Monday, 12 September 2011

• Finding God Admist Trouble

  By Jessica

  There are things that separate us from God's presence. Being in the natural state of our flesh nature. We are walking in the flesh on earth. We must have the indwelling holy spirit to overcome this in our life. The flesh and the spirit oppose each other and you will be in a tug of war throughout your lifetime.

  God cannot be connected to sin, he is holy. When his own son was dying on the cross, he withdrew his presence because of Christ being covered with all of the past, present and future sins of all generations of people. That is why Jesus said, "God, why have you forsaken me?"  He felt God's presence withdraw from him. Christ experienced all of our sufferings, even feeling separated from God. He understands all we feel and experience. Once the crucifixion was over, and he returned to his normal, sinless state, he removed our sin and opened the door that was once shut for us to come into communion with God. Only through being joined to him can you stay in union with God.   

  Evil is always working in opposing forces to good. The closer you try to get to God, the stronger will be the evil forces working against you to separate you from him. You must stay in prayer and repentance through Christ throughout your lifetime. You know if you have the holy spirit with you if you manifest his presence or fruit of the spirit, which is being loving and patient toward others, especially those you know do not have a relationship with God, feeling peaceful regardless of what is going on in your life, and feeling joyful regardless of what is going on in your life.

  1 John 4:8 says, "God is love, he who does not love, does not know God." Your life should show you are a follower of Christ. People will be attracted to it and want it without you even having to say anything to them. You not only can experience God's loving, guiding presence in your life, you can lead others to experience it too. God's spirit is a happy, cheerful spirit. Unless you are manifesting these traits, God's presence is not with you.  

  One of the greatest problems troubling people in our day and age is depression. A state of depression could only be present if God's spirit is not dwelling inside a person. A large percentage of our population is on anti-depressant medication. You cannot go through life and experience all it's trials and sufferings without having God with you. It is impossible. A person could have everything the flesh could desire and feel empty and depressed without God. On the contrary, a person with the holy spirit could endure unimaginable suffering and feel more joyful than the person living with everything in the flesh. 

  God oftentimes uses our trials and sufferings as a means to push him to us, because unless he is needed, we may not find him. If you are going through some kind of trial right now, become hopeful in knowing that God is allowing Satan to come after you for a short time because he knows your trials will push you toward him. He knows our hearts inside and out and knows what it will take for us to find him.   

  Psalm 34:19 says, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous." Unfortunately, it takes affliction for us to stay in union with God; otherwise, we may become worldly and separated from him. You must love God and want to know him above all else. He is a jealous God and wants to be first. He may allow your worldly attainment to be stripped from you if it is your first priority over knowing and being with him, if he knows you are capable of being in union with him. The interesting thing is that when you truly find God, you will loose your interest in worldly things and attainment and seek the spiritual. Worldly things are temporary and meant for this lifetime only, but spiritual knowledge and our relationships with God and people are not only eternal, but the key to our peace and joy.

  Once God has our heart and is dwelling within us, he then will give us the things he knows are important to us. Matthew 6:33 says,"Put ye first the kingdom of God and all this shall be added unto you" and Psalm 37:4 says,"Delight thyself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart."  

  If you want to find and experience God today, do not pray for him to remove whatever it is that your are going through. Instead, desire to know and experience him. Tell him you want to submit to his plan for your life, not your own. Tell him you want to know why he made you to begin with, that you want to know the purpose of your life.

  People that live in the flesh are driving their own car, people with the holy spirit are letting God drive their car. Let go of your steering wheel today and trade seats with God. He will drive you to places of safety, security and peace. God bless all who have read this. I pray you experience the joy of knowing God in your lifetime and the security of knowing you have your eternal place with him to look forward to in the future.

  In what way do you find God amidst your struggles? Do you agree that God uses suffering and trial to bring us closer to Him? Have you ever experienced this?

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