The life of a believer will be not only challenging but also downright turbulent. If you are to follow and obey the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, you will have to struggle with the trouble. Your life will be strenuous, turbulent, and yet fulfilling. You will have to come to grips with the fact that the life of a Christian must be focused solely on the will of Jesus Christ, and it will be difficult. Yet, in the end, it holds rewards that are beyond imagination.
Jesus said it Himself. “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33
There will be times of peace and delight. There will be times of cheerfulness and amazing joy. The wonder of what the Lord has done. It could only come from the Lord in His timing. It will be a long and arduous journey for the true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is obedient to stay on His path. It will be an uphill battle against the three enemies you will have to face in this life.
They are your sinful flesh, the wickedness of this present world, and the devil and his demons who seek to derail your faith. They are all driven to drag you down and cause you to walk in sin and destruction. But remember, God is always with you and will give you a way to overcome and escape temptations.
So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd.
The good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. He, who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own, and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:7-15
But praise God the Father, His Spirit, and Jesus, who rules and reigns not just in Heaven but also on earth. Yes, He is always with you. Always remember Jesus is the King of kings, Lord of lords, ruler of the nations, and sovereign over all creation from the beginning of time into eternity.
There is no one or nothing that will ever, ever overrule Him. Never will anyone or anything outwit, outrank, outdo, or out-think the all-powerful God. Though the devil and this wicked world will try. God has defeated them already.
For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which He has called you, what are the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us who believe,
according to the working of His great might that He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He put all things under His feet and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:15-23
It is so hard because it was so hard for Jesus. They hated Him because He was good, holy, and pure. The world hated Him because He called out what was evil and unrighteous. He looked to the poor, needy, and humble, wanting to save mankind from sin and death. They hate you for the same reasons. You will desire the same things as Jesus if He is in you.
The devil has not changed one bit since he fell. His schemes and wicked ways have not shifted or been altered in any way since he began his evil reign. You are attacked, rejected, persecuted, and hated for these reasons. It is because they hated Jesus first. The Spirit of the Lord dwells within you and does the same work He does. But praise God, He loves you and will reward you greatly for your faithfulness. Be brave, be bold, and stand for Jesus. Declare the Gospel no matter what happens.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own, but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world; therefore, the world hates you.
Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name because they do not know him who sent me.” John 15:18-21
“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” John 14:21
Press into your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, even more. Knowing that He is greatly pleased for your faithful work, devotion to Him, and for the lost. Love deeply, care completely, give freely, and forgive quickly. Leave the rest in the hands of the Lord. He will judge and repay according to His perfect will and plan.
Many will come against you because of your devotion to your Lord. Many falsely accuse you of pride, arrogance, hate, and division. But Jesus knows the heart of all mankind. He knew them in the past when He walked upon this earth, and He knows them now.
It is not up to you to do anything in return for their hate except to love. So, show love without measure, kindness without end, compassion without question, and truth without consequence.
Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it until it receives the early and the late rains. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.
As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful. James 5:7-11
The Soul Sower 