PUSH BACK!

PUSH BACK

Many times in our lives we come to the point where it appears as if we are drowning in a sea of situations that are troubling us, that we seem not to be able to sort out or shift.  The situation can quickly become very overwhelming such that if care is not taken, we just want to drop everything and not bother to try to resolve any of the situations.  This is not peculiar to us and it is not new, like the Bible says 

     "No temptation has overtaken 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 also provide a way out so that you can endure it"

                                                                                                          - 1Cor 10:13

Paul the Apostle appeared to have had many instances like that during his ministry.  He records his many crushing situations in 2Cor 4:8-9 

     "We are pressed on every side by troubles but we are not crushed.  We are perplexed but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but not abandoned by God. We get knocked down but we are not destroyed"

In fact the Bible makes us to realise that this is part of life and to be expected - it is part of the legacy of Adam and Eve!

So, how do we respond in such situations?  How do we go from the point of being overwhelmed to having victory, regaining our sense of being in control?

In John 16:33, Jesus said

    "These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer I have overcome the world"

We need to remind ourselves of this fact that the Lord has overcome the world for us!  Like the Bible says in Romans 8:37 that

    "No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him (Jesus) that loved us"

Instead of throwing in the towel and giving in to the state of overwhelm, the Lord encourages us to do certain things that guarantee victory:

1.  Be anxious for nothing and do not be afraid!  - the easiest thing to do in such situation is to worry but it will not bring a solution to the problem; it will make it worse!  

    "Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God"    -  Phil 4:6

2.  Pray!  Ask God to intervene.  Bind the enemy, bind his activity and lose the power of God in the situation.

     "Is any man in trouble, let him pray...."  - James 5:13

    "...whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven...."  -  Matt 18:18

3.  Praise!  Praise is one of the most powerful weapons of our warfare because we magnify God when we praise Him and He shows up on the scene!  For example, Paul and Silas chose to praise God in their prison cell and God sent an earthquake to set them free!

    "And at midnight, Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.  And suddenly, there was a great earthquake so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed"     -   Acts 16:25-26

God bless you as you rise up, face the situation and overcome in the name of Jesus and by the power of the Holy Spirit!

Abidemi Nwator