CHRIST CHOSEN AMBASSADORS MINISTRY

GOD HAS NOT FORSAKEN YOU

The affliction, hardship, travail and pain which many children of God are encountering in life have made them to doubt the promises of God for their life. Many are of the opinion that God has forsaken them. Our activities on planet earth at times involve pains, affliction, trouble and agony. Many like Job in Job 14:1 are saying “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble.” Jesus never promised His followers a challenge free life. Jesus said in the book of John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” The Bible made it clear that challenges will come but God has solutions to them. The Bible made this clear in the book of Psalm 34:19 “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all.”

(1) BELIEVERS OF OLD ENCOUNTERED CHALLENGES

It was not easy for the children of Israel to live in Egypt after the death of Joseph. The Egyptians made taskmasters over them as written in Exodus chapter 5. When the Israelites decided to go, the Egyptians pursued them even to the red sea to kill them. The Bible says in Exodus 14:10-12 “And when Pharaoh drew nigh, the children of Israel lifted up their eyes, and, behold, the Egyptians marched after them; and they were sore afraid: and the children of Israel cried out unto the Lord. And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt? Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.”

Furthermore the children of Israel encountered another challenge in their life after crossing the red sea. They had no water to drink as written in Exodus 15:23-24 “And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah. 24 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?” That is not all, when the crossed Elim they had no food to eat (Exodus 16:3). In addition when they got to Rephidin they had no water to drink again hence they murmured against God and His servant Moses (Exodus 17:1-3).

Abraham and Sarah hoped against hope waiting for the promised son Isaac. When Sarah felt that God is delaying too much she gave her made Hagar to Abraham. Hannah had to stay for a long time without a child. Hannah wept before God in 1 Samuel 1:10 “And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the Lord, and wept sore.” Just like Hannah, Rachael in Genesis 30:1 had to stay for a long time without child. The men of God in the Bible encountered challenges as we do today!

(2). GOD HAS SOLUTIONS TO ALL THE CHALLENGES AND PROBLEMS OF BELIEVERS

Every problem has an expiring date. God brought solutions to the challenges of believers of old in such a way that His name is glorified. To every problem they encountered God gave a solution. The Egyptians pursued the Israelites with the intention of killing and destroying them but instead of killing the Israelites, the Egyptians were destroyed by God. They were drowned in the red sea; (Exodus 14:13, 23-31). When the Israelites could not drink the Marah water, God took them to Elim in Exodus 15:27. When the Israelites were hungry and there was no food for them to eat, God fed them with Manna as written in Exodus 15:11-15. The children of Israel murmured against God and Moses at Rephidin because they had no water to drink, but God took them to Horeb where they had enough water to drink (Exodus 17:16). God gave Hannah Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20) and to Rachael He gave Joseph (Genesis 30:23-24). If God did not forsake them, He will not forsake you for it is written in Hebrew 13:5b “for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” God has a program for your life as written in Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

God knows your needs. It is written in Matthew 6:32-34 “(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” It should also be noted that God hears our cry (Psalm 40:1). In addition it is worthy to note that challenges prepare man for greater assignments (1 Peter 1:7, James 1:2-4)

(3)WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW AND DO IN TIME OF PROBLEM

I. You should always remember that there is no help from “Egypt” for it is written in Isaiah 31:1-3 “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words: but will arise against the house of the evildoers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together.”

II You should remember that there is nothing too hard for God. The Bible says in Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me? “ Repent of your sins (Isaiah 59:1-2). Call upon God as written in Jeremiah 33:3 “Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.” Then you should wait upon God. You should trust God.

Iii You should trust upon God. God has given us a promise on Isaiah 41:10, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Finally see solutions to your problem and not your problems. Join St. Paul in Philippians 4:13 to say “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”