Overcoming - Part 2

1 Peter 2:19-20 “For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.”

Continuing Pastor Kyle’s message on “overcoming”, he points out that Jesus says it is a gracious thing in the sight of God when we endure hardships, sorrows and even suffering for it unjustly. He is not saying that we should go looking for situations where we will be treated unfairly, but when they happen God tells the Believer that He’ll reward us and our witness gets strengthened in the process. There are some situations when we need to remove ourselves immediately, but in most cases God can give us the strength to endure and encourages us to do so. What is we are being asked to do something illegal or immoral? Respectfully push back, but be kind in your descent and seek a creative alternative. The alternative is to take the consequences. Declare your faith and acknowledge who is the One true Lord. Entrust yourself to God. That ‘s what biblical submission looks like.

Psalm 23 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”

Another way the Holy Spirit enables us to overcome is by leading us gently so that we can lead others gently. Many of the great shepherds  are gentle leaders. The Apostle Peter refers to Jesus as our Shepherd and Overseer, and the Bible uses the imagery of the shepherd to describe God repeatedly. There are times when God makes us do what we do not want to do. But, when we look back upon those times, we see that He was leading us gently. When God forces something in our lives, it is always for our good. Outside of causing us to slow down occasionally, the Holy Spirit does not push us. In fact, He enables us to overcome in our lives by gently leading us to still waters and green pastures that our souls need so desperately. The pushy things in life are usually not from God.

Let’s continue Pastor Kyle’s message on “overcoming” in the next post.

In Christ, Brian