Introduction

Good morning, dear brothers and sisters in Christ. It is always a joy to gather together in His name, to seek His face and to hear His word. Today, we gather not just to hear, but to be transformed by the living, breathing word of God.

We turn our hearts and minds today to a passage from the book of John, Chapter 16, verses 20-21. It reads, “Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy. A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.”

This passage, my dear friends, speaks to us of three profound truths which we will be focusing on today. We will look at Travailing in Truth, Transitioning through Trials, and Triumphing over Tribulations.

Life, as we all know, is filled with seasons of joy and seasons of sorrow. But in every season, we are called to travail in truth, to hold fast to the unchanging word of God. The esteemed preacher Charles Spurgeon once said, "A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." In a world that often seems to favor falsehoods, we are called to be bearers and keepers of truth.

We are also called to transition through trials. Trials, my friends, are not meant to break us, but to shape us. They are not meant to discourage us, but to develop us. They are not meant to defeat us, but to direct us closer to God.

And finally, we are called to triumph over tribulations. The world may rejoice while we weep, but our weeping is only for a night. Joy comes in the morning. The birth pains may be intense, but they lead to the joy of new life.

Let us bow our heads in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your word today. We ask that You open our hearts and minds to receive Your truth. Help us to travail in truth, transition through trials, and triumph over tribulations. May Your word not return to You void, but accomplish what You please and prosper in the thing for which You sent it. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Travailing in Truth

In the world we live in, the truth can sometimes seem elusive. It's like trying to catch a butterfly with your bare hands. You see it. You know it's there. But every time you reach out to grasp it, it flutters away, just out of reach. But the beauty of God's truth is that it's not elusive. It's not a butterfly that flutters away. It's a rock. Solid. Unchanging. Unmovable. We can stand on it. We can build our lives on it. And when the storms of life come, it won't be swept away.

The truth of God is not just something we know. It's something we live. It's something we breathe. It's something we travail in. Jesus was speaking to His disciples about the trials they would face. He didn't sugarcoat it. He didn't tell them it would be easy. He told them they would weep and mourn. He told them they would face grief. But He also told them their grief would turn to joy. How could He say that? How could He promise joy in the midst of trials? Because He knew the truth.

The truth of God is not just a comfort in trials. It's a weapon. It's a sword we can wield against the lies of the enemy. When the enemy tells us we're defeated, we can stand on the truth that we're more than conquerors through Christ.

The truth of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. It guides us when we're lost. It leads us when we're wandering. It shows us the way when we're in the dark. When we're confused, it gives us clarity. When we're unsure, it gives us certainty. When we're afraid, it gives us courage.

The truth of God is also a mirror. It reflects who we are. It shows us our flaws. It shows us our weaknesses. But it also shows us our potential. It shows us who we can be. It shows us who we are in Christ. When we look in the mirror of God's truth, we don't see a sinner. We see a saint. We don't see a failure. We see a victor. We don't see a victim. We see a victor.

Transition. The truth of God is not just a mirror. It's a fire. In the end, travailing in truth is not just about knowing the truth. It's about living the truth. It's about standing on the truth. It's about fighting with the truth. And when we travail in truth, we can face any trial, endure any hardship, and overcome any obstacle. Because the truth of God is our rock, our weapon, our light, our mirror, our fire, and our transformation.

Transitioning through Trials

As we continue to reflect on the words of John 16:20-21, we find ourselves in the midst of trials ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO