Bible Class: Lesson 41

What are troubles?

·      Troubles can be physical, spiritual, mental, emotional, persecution, distress, sickness, pain, suffering, trials, hardships, anxiety and problems that a person may experience. Troubles in our lives can cause unhappiness and destabilize our Christian life. The church in Thessalonica experienced troubles.

2 Thessalonians 1:4-6

Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring. All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering. God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you.
 

Human troubles

·      When we entered the world at birth, we entered a world that has troubles. These troubles will test our faith, patience and resilience. Troubles can come in many forms. We can face; sickness, pain, grief, turmoil, stress, disaster and pandemics. If you have not faced any physical, emotion and spiritual trouble, yours are on the way to visit you.

Job 14:1-2

Man, that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue.

How long will my troubles last?

·      Some troubles and persecution may be short and for a time, and others may last for many years in our lives.

Revelation 2:10

Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give your life as your victor's crown.

The sources of our troubles

·      Human troubles, problems and difficulties may come from about five different sources. Our troubles may come from God. He may bring or allow things to test our faith and build our lives. We may cause problems in our lives by the things we do and speak. The environment we live in with natural laws may bring trouble to us. The people we know and associate with my bring trouble to our lives. God may also allow the devil to bring troubles to our lives. Job had problems in his life. He did not know that the source was the devil. Is it possible to know the source of your troubles?

Job 2:5-8

But now stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and bones, and he will surely curse you to your face.” The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life.” So, Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the crown of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.

We can overcome our troubles

·      Troubles will come in our lives. Jesus gave us hope. We can overcome them. The Thessalonian church persevered in their persecution.

John 16:33

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

2 Thessalonians 1:4

Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

Israel troubles in the desert wandering

·      The journey from Egypt to the Promised Land was filled with challenges and problems, lack of food, water, internal rebellion and external threats. The Israelites struggled with faith and obedience in their repeated grumblings and disobedience. Why does the problems of life cause us to be negative and complain.

Exodus 16:2-4

In the desert the whole community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the LORD’s hand in Egypt! There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instructions.

Numbers 14:1-4

That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”
 

Israel troubles in Egypt

·      Israel struggled in Egypt. They lived in the land as slaves. It was a painful experience. They cried to God to deliver them from their problems.

Exodus 3:7-10

The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. So, I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey—the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt.”
 

Stand firm when troubles come

·      Do not quit. Do not give up. Do not become unfaithful to God during problems.

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

God is fighting our battles

·      Do not be discouraged. We are not alone in our spiritual fight and struggles. God is with us. Judah faced troubles. They had nations that were greater and more powerful than them, that gathered to fight. God assured them that they were not alone.

2 Chronicles 20:15, 17

He said: Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.

Greater is God who is with us when we face troubles

·      We should not under estimate the great power of God. No trouble is too big for God to handle.

1 John 4:4

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Overcome troubles with good

·      We cannot fight evil with evil. Evil is overcome by doing good.

Romans 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good

Overcome troubles with prayer

·      As we face our struggles and problems in life, let us use the power of prayer.

Ephesians 6:18

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

Overcome troubles with the word of God

·      As we struggle and engage the devil and persecution, let us use the power of prayer. Let the word of God dwell in us in good measure. The word of God is a powerful weapon.

Ephesians 6:17

Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

What goes around comes around

·      When you trouble people, one day trouble will trouble you. It suggests that good deeds are rewarded with good results, and bad deeds are punished with bad results. Paul learnt that truth. He persecuted and troubled Christians. When he because a Christian, he was persecuted.

Galatians 6:7

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.

Acts 8:3

But Saul began to destroy the church. Going from house to house, he dragged off both men and women and put them in prison.2 Corinthians 11:23

2 Corinthains 11:23-27

Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.