[Worship] To those Struggling with Serving the Lord

["Allen Frederick" <eaglewings@penn.com>]

2 Timothy 3:12 (NKJV)
12Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer
persecution.

When one desires to do the will of God for their life they will run into
opposition of all kinds. The Spirit of anti- Christ which is at work in the
world will attempt to get such a person to quit or to doubt the will of God
for their life. Anyone who is doing the will of God will be a threat to the
enemy of our souls. The devil does not mind if you are doing church things
or religious things just do not do the GOD THING.

Mark 10:29 through Mark 10:30 (NIV)
29"I tell you the truth," Jesus replied, "no one who has left home or
brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the
gospel 30will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age
(homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields-and with them,
persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.

It is a foregone conclusion then that anyone who steps out into doing the
will of God will prosper and will receive blessings but at the same time
they will be persecuted for it. But the rewards for service are OUT OF THIS
WORLD. :-)


Matthew 13:20 through Matthew 13:21 (NIV)
20 The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who
hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since he has no
root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because
of the word, he quickly falls away.

This verse talks to all those who receive a word from God and because of a
low self-esteem or a low self-image or personal insecurities fail to produce
fruit from that word. This is not meant as a condemnation but to shed light
onto what is going on in the spiritual realm when one receives a WORD FROM
GOD. Do not be surprised when tribulations come. It is a foregone conclusion
like we seen earlier that it will happen. So then the only thing we need to
understand is how to deal with it.

James 4:7 through James 4:8 (NIV)
7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from
you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you.

One final point I would like to make is remember when David the sheperd boy
came to the battle scene with Goliath. Here we have a whole nation of
fighting men standing in terror for 40 days before this GIANT of a man
Goliath. David comes on the scene and challenges Goliath and what did his
brother say to him? Lets take a look at it...

1 Samuel 17:28 through 1 Samuel 17:30 (KJV)
28And Eliab his eldest brother heard when he spake unto the men; and Eliab's
anger was kindled against David, and he said, Why camest thou down hither?
and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know thy
pride, and the naughtiness of thine heart; for thou art come down that thou
mightest see the battle. 29And David said, What have I now done? Is there
not a cause?  30And he turned from him toward another, ...

Here David is accused of having impure motives. He was being judged on what
was his intentions. He was being judged as to what was in his heart as if
his brother knew what David was thinking. It is amazing to me how people who
are unable to accomplish anything are so against someone who has faith to
believe God can do mighty deeds. So David turned away from his brother and
continued with his purpose to fight against the evil prescense of Goliath.

In conclusioin then. If you KNOW that you have a Word from God concerning
your ministry and your calling, then by all means prepare for the
persecution that is going to come as a result of this calling. But by all
means do not give up your calling just because someone else can not see it.
Remember they were not called to the job that God called you to so it is
unlikely that they will understand it.


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