Life Is Not In Charge: You Are Through Christ

As I read through an old blog, I decided to rework and re-publish it just in case one person who reads it may be “going through something” and heard that believers never have “valley experiences” i.e. very challenging times. I wish I could say so but I have had them and I have seen God come through each one with me making me stronger and feeling more blessed than ever. Life is sometimes like a rollercoaster. Some days are easily great and others, one may need to make great. I met someone who never had these experiences, so she does not believe we should have them; but we do and we are not strange. We have learnt to enjoy “hilltop experiences”, inspite of what we may be going through. We do so with an attitude of thanksgiving and confidence that we are who God says we are. Thanksgiving facilitates the renewal of our strength so that we are able to, through Christ, stand and successfully take on what life throws at us. As believers, we must learn to make the most of every day.

 

Ephesians 6: 13 – 14 “Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground…”

The songwriter says “nobody told me that life was going to be easy” and in truth, Christ never said so. It is one of those thoughts or suggestions we love to cling to which make us ill prepared to deal; making believers fail so often that the word of God which says we are blessed begins to look like a lie. Our enemy would rather have us deceived so that we are always “putting out fires” making it difficult for us to be on the offensive in this battle for authority on earth. It is sad that having gone through these experiences ill prepared, we fail to prepare our children or those coming after us, to deal better. We instead, tend to protect them from the realities inadvertently working for their failure because one way or the other, life catches up with everyone notwithstanding the depth or extent of one’s walk with God. If anything, it is the way you deal or handle life’s attempts to determine the cause of your life that is a reflection of the extent of your walk with God.

Genesis 1: 5KJV “And God called the light day, and the darkness he called night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.”

The sun rises and sets daily; so every day is bright at some point and dark at another. This is a very real description of the way life works; seeking also to dominate or control man but fails when dealing with believers because God’s presence in our lives makes it impossible for life to enslave us. Of course it still attempts to do so, but we always have the victory; truth that we must always walk in. Every attempt by life on our lives is not ended, until our victory through Christ is established. This is reality we must accept even when it is contrary to what we are experiencing physically. We must train ourselves to accept and live in the truth of God. It doesn’t just happen; we work at making it our reality. It is always our decision what we choose to see happening in our lives. We don’t have to see what others see if it doesn’t align with God’s word. It however, takes real inner strength to see what God sees inspite of what may see physically and that strength only comes from a revealed knowledge of God.

Romans 8: 27 “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.”

Hebrew 5: 14 “Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong.”

Acts 17: 28a “For in him we live and move and exist.”

God is one Father who loves so much He died for us; yet is not excessively protective. Though He comes with us, He actually does let us “go through” with a certainty that if we hold onto and trust Him, we will come through. Most parents would love their children if love was measured by what parents allow their children go through, because most of them would certainly take their children round the “valley of the shadow of death” but He who loved us enough to die for us takes us through it for the priceless experiences and the prizes set before us. Success is certain for every sincere believer; we need maturity and strength to carry “success successfully.” God does not just make good decisions, but right decisions.

Jeremiah 29: 11 “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”

To all those who think making positive confessions keeps one from “valley experience”, truth is that they don’t. Whilst making them is important, wise and aligns with God’s word as long as the confessions are Christ teaching, they won’s keep you from experiencing life as long as you are in this world. Instead, they will keep you as you “go through” and bring you out a better and more positive person. This is the reason we are more than conquerors. We conquer through Christ and surpass all expectations. We are built to weather the storms of life and come out victorious because Christ already won the victory for us.