Facing the Giant

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you:
when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned;
neither shall the flame kindle upon you. "
Isaiah 43:2 NKJV

There are times when we face tough situations. The truth is that there is no problem that does not have a solution. The way we respond to a problem will determine if we will overcome that trial or be overcome by it. God understands exactly what we are facing and He is not powerless concerning us. The first thing we must understand is that God is not responsible for the problems we face. Don't let anyone tell you that, it is a fabricated lie right from the Devil. "Every good and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness neither shadow caused by turning" (James1:17).

Anything that does not benefit us in some way is not from God. Satan does not give anything good to man. He comes to steal, kill, and destroy our joy. The devil cannot bless, it is not in him. So, we see that God, being who He is, does not desire that we suffer except to learn from the trials He allows. He takes pleasure in our prosperity (Psalm 37:25). Why then does God allow Satan to cause so much havoc in the lives of men? Isaiah 46:10 tells us that God knows the end from the beginning. This means, for example, that God already knew what our lives would become even before we were born. Jeremiah 29:11 reads, "For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Whenever God thinks about you or me, He is always thinking of more ways to bless us and give us true joy. Yes, God does allow Satan to carry out some of his evil plans. But understand that if God allows it, not only can we overcome it, but the result will be glorious.

God has seen that though Satan has something evil in mind against us, He can turn it around for our good. THAT STUMBLING BLOCK IS ACTUALLY OUR STEPPING STONE TO A NEW LEVEL. Romans 8:28 says, "We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose." This means that every time a problem arises, no matter how big it may be, if God allows it then we can overcome it, not in our strength, but in His strength and promised grace. "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide a way out so that you can stand up under it" (1 Corinthians 10:13).

So how do we react to these problems? We've already seen that God knows what is best for us and all He does is for our good. Should we cry and isolate ourselves from the rest of the world like prisoners of fear and frustration? Certainly not! God wants us to react positively and He shows us how to do this in His word: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God" (Philippians 4:6). Now let's break this verse down:

Do not be anxious about anything: Do not let that situation frustrate you. It may look so bad and seem impossible to solve, but we are not to worry. God is saying “stand still and know that I am God.” There is no need to fret, for the battle is not yours, it is the LORD'S! Worrying never solves any problem.

But in everything by prayer and petition: Instead of complaining, God wants us to go right into prayer. James 5:16b reads "The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available (dynamic in its working)" (Amplified version). If we could do more praying and less worrying, things wouldn’t be so difficult. Prayer should never be our last resort, but the first thing that comes to our minds to do.
A believer who prays little refuses to utilize God’s great power on his behalf.

With thanksgiving, present your requests to God: Thanksgiving is a powerful tool that most people have not realized yet. It is an expression of faith, our belief in God. The walls of Jericho fell because of the praise and thanksgiving of Israel. The same thing will happen to whatever obstacle stands in our way when we praise God. It makes us overcomers. When we use these pointers, we see what results: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7).

Watch God move into action for you!