Adversity Is Your Enemy's Reaction to Your Progress
Dr RJ Sing, 31 min
Originally preached as “Dealing with Adversities in Your Life”
Sermon outline
Adversity is part of the whole counsel of God: analyse it, trust God, finish your race, refuse to panic, seek wise counsel and see the big picture, because this too shall pass.
Main text
- Psalm 46:1-10
Opening
He opens in prayer, binding every hindering spirit. He recalls standing on platforms before 60,000 to 100,000 people and seeing extraordinary healings, including one in Zimbabwe, but says prayer, faith and the miraculous are only part of the picture. Believers need the whole counsel of God, so alongside blessing, prosperity and healing, the church must also learn how to deal with adversity.
Preach the whole counsel of God
The body of Christ often runs with one truth as if it were the whole counsel of God. Apollos was fervent and taught accurately, yet he knew only the baptism of John. Adversity is part of the full truth, because when God gives you an assignment the devil assigns something to try to stop it.
“One truth on its own, promoted at the expense of other truths, becomes untruth.”
- Acts 20:27
- Proverbs 11:1
- Acts 18:25
- Psalm 46:1-10
1. Analyse adversity
You can respond to a crisis in four ways: minimise it, maximise it, advertise it or analyse it. Analysing it extracts useful information and shows you your options. God is an ever-present help in trouble, and Jesus warned we would have trouble but has overcome.
Illustration: The exaggerator who sees a minor accident with nobody hurt and says there was blood everywhere.
“Adversity is simply your enemy's reaction to your progress.”
- Psalm 46:1
- John 15:20
- John 16:33
- Ecclesiastes 7:14
2. Trust God to stop the attack
You serve a very capable God who can turn the hearts of kings. You are on His mind at this very moment, and He is about to move on your behalf. He makes wars cease, including the war someone is waging against you.
“Your tears, your pain, your fears, are very important to God.”
- Proverbs 21:1
- Psalm 46:9
3. Keep the spirit of a finisher
Everyone faces adversity, but those who stay strong to the finish are rewarded. Pace your zeal, because it is a long race, and aim to be able to say you have fought a good fight and finished your course.
Illustration: When he was first saved he would sit in his car an hour before the service, wondering why the deacons had not opened the doors, until he learnt they always opened at 6.45 for the 7 o'clock service. His zeal had overtaken his knowledge.
“Anyone can begin a marathon, but champions finish them.”
- 2 Timothy 4:7
4. Don't panic
God anticipated whatever shocks you today. Get alone in His presence so that fear dies and courage grows. Like the disciples in the storm, you are going to the other side, so don't exaggerate the storm, and watch your words.
Illustration: When a colleague gets the promotion you were confessing for, God may be teaching you patience; He can cause someone to resign and open the way for your promotion.
“Satan is merely an ex-employee of heaven.”
- Psalm 46:10
- Mark 4:35
- Proverbs 18:21
5. Pursue worthy counsel
Someone knows something you need to know to survive and even succeed in the most painful chapter of your life. Ignorance of God's Word, His ways and times and seasons is deadly. Universal laws like sowing and reaping operate whether you like them or not, so take time to listen to godly advice.
Illustration: We fear venomous snakes, but ignorance is more deadly.
“You can change your tomorrow by changing your today.”
- Galatians 6:7
- Proverbs 11:14
See the big picture
Nothing is ever as it first appears. Whatever pain you carry, relational, emotional or unanswered prayer, it is not forever. The crucifixion came before the resurrection, and promotion follows adversity.
Illustration: A placard he once saw pasted on a hospital wall: 'This too shall pass.'
“It will be the pain first, then the glory.”
- 2 Corinthians 4:17
- 2 Chronicles 16:9
Putting it into practice
- Analyse your crisis instead of exaggerating or advertising it.
- Trust God to move on your behalf, and watch what you speak.
- Pace yourself and determine to finish the race.
- Seek out godly counsel from people who know what you need to know.
- Hide 'this too shall pass' in your heart.
Closing
He has the church stand and declare 'This too shall pass', then prays for everyone facing adversity. He welcomes visitors with Pastor Zubeda, leads viewers in a prayer of salvation and has a man who responded taken for follow-up. He ends with a benediction and declares protection over the week: no accidents, calamities, house breaking or hijackings.
Declarations he led
- The whole counsel of God.
- I've overcome. I will overcome.
- Please don't panic.
- I have a big God.
- This too shall pass.
- Dear Heavenly Father, I invite you into my heart. I confess with my mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior. I now believe with all of my heart that my sins are forgiven and that now I am a child of God.
In his words
- “Adversity is simply your enemy's reaction to your progress.”
- “Anyone can begin a marathon, but champions finish them.”
- “Satan is merely an ex-employee of heaven. God employed him. God fired him.”
- “Ignorance is more deadly.”
- “It was the crucifixion first, then the resurrection.”
Every scripture in this message
- Psalm 119:105
- Colossians 1:12-13
- Acts 20:27
- Proverbs 11:1
- Acts 18:25
- Psalm 46:1-10
- John 15:20
- John 16:33
- Ecclesiastes 7:14
- Proverbs 21:1
- 2 Timothy 4:7
- Mark 4:35
- Proverbs 18:21
- Galatians 6:7
- Proverbs 11:14
- 2 Corinthians 4:17
- 2 Chronicles 16:9
- Matthew 18:19
- Romans 10:9
- Numbers 6:24-26