For What Reason? (ATP)
When you’re having a streak of “bad luck” (for lack of a better way of putting it), what is the best way to respond?
You may have heard the phrase, “Everything happens for a reason.” I hate this phrase. First of all, yes, everything happens for some reason. We live in a world that is heavily manipulated by cause and effect so there is no revelation in that statement. When many people say this what they mean is, everything happens for some ‘divinely orchestrated reason’. This however is not the truth, at least according to the Word. With that understanding let’s look at this question.
Everything happens for a reason! If it’s a situation that causes trial there are a few possible reasons. When I find myself in the midst of trial I start asking some questions to narrow it down. When you understand why, the answer isn’t far from you.
First ask yourself, am I in the will of God? This is not hard to figure out. Do you go to church regularly, are you submitted to your pastor, do you read your Bible, do you pray and have fellowship with God? If you can answer yes to these questions then you can know if you’re in His will. Notice these things are all in His will but they are not His will. What do I mean by that? These are Christian basics. These are HOW we discover what God’s will actually is. Remember Romans 12:2? Be transformed that you may prove what His good, acceptable, and perfect will are. When you live your life with these things at the forefront God’s will will be easy to understand.
I say all that to say this: if you know His will, you can know you’re in it and if you know you’re in it, you can know if the trial is one of disobedience or obedience. If you are not being obedient in an area of life that can and does open the door for the devil to attack you. I would surmise that this is the number one problem most people face. They are out of God’s will in certain areas (we are responsible to be doers of what we know of the Word of God) and therefore the devil has a field day with their lives. If you are submitted to God’s authority (the things mentioned above), then God will deal with your conscience whether things are right or wrong and you can trust that. Your response is therefore do what you know to do. Follow scripture and the inward witness of the Holy Spirit.
If you’ve checked whether or not you’re in disobedience in an area and you know you’re in God’s will, then it is an attack of the enemy. Most likely he is either trying to rob you from what God is doing or trying to keep you from getting what God has for you. The proper response then is to use your authority. Ephesians 1:15-21 tells us all about this. The power of God gave Christ authority over everything AND made us His body. The devil is under His feet and since His feet are His body and we are His body, the devil is under us. What you are over you have authority over. You control it when His words become your words.
It’s important to note, some seasons of trial will last for a time. Your faith won’t stop them. Romans 5:3-4, “…we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance;and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Sometimes these seasons will produce things in us or work out to benefit others. Either way, we are told here to have patience knowing the truth. The truth is, in Christ we always overcome.Romans 8:37, “Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff
