When there seems to be no hope
According to Solomon in Ecclesiastes 1: 9-10, “And there is no new thing under the sun. Is there anything whereof it may be said, See, this is new? It hath been already of old time, which was before us.” People are beginning to despair and Satan is also taking advantage of this present world circumstance to introduce doubt in the hearts of many Christians. Remember, Rev. 3:10 if you are a watchful Christian, “Because thou hast kept the Word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell on the earth.” This includes not denying the name of the Lord. No matter your circumstances if you allow Satan to make you doubt the Word, you will soon deny his name.
Many situation of this nature befell the children of Israel in Egypt. They were desperate and cried out to God for deliverance and He heard their cries. The Lord sent a prophet with his Word, signs and wonders. Great hope, joy and expectations filled their hearts and for about twelve times God showed his mighty hand in Egypt but yet Pharaoh resisted Moses; as God hardened the heart of Pharaoh. The children of Israel saw their hopes dissipate as vapor. In all this, God was teaching the children of Israel how to trust and have confidence in him. If you are going through a similar situation in your life, know for sure God is teaching you trust and confidence; except if Satan has beguiled you with doubt and you did not keep the Word of God or denied his name. Study Exodus 5:1-23. The children of Israel turned against Moses and God, when Pharaoh increased their afflictions of making bricks without giving them straw, and the tally must not diminish. Have you gotten to this situation; where there seems to be no hope and things were getting worse. Keep his Word and don’t deny his name through doubt. God is working out things in his own way and not in your way and time.
All hope seemed lost but God was not finished; Remember Psalm 42:5-11, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted in me? Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance, —— for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” David said, in 1st Samuel 30:1-6-21, “And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his son and for his daughters: (All hope seemed to be lost), but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. Moment of temptation even of David’s life, but he looked to God’s Word and did not deny his name. Has any of you reached the point your life and was threatened and all hopes seems gone; did you keep the Word of God and spake his name; or did you doubt and deny him. Satan will come with whispers of doubt and if you yield like Eve you will deny the Word of your testimony and the name of the Lord.
Romans 8:28-38, “—— I am persuaded, that neither, death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Can a true believer no matter their circumstance deny these Words of the Lord? It is important when struggling in this life to keep these scripture before your eyes, Heb. 11:13, “And confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.” Also, 1st Peter 2:11, “Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul.” 1st Corinthians 15:19, states, “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.” Brethren in Christ, this world is not our home, we are only passing through. Our hope is in Christ Jesus, the eternal One, who only hath immortality. Where else and what on earth can give you eternal life? Remember Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31), “And there was a certain beggar (no matter your situation now; are you a beggar, even if you are) named Lazarus, which laid at his gate, full of sores (are you full of sores?). And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores (dogs even showed him some compassion). It seemed all hope was lost for Lazarus; he was not healed, he was a beggar, he was hungry, he was full of sores, the dogs leaked his sores, the rich man did not show him compassion; he saw the rich man enjoying the things of the world and he was laid at his gate for years maybe. How low can you go beyond this? But in his circumstance, he kept the Word of God and did not deny the Lord’s name. How does your situation in this world today compare to Lazarus? Hear his testimony, in verse 22, “The beggar died, and was carried by angels into Abraham’s bosom.” What will happen to you if you do not keep the Word of God or you deny his name?
In Exodus 14:10-31, the children of Israel got to the Red sea and there was no bridge and the angry Egyptians were coming for them. They were going to the Promised Land, of milk and honey; but at the sight of the Egyptians most of them forgot the promises of God’s word. It seemed there was no hope against this army and situation, no room for escape. In verse 11-12, the children of Israel told Moses the prophet of God, “Because there were no graves in Egypt hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? We told you to let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians, for it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.” For a moment they thought. All hope was lost and forgot the testimonies of God to their fathers and his mighty acts in Egypt.
Many of us like the children of Israel are going through many strange things, like they did. But also many of us have forgotten or played down the testimonies of God in our lives or those of others. With a mighty hand did God deliver Israel and set them on their way to the Promise Land. So also, God with a strong and powerful hand has delivered those who will believe from sin and death and hath translated from death to life, by his death. Why are thou cast down O my soul? Why art thou disquieted?
In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye, suddenly, we shall leave Egypt behind to a land where there is no, doubt, fear, sorrow, sin, sickness and death. Fight the good fight of faith for these problems or people (Egyptians) you see today shall be no more. Remember we are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus Our Lord. Though we fight against powers of darkness; the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mightier through God to the pulling down of strong holds, (2nd Corinthians 10:4).
Let us remember the Captain of our salvation, The King of kings, The Lord of lords, The beginning and the end, the first and the last, The root and offspring of David, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of peace, He that, is and that was and that is to come and alive for evermore, The I AM that I AM, The Almighty God. Why art thou cast down O my soul? With God nothing shall be impossible. Holdfast, renew your vow of separation from the world. Focus on the Lord and do not be distracted. For our departure is near. Our kingdom is not of this world. No matter what you are going through it is not new under the sun. The word of God is true altogether. Heaven and earth shall pass way but not my word saith the Lord, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” saith the word of the Lord. You can count o his word, when He said, “I go to prepare a place for you and I will come again and take you to myself that where I am ye shall be also.” If you believe his word and stay in expectancy, focused, then nothing will separate you from his love. Finally, ALWAYS re member that whatever you are going through Jesus Christ already covered you in his prayer in John 17:20, “Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe in me through their word. Remember He is also in heaven making intercession for all believers. The key to these promises is to examine yourself and see if ye are in the faith, (2nd Corinth. 13:5 ) and make your calling and election sure, (2nd Peter 1:10). If you miss Jesus Christ and the Translation you are finished; because the great tribulation is a different ball game. If you cannot trust and hold on to Christ now: how are you sure you can survive the great tribulation? Study, Jeremiah 12:5, “If thou hast run with the foot men, and they have wearied thee, then how canst thou contend with horses? And if in the land of peace, wherein thou trustedst, they wearied thee, then how wilt thou do in the swelling of Jordan?” Guard you heart for out of it are the issues of this live; trust the Word of God, do not deny his name no matter the circumstances, even when there seems to be no hope.
169 – When there seems to be no hope