!!!
-So?to answer the questions that Job posed?yes, Yes, and YES!!!
YES! We can be made clean when we are unclean!
Heb. 10:22 tells us ?our hearts have been sprinkled clean from all evil??
YES! We will be with God when we are absent from this body!
Paul said in II Cor. 5:8 that, ?to be absent from this body, is to be present with the Lord!?
YES! We will live again, if we know Jesus as Savior!
In John 11:25, Jesus tells us?"I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me shall live even if he dies??
ILLUSTRATION:
I believe that it was Billy Sunday?a great preacher/evangelist from yesteryear?who said??When you hear that I have died, don?t you believe it! For at that moment I will be the furthest from death that I have ever been. Because, at that moment, I will have never been more alive. For I will be alive in the presence of the Lord!!!?
Dear ?fellow suffers??at the time that we do experience the fullness of our salvation?what I mean is, when we are in heaven?at that time when we experience heaven first-hand?
-Then we will know the reality of Romans 8:18?
?For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.?
This kind of verse may seem like a cop-out to quote to one going through troubles?BUT?when we really do know heaven and its fullness?it will be the farthest thing from a cop-out.
IT WILL BE FACT!!!
Are you facing troubles? There is hope!
Are you in a whirlwind of chaos? There is peace!
Are you taking on huge battles? There is victory!
-All of which are found in our REDEEMER!!!
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I believe that it is safe to say that it is at THIS POINT in the letter of Job?chapter 19?
At this moment and season of his life, that Job is coming to grips with what is transpiring within his life.
This is one of the most loved and best-known portions of this book?
And it is also a point at which Job is pleading with his friends and warning his friends?and this statement (vs. 25) is ?squeezed in the middle? of these words?
Job testifies and makes an impression with these simple words!
Just read chapter 20; which is the response of one of his friends?and you will see that there can be testimonies that do break through the hard heart.
You too can have a testimony while facing many troubles?even the worst time of your life?and others can be changed!
-Changed, because you are still focused on the fact that there is a GREAT and LOVING God in heaven?
