Questions/Answers

1.  Is God really with me as I go through difficult situations?

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” (Rom. 8:14)

Absolutely! Romans 6-8 teaches us the process of how Christ the Word by the Spirit dwells in us. To access His power and wisdom, led by the Spirit, we are able to function as adult believers, yet we need to know some things:

–Romans 5-6: We will feel God is far away and not helping until we realize sin no longer has to dominate us. God took us out of Adam’s sin nature (Gen. 5:1-3) and placed us into Christ, giving us His Spirit, righteousness, and choices. (Rom.3:21) We can be led by the Spirit to under-stand sound doctrine and yield to walk it out by faith. God through Christ lives with us, always desiring to be our help as we grow, but these are invisible things. We are a new creature (II Cor 5:17) with a new identity, and now able to make godly decisions, rather than fleshly ones. “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.” (Romans 6:12)

-Romans 7: We will continue to try in our own efforts to live godly, until we learn that our fleshly efforts or works of the law will NEVER measure up: “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.” (Rom. 7:14) Our works bring failure, functional death, and feeling far away from God. We need to we submit and yield: “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” The answer: “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 7:24-25a)

-Romans 8: As we mature in our walk, we’re to focus on our mind and thinking, NOT behavior or works. As Christ dwells in us, our thinking is transformed, and we are adopted as adult sons to live unto God. When led by the Spirit and instructed about the “deep things of God,” we are enabled to live resurrection life to serve the Father. Romans 8 provides the answer we yearn for… so spend time meditating on this chapter for personal application.

2.  How can we go through severe difficulties and be approved of God?

Every saint goes through tough challenges at one time or another, but how we do it is key. What is the difference between ‘holding things together,’ the natural tendency of the flesh, and a ‘walk of faith?’ One is to function under the Law to try real hard; this effort burns away (I Cor. 3), producing death to our spiritual life. The other is Grace where the Spirit leads (Rom. 8:14), bringing life, which is effectual service unto God.

The fear of making mistakes and what others may think can place an enormous amount of pressure on an already difficult situation. However, be encouraged to give yourselves grace. Expect that mistakes will happen as we live in a fleshly body. We can trust that God resides in us and is our power; there is no condemnation from Him as we walk in the Spirit. (Rom. 8:1) So we can trust God during challenges knowing He works all things for good as we believe. (Romans 8:28)

Stay focused on Scripture to glory in difficulties: ”but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed.” (Rom.5:3-5) This process teaches us to mature in patience, experience, and hope. As we go through sufferings, God will work in us to manifest His life.

When we go through extreme difficulties, we can second guess ourselves and begin destructive self-talk, which is condemnation. Instead, allow God to refocus your thoughts to renew your mind in sound teaching (Rom. 12:2), being led by the Spirit. God loves each of us and can do “exceeding abundantly above” (Eph 3:20) all of what we could ask or think.

3. How do we redeem the time?

READ the Word and walk out your convictions by faith. This is trusting God as He puts aside our flesh and worldly concerns, so we are able to live unto Him. God does the work in us