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"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."
(Ps. 46:1)

Trouble—you know what that is don't you? It's that state of distress that causes us stress. It's that relational difficulty that manages to surface its ugly head. It's that supply to our need that hasn't made it to our hand yet. It's those mental images causing us fear and anxiety which keep repainting themselves in our mind.

It's that hideous beast called "the unknown" that cries out, "I'm waiting for you and I am going to get you." It's the pesky little problems that surface at what seems the most inopportune times.

Most importantly, it's something we have to learn to defeat with the promises of God through faith.

Serve Somebody
I am here today to tell you that trouble will come to you in your life! Yes, it will come. Psalm 34:19 says, " Many are the troubles of the righteous...." Why is that so?

Well, for some it's because they live in this world under Satan's domination. The Bible says that Satan is the god of this world. You see, you have to serve somebody. As a result, you will either serve God or (if you deny Him), you will be serve Satan.

That's why Satan wants everyone to think he's a fictional character. When he convinces someone of that, then he can attack. People don't try to defend themselves against something they don't really believe is real. Then, as a result, they often question or even blame God for what went wrong—because He's the only One they really believe in.

How ironic is that?

What is Satan's nature? He is a murderer and a liar. There is no truth in Him. In the gospel of John, Jesus said the following while speaking to religious hypocrites,
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
(John 8:44)
Jesus said something else about him. In John 10:10, He called him the "the thief that comes only to steal and kill and destroy." Satan hates mankind because mankind is God's creation. He wants to destroy man before he receives the forgiveness of sin and the gift of Heaven by accepting Jesus as Savior.

So why does trouble come to the Christian if they belong to God? Trouble comes because you do belong to God! When you belong to God, you have God's Holy Spirit within you. Along with the Holy Spirit, God gives us something called the anointing. The Bible says that the anointing is the power of God at work with us that can stop and destroy Satan's work.

Yoke Destroying Power
I just talked with a woman the other day who had been addicted to drugs, alcohol, and had lived in adultery. A Christian—one whom is a person with the anointing within them—shared Jesus' love with her. She accepted Jesus into her heart. She became a Christian. Now the Holy Spirit lives within her. He is at work in her.

Not long afterward, she was set free in her heart from drugs and alcohol, and is now back with her husband and family. God has turned her entire life around. He used a Christian and the anointing within that Christian to destroy Satan's work.

So why does trouble come to Christians? Because we are a threat to him.

Do we need to fear Satan? Absolutely not! We should not fear trouble either. Psalm 34:19 says, "Many are the troubles of the righteous..." (however, it continues to say), "...but the Lord delivers us from them all!"

Through faith in God's promises, God can deliver us from trouble. He can protect us. He can hide us. In 1 Kings chapter 18 there is a story about Elijah. God had Elijah pronounce a drought on the land because of Israel's backslidden state.

This drought created hardship and King Ahab was furious with Elijah and wanted to kill him. He sent his armies to every nation and kingdom on earth and yet could not find him. First Kings 18:10 says, "For I swear by God that the king has searched every nation and kingdom on earth from end to end to find you."

King Ahab never could find him. God protected Elijah and kept him hidden from trouble. God led him in places of safety and supernatural provision for his every need. What was Elijah's part? To trust God and follow the Lord's direction regarding what he should do—and then be faithful to do what God asked.

We know trouble and destruction comes. Psalm 91:7-8 says, "A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. You will only observe with your eyes...." The Bible says that trouble will be to the right and to the left; it says that many will fall from it. But it also says it will not come near you.

Trouble can surround us but the promise of God to receive by faith says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all" (Ps. 34:19).

The promises are real. We are in covenant with God and He delights helping His children and that is why He gives us Psalm 46:1: "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble."

He is your promise and help today! Look up!

Copyright © www.freshmanna.org
All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Author Biography

Tim Burt
Web site: Todays Fresh Manna
 
Timothy Burt is a pastor, author, and writer. He is best known as the author of Fresh Manna, a daily devotional and online Bible study.
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