Ecclesiastes 3:1 “To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;”
Introduction: It is impossible to live life on top of the world all the time. There are times when life seems in the pits. And that happens to everyone. Even saints have bad days. And it is okay.
But it is not okay to become satisfied to stay there. Those down days, those troubling times are God’s gift to help us realize how much we hunger for God’s Spirit. They remind us how much we depend on God’s power and presence in our everyday lives.
Have you ever hear God talking to you about amazing things coming on your way, but the opposite seems to be happening in your life? Do not worry, because this is actually quite common.
Just before a breakthrough in your life, things will often break down.
Do not be discouraged if you might be going through a difficult time or things look opposite than you expected. Though it is not God’s will for us, it is common to experience breakdowns prior to getting a major breakthrough in our lives. There are many examples throughout the Bible where things looked opposite before a turnaround.
It requires us to step up and contend for whatever it is, that we might need.
There will be full restoration for those who do not give up.
God is using these trying times to strengthen and prepare you for what is coming.
*God is strengthening and preparing you for what is coming.*
Life of David:
1 Samuel 30. David had numerous prophetic promises and had been anointed to be the next king but Saul, the then king, was trying to kill him.
As we do something new, there will be opposition from those who do not understand. David’s breakthrough happened after what did not look much like a blessing at all. In fact, it came after a tremendous amount of loss (1 Samuel 30:1-20).
1 Samuel 30:1-20 “30 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way. 3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives. 4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God. 8 And David enquired at the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. 9 So David pursued them... 11 And they found an Egyptian in the field,(who was sick and abandoned by his master) and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water; 15 And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company. 16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah. 17 And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled. 18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. 19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all. 20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.”
“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.” Romans 8:18 NIV
Live each day with gratitude and joy while focusing your hope on the future and not the current situation. God is about to use what seems like a setback to propel us into our destiny at a greater level. Prayer points:
• Father reveal unto me, Your promises for my life. • Show me what the enemy does not want me to see (discernment). Deut. 29: 29 “The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.”
• Father, repay and release what was stolen and held back by the enemy (justice). I Samuel 30; 8 “And David inquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.”
Do not give up. Keep your focus on what is ahead and forget the things that lie behind. Each day is a brand new day!