♕ Today's Promise: “Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil. And he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.” John 11:11-17
My beautiful brides, this chapter on 'You're being set-up' in the LAL series is course-altering. It explains why we should rejoice under all circumstances, and why our trials should result in praises to the Lord. We learn that if we resist evil or an evil person, we miss what that adversity was sent to do for us in the first place! I know we aren't to repay evil for evil, but rather with good, but I hadn't quite figured out this as one of the reasons and the best reason yet. We go through trials to be perfected, mature, complete, lacking nothing. All the murmuring and complaining hinders that growth and makes the trial last longer than it ought to; instead we must submit to it cheerfully and gracefully, for we are told that our trials should result in rejoicing!!
My HH (Heavenly Husband), How could I have been so mistaken? With all the changes my heart needed, the transformation that was necessary, how else did I expect you to achieve that? Forgive me for being short-sighted and double-minded. May I never murmur and wander about in confusion at my trials, for they are here to bless me —it's a set up!
Fellow brides, it appears that the purpose of evil in the life of the believer, and why God sets us up, is for us to be blessed and for Him to get the glory He deserves. Truly, God loves when the odds are stacked up against us, for then He can show off. "If I be lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto myself" John 12:32. Remember when Elijah filled his troughs with water then called on the God of heaven to send fire to consume the sacrifice to show off to the Baal gods? Or when He bragged to the enemy on Job passing the test. Or when He let Lazarus die all the way before coming to raise him from the dead... When you see the odds are stacked against you, take a victory lap and give Him praise, raise a hallelujah!!
It was also a good reminder that the enemy is annoying but hardly a threat, just like a pesky fly, which is an amazing realization for me. The more time I spent in prayer with my Lord, the more I was beginning to sense this but hadn't articulated it yet. I kept thinking: if we are fighting from a position of victory, exactly what power does the enemy have in all this expect to threaten us, discourage us, get us to give up, and get us to speak contrary to God's word? his tactics really are very limited, the imp has no real power! For someone that roars that loudly trying to imitate the lion of Judah, it's laughable once you see through his façade, powerless as he is, even needing God's permission to sift us -ha!
Dear Bride, you have been set up for a blessing. I am blessed to read that the tide will turn once evil has accomplished what it came to do. Trials come to refine us, so we have to watch our attitude as this will determine how easily we get through them. However tough the journey gets, remember that it is to bless you, God has a plan to bless you, you need only trust Him and stand still as the changes you need occur and you await their manifestation. You cannot cry when you understand the purpose of your trials. You will praise your Father when you realize everything is a set up to bless you. My life is altered, my journey is forever changed, I pray yours is too.
~ Esme in Connecticut
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